An international industrial lines insurance company announced the hiring of a new, experienced general counsel to lead its legal team.

Patricia Ryan has been named the senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of HDI Global Insurance Co., effective immediately. She will be responsible for the insurance company’s legal matters including compliance, litigation, regulatory and government affairs, contracts and legal consultation to HDI’s business operations. She will be based in Chicago and work with the board of directors on corporate governance and business processes. Ryan will report to president and CEO, Dr. Lothar Becker.

“Patricia’s impressive and expansive background in insurance law is perfectly suited for this role and HDI. I am confident she will successfully expand our capabilities,” Becker said in the press release. “She understands our culture and knows our business.”

According to her LinkedIn profile, Ryan most recently worked as a shareholder at Johnson & Bell in Chicago. At Johnson & Bell, she focused on insurance regulatory, transactional and risk-management issues. She has also worked as the executive vice president and general counsel of American Overseas Group Ltd. and Old American Capital Corp. She has also worked as vice president and assistant general counsel at QBE US Agencies and as senior counsel at Allianz/Fireman’s Fund. Ryan also worked as a partner at Cassiday Schade. She graduated from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Ryan was not available for comment Thursday.

Ryan replaces David Neumeister, who served as general counsel for HDI from October 2007 to May of this year. Neumeister left the company to rejoin Querrey & Harrow as an attorney and shareholder.

HDI Global is an international industrial lines insurer active in 150 countries and has 3,000 employees worldwide.