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Ryan first expressed interest in becoming a lawyer in grade school. His “why” was simple: it would be cool to know how to help people find solutions to problems they might otherwise not know how to solve on their own. In applying to law school, one of Ryan’s recommenders wrote: “Ryan appeared at my office as a prelaw student requesting to intern for the summer. Although I had no immediate need for a legal intern at the time, since I had already hired a summer law clerk and had never met Ryan previously, his interest in and excitement about the legal profession impressed me so much that I hired him immediately. That summer and the next, Ryan exhibited a tremendous work ethic and the same enthusiasm for every task given to him. I have had many law school interns work for my firm over the 30 years of practice, but I have never had a law school or pre-law school individual exhibit the enthusiasm toward the law that Ryan possesses. He will be an excellent attorney and a wonderful addition to the legal profession in the future.”
Ryan’s “why” for being a lawyer has not changed. In 2023, the Virginia Access to Justice Commission recognized Ryan’s pro bono service contributions by naming him to the Commission’s Pro Bono Service Honor Roll. Ryan’s colleagues and clients can confirm that his work ethic and enthusiasm for his work have not changed either.
Since becoming a lawyer, Ryan has built a practice focused almost exclusively on management-side labor and employment law. He serves as a trusted counselor and strategic advisor to employers across various industries, bringing extensive and specialized experience in employee discipline, reductions-in-force, wage-and-hour compliance, restrictive covenants, disability and religious accommodations, and drug testing. Ryan also guides clients through workplace investigations, including sensitive Title IX matters involving students, faculty, and athletic programs at public and private universities.
A seasoned litigator, Ryan has handled a broad spectrum of cases, from single-plaintiff disputes to complex multi-plaintiff and collective/class actions in federal and state courts. He has represented clients before the EEOC, DOL, NLRB, OSHA, and various state and local agencies, with extensive experience representing state agencies in grievance proceedings under the Virginia State Grievance Procedure.
Ryan has served as lead counsel in multiple multi-day bench trials and as second chair in federal jury trials. He has prevailed on dozens of dispositive motions across multiple jurisdictions, including more than a dozen summary judgment victories, the substantial majority of which were secured in the Eastern District of Virginia, known as the “Rocket Docket” for its reputation as the fastest-moving federal district court in the country. Ryan has also successfully argued multiple appeals before the Fourth Circuit and the Court of Appeals of Virginia, including an oral argument before the full court sitting en banc in 2022.
Ryan graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law, where he received the Harry L. Carrico Award for significant pro bono service and public interest work. After graduation, Ryan was selected for a competitive Public Service Fellowship, which he completed at the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia in the Civil Litigation Division – Trial/Employment Unit. Ryan then served as an Assistant Attorney General, representing dozens of state employees, state agencies, and public universities, before joining the firm at the beginning of 2021.
