Ryan C. Shellady

Ryan C. Shellady

4.6
Rating: 9.2

Licensed for 6 years

Family Lawyer at Iowa City, IA
Practice Areas: Family, Litigation, Appeals ... +6 more

402 S. Linn Street, Iowa City, IA

About Ryan

Biography

Fees and Rates

Cost

Hourly Rates

$ 275-275 per hour


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Iowa for 6 years

State: Iowa

Acquired: 2019

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Colorado for 4 years

State: Colorado

Acquired: 2021

Dismissed

No misconduct found

Location

Bray & Klockau, P.L.C.

402 S. Linn Street, Iowa City, IA, 52240

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Ryan C. Shellady's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.6 /5.0

10 Client Reviews

5 star (9)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (1)

Posted by anonymous | June 4, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Unprofessional and Incompetent

The law firm that this lawyer works with, Bray & Klockau, is terrible with communication and has a very high case load that keeps them from working well with their clients. During the process of my divorce proceedings they have been a nightmare to work with and I’ve been moved between lawyers and had... to deal with unprofessional and aggravated messages from this man as well as staff when confusion over the case came about. He is an easy avoid for anyone that needs legal services and I cannot recommend anyone having to deal with him when there are many better options.

Ryan Shellady

Replied last June 16, 2025

Hello, Anonymous poster. With respect, I can't address your specific experience because you have chosen to post anonymously on this page instead of contacting us to address these concerns. I can say that if you were "passed" between attorneys, it was because one of the attorneys was out on maternity leave, and I was covering for her while she was out. I can assure that none of my messages are unprofessional or aggravated. The only time I get heated is if people are disrespectful or mean to my amazing staff who work tirelessly on my clients' cases. I can certainly address client's frustrations, but I draw hard boundaries when people are disrespectful or take things out on our legal assistants or paralegals. Whatever your specific concerns are, I wish you had brought them to our attention so we could have addressed them. I have a couple of ideas of who you might be, and if my instincts are correct, we had been requesting that documents be provided to us more than half a dozen times, and they were never provided to us. We indicated we could not move your case forward without receiving these documents, and you still chose not to provide them. Our hands were tied, and I am sincerely sorry that frustrated you. Good luck with your case, and I am more than happy to address this directly if you contact our office. Thanks.

Posted by Sam | May 13, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Ryan C. Shellady is a Great Family Law Attorney!

I recently fired my court appointed attorney for family court. I looked up best family law attorneys in Iowa City. Ryan's name popped on several lawyer review websites. He has listened to me with compassion. He answers my emails in a timely manner. If I can't get ahold of him, the staff pass my mess...ages directly to him. He has worked very hard on my CINA case file since taking over for the court appointed attorney. There is no doubt that I hired the right lawyer for my family law CINA case. He's determined and very passionate about helping my case succeed. His staff are wonderful in answering my questions. I would hire him again in the future after my case is concluded. He has filed motions and petitions that support my goal of getting my newborn son out of foster care.

Posted by Ben | August 3, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Ryan C. Shellady

Ryan is a hard-working, compassionate family law lawyer. He prioritizes his clients needs and specific desires and works to tailor his representation accordingly. Ryan will work hard for you and always keep you informed regarding your best path forward. I recommend Ryan to any prospective client. ...

Posted by Wendy | July 28, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Crisis Advocate

Ryan was a resource that my client desperately needed to complete here Divorce successfully. He was very professional, a great communicator and very knowledgeable. He brought much peace and clarity in a very stressful time. I highly recommend Ryan! He will get the job done!

Posted by Anna | July 26, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Highly recommend!

I highly recommend Ryan Shellady, he is very professional, prompt, understanding, and makes sure clients are informed every step of the way.

See All Client Reviews

Ryan C. Shellady's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Ryan
Kristin Day Weaver headshot
Kristin Weaver

Family lawyer | May 20

Relationship: Co-worker

"Ryan thoroughly understands the legal process, and applies a strategic eye to obtaining the best results for his clients. You can count on Ryan to put the best case possible forward."

Danielle Christine Davis headshot
Danielle Davis

Family lawyer | May 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan is an excellent attorney, focused on high-quality work, attention to detail, and positive outcomes for his Clients. Ryan prioritizes professionalism and excellence in his practice, and would be an excellent choice for anyone seeking representation in their family law matter."

Stephanie Ann Randall headshot
Stephanie Randall

Family lawyer | May 04

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan is a sharp advocate who has an excellent ability to develop workable strategy that a client can feel good about."

View All Endorsements
Samuel James Scheurich headshot
Samuel Scheurich

Family lawyer

Kristin Day Weaver headshot
Kristin Weaver

Family lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.2 (Superb)

Honors

2024

Rising Star, SuperLawyers

2023

Rising Star, SuperLawyers

2019

Donald P. Lay Award, University of Iowa College of Law

2018

Dean's Award for Academic Excellence, University of Iowa College of law

2018

Jurisprudence Award for Academic Excellence, University of Iowa College of Law

2018

William S. Anderson Scholarship, University of Iowa College of Law

2018

Top Advocate—Van Oosterhout Moot Court Competition, University of Iowa College of Law

2017

Dean's Award for Academic Excellence, University of Iowa College of Law

2016

Dean's Award for Academic Excellence, University of Iowa College of Law

Work Experience

2022 - Present

Associate Attorney, Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC

2021 - 2022

Associate Attorney, Burnham Law, PLC

2019 - 2020

Member of National Working Group, United Family Advocates

2019 - 2021

Associate Attorney, Brown, Winick, Graves, Gross & Baskerville PLC

2017 - 2017

Law Clerk, Family Defense Center

2017 - 2017

Fellow, Bergstrom Fellowship—University of Michigan Child Advocacy Law Clinic

Associations

2024 - Present

Hawkeye Wrestling Club

Member - Inner Circle

2023 - Present

Orchestra Iowa

Board of Directors

2023 - Present

Iowa City Liberty High School

Mock Trial Coach

2022 - Present

Linn County Bar Association

Attorney Member

2022 - Present

Johnson County Bar Association

Attorney Member

2019 - Present

Iowa State Bar Association

Attorney Member

2021 - 2024

Colorado Bar Association

Attorney Member

Sample of Legal Cases

In re Marriage of Frazier

Upheld District Court Ruling 4-2

In re Marriage of Wieland

Court of Appeals unanimously agreed with husband.

In re Marriage of T.

Husband recovered his property, reunification with child ordered in favor of husband.

See More Legal Cases

Education

2019

University of Iowa College of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

2016

University of Iowa

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2023

Linn County Ad Hoc Monthly Meeting - May 2023

Joint Legal Custody - Iowa Caselaw Update Spring 2023

2016

Honors Research Presentations

Legal Landscape of Stand Your Ground Laws

Publications

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution