What sets Ryan apart? Ryan is the kind of person, who is committed to 12 to 14 hour days. Ryan doesn't rest until problems are solved. For instance, in the past, Ryan worked five sunrises in a row and billed 22 hours in a 24 hour period. Ryan's drive is derived from his fiercely competitive nature.
As a paralegal with Winston & Strawn, Ryan worked on a number of high profile cases. Ryan provided litigation support to large corporations and ventures, working with cases handling millions in damages.
Who is Ryan?
Ryan grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago with his mother, father, and older brother. Ryan's first job in the neighborhood was working in a fresh seafood market at the age of 14. Ryan learned a lot from his first job—largely, he no longer eats fish.
Ryan's philosophical views and drive were shaped in part by his struggles with the loss of his cousin. She died at the age of 22 in a sudden accident leaving a five year old daughter. Ryan remembers describing to his five year old niece what was going on as the family waited in the emergency room. When Ryan's cousin passed, he began to understand the fleeting nature of life, and the responsibility one has towards their own life. Ryan believes he has the weight of the world on his shoulders and that he is burdened with making his life how he wants it to be. Others will not do this for him, and he may not have another day. Ryan lives in the now.
Ryan's top lessons in life are to never give up because “all things excellent as difficult as they are rare” put differently, the end of the road is worth all the struggles. Ryan considered going to law school, but for now he enjoys working as a paralegal. His law school desires waned as the market collapsed. Ryan has a passion for life, and he loves to discuss complex theories, including philosophy, neuroscience, theoretical physics, and economics. Ryan dreams of traveling and accompanying a group going to Egypt on an archeology dig – a dream he's had since he first traveled there as a child. Ryan's zest for life expands into a number of different areas as seen by his diverse interests.
Ryan is defined by a few main characteristics in his life. First, Ryan has an unrelenting amount of energy, as portrayed through his expanding areas of study. As noted above, Ryan prides himself on seeing five sunrises while working on a major project. Additionally, Ryan eats but one meal a day to save time as he moves through his day – he believes that food slows him down. Second, Ryan loves discussing complex theories. Although Ryan defines himself as someone with his head, proverbially, “in the clouds” his ability to dream and see beyond the current circumstances allows him to plan ahead. Finally, Ryan has a deep passion for auditory stimulation. Ryan enjoys all music, from oldies to house music (house music being his energy source many times and being a foundation to his jubilance) and he also has a deeply rooted passion for the use of language, and the different purposes and philosophies. If Ryan was not working in law, he'd be torn between a career in theory (ethical theory, neuroscience, and theoretical physics) or would pursue a career in the music industry, likely as a house musician.
In the Office
Ryan enjoys working for an attorney who knows their cases and manages their case load. He enjoys working for attorneys that take responsibility for their cases - not flighty, cagey attorneys. Ryan likes to work with attorneys who have a sense of humor and know not to take everything so seriously.
Ryan is a Great Team Player
Although he is very shy, Ryan maintains positive relationships with clients and co-workers. This personality juxtaposition is evident when comparing his social dynamic during high school and college. In high school, Ryan was the popular guy who could mingle in and out of all the various groups. He dreamed of becoming a professional skateboarder. During college, Ryan dedicated himself to his studies, he didn't have time for a social life. However, once a person cracks Ryan's shy shell, Ryan's outgoing nature shines through.
Even though Ryan maintains great relationships, he admits he clashes with certain personality types and is attracted to others. Ryan clashes with know-it-alls and insatiable egos. On the other hand, Ryan is attracted to people who are intelligent. Intelligence comes in many different forms. When questioned about how Ryan defines intelligence, he responded that intelligence is “indefinable but you know it when you see it.” Ryan describes his own personal intelligence as a blend of the creative and analytic – a product of his parents' own minds. Ryan's father is an accountant - great with numbers; his mother was a painter. Naturally, Ryan is both creative and analytical.
Ryan's advice for young paralegals just starting out is to not get beat down by the competitiveness of certain firms and the internal competitors. Ryan suggested not getting wrapped up in the politics present at some firms; rather, dedicate yourself to impressing the attorneys that you work for. When job seeking, don't be discouraged by the cutthroat nature of the market – there are simply too many bodies within the legal industry. Push through, identify what separates you from the pack, and hang your hat on that.
When people have told Ryan that he could not do something, it provided him with additional motivation. Ryan is confident he is capable of doing anything. Failures are great motivation, Ryan knows to take responsibility for a failure, dedicate himself to fixing the problem, and embrace the process. Ryan sees the purpose of failure as providing the opportunity to get back up and never give up.
Ryan considers himself a giver. He is not attracted to people that think only of themselves and seem to be constantly taking. Ryan likes to surround himself with people that think of things outside of themselves and give back. Ryan admires the work of Teach for America. Ryan believes in what the organization stands for and how they achieve their goals. Teach for America is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all children grow up with an excellent education regardless of economic stature. For more information visit Teach for America's website at https://www.teachforamerica.org/our-organization.
After Hours
Ryan is passionate about baseball, philosophy, and neuroscience. Ryan is a diehard Cubs fan. In fact, Ryan describes the Cubs playoff loss in 2003 as among the worst moments of his entire life. He understands the inherent silliness of such a presupposition, but it still pains him to this day when contemplating the what ifs. Although Ryan has a number of hobbies, learning – almost anything -- remains his greatest passion. If it were viable, Ryan would be a student for his entire life.
