Biography
Michael D. Ryan is a partner in our Los Angeles office whose practice encompasses all aspects of labor and employment law. He has extensive experience in litigation, arbitration, and mediation; class action defense; union and strike law; unfair competition and trade secret claims; corporate due diligence; discrimination and wrongful termination claims; and counseling on employment practices.
He has represented clients in jury, bench, and administrative trials at the federal and state levels in and out of California, and has successfully argued both state and federal appeals. His representative litigation clients include the Dole Food Company, Washington Mutual (now JPMorgan Chase), and Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.
With respect to more traditional (NLRB) labor law, Mike's work has included National Labor Relations Board proceedings, union avoidance counseling, strike preparation, and injunctions against unions. Mike was the lawyer in charge of the Southern California aspects of the largest strike in U.S. history, which resulted in two Temporary Restraining Orders, approximately 20 discharges, and a spate of NLRB unfair labor practice charges.
Mike also provides comprehensive counseling on employment issues, including the design and implementation of personnel practices, the drafting and negotiation of employment agreements, and hiring and termination matters. He lectures at labor and employment law seminars for attorneys and business people, and writes frequent newsletter and e-alerts regarding current employment issues.
Memberships
- American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, fellow
- Los Angeles County Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, Executive Committee
Communitiy Activities
- Western Center on Law and Poverty, former trustee and president
- Marlborough School, former board member
- Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, fomrer board member and secretary
Accolades
- Selected for inclusion in Southern California Super Lawyers (2009 - 2012)
- Named in Best Lawyers (2010 - 2012)
Education
Mike received his B.A. in economics, cum laude, in 1967 from the University of Washington, where he was in the arts and sciences honors program, chosen as co-captain and all-conference on the varsity football team, and one of eight football scholar-athletes in the nation. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1971. Between his first and second years there, he attended the University of Munich on a Rotary International Fellowship.
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
- All California state courts
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court