Ms. Ranschau is an experienced commercial litigator who has represented Fortune 500 companies in a number of areas. Her practice focuses on complex litigation, handling all types of commercial litigation including contract disputes, construction matters, employment, and misappropriation of trade secrets and other confidential information. Ms. Ranschau has also represented various governmental entities over the years, with an expertise in areas of governmental immunity, government records requests, Title VII, and section 1983 claims.

In her appellate practice, Ms. Ranschau has prepared briefs for the Utah Court of Appeals, Utah Supreme Court, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. She has presented oral argument before the Utah Court of Appeals, the Utah Supreme Court, and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Ranschau studied abroad in London, then Oviedo, Spain, and later completed a judicial clerkship with the honorable Justice Jill N. Parrish at the Utah Supreme Court.

Beth J. Ranschau was last modified: November 13th, 2025 by RQN

Awards and Recognition

  • Mountain States Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in the category of Business Litigation (2016-2021)
  • Utah’s “Legal Elite,” as published in Utah Business Magazine (2021-2022)
  • 2021 Utah Business Magazine’s “40 Under 40” honoree, as a professional whose work has helped to evolve Utah’s business landscape and future

Representative Highlights

  • In 2025, obtained jury verdict after two-week federal trial as lead counsel representing governmental entity in defeating over $16 million in asserted damages for whistleblower retaliation and breach of contract claims.
  • In 2024, successfully obtained summary judgment on Title VII, section 1983 First Amendment claims and Procedural and Substantive Due Process claims.
  • In 2022, won before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which affirmed summary judgment dismissing multi-million dollar damage claim in trade secret dispute for lack of causation and on governmental immunity grounds.
  • Obtained summary judgment and dismissal of a damage claim of $150,000,000 against a University research foundation in a trade secret litigation case where plaintiffs asserted over $4 billion in damages in a complex case raising twelve claims against twelve different defendants.
  • Briefed and presented oral argument to the Utah Supreme Court on certified questions from the federal court regarding novel issues related to the Utah Governmental Immunity Act and its impact on University-owned non-profit research foundations.

Education

University of Utah, J.D., 2011

  • Order of the Coif
  • Associate Editor, UTAH LAW REVIEW
  • William H. Leary Scholar

University of Utah, B.A., English and Gender Studies, 2007

  • cum laude

Professional and Civic Activity

  • 2021 Utah Business 40 Under 40 Honoree
  • 2021 Utah Legal Elite

Affiliations / Memberships

  • CLE Committee Member, Salt Lake County Bar
  • Committee Member, WLU Initiative on the Advancement and Retention of Women in Law Firms, 2010
  • Member, Women Lawyers of Utah
  • Member, Young Lawyers Division
  • Member, Appellate Practice Section of the Utah State Bar
  • Member, Litigation Section of the Utah State Bar

Professional Experience

  • Law clerk to Justice Jill N. Parrish, Utah Supreme Court
Admitted to Practice
Utah State Bar
United States District Court, District of Utah

Awards

rising stars beth j. ranschau

Presentations and
Publications

  • Panelist, Discovery in IP Cases (Utah State Bar Intellectual Property Section, IP Litigation Bootcamp), October 28, 2021
beth ranschau

Contact

Beth J. Ranschau

801-323-3332