Overview

Brendan F. Ryan advises private employers, public entities, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and other employers on complex labor, employment, and workplace matters. He works closely with senior leadership and human resources professionals to manage legal risk, address sensitive personnel issues, and develop practical strategies for organizational decision-making.

Brendan regularly counsels employers on employee discipline and termination, workplace investigations, disability and leave management, employment policies, wage and hour compliance, employment agreements, and other workplace-related contracts. He also assists employers with broader personnel and organizational matters, including changes in employment terms, workforce issues, and other significant employment decisions that may present legal or operational risk.

His practice includes substantial experience advising governmental and quasi-public entities, as well as employers in higher education, healthcare, and the nonprofit sector. Brendan counsels organizations with unionized workforces and advises on matters arising under collective bargaining agreements, including contract interpretation, employee discipline, grievances, and other labor-management issues.

Brendan also represents employers in employment litigation and administrative proceedings throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He defends employers in state and federal court and before agencies including the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

His matters frequently involve claims arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and comparable state laws, including the Rhode Island Civil Rights Act and the Rhode Island Fair Employment Practices Act.

In addition to litigation, Brendan has experience reviewing and advising on employment-related agreements and contractual arrangements for large employers. He assists clients in evaluating contractual obligations, identifying potential legal exposure, and structuring agreements and workplace practices to reduce risk and support organizational objectives.

Brendan approaches workplace and organizational problems with an emphasis on early risk assessment, practical judgment, and efficient resolution. When disputes cannot be resolved informally, he represents employers through all stages of litigation, including discovery, mediation, dispositive motion practice, arbitration, and appeals.

Experience

  • Defends employers in state and federal court in matters involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage-and-hour disputes, and other employment-related claims.
  • Represents employers in proceedings before administrative agencies including the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.
  • Advises employers on workplace disputes involving disability accommodation, medical leave, and employee discipline and termination decisions.
  • Counsels employers on employment policies, employee handbooks, and workplace compliance strategies.
  • Obtains favorable results for employer clients through dispositive motion practice, including motions to dismiss and summary judgment.
  • Represents clients in appellate proceedings before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Credentials

  • Roger Williams University School of Law (J.D. magna cum laude, 2014)
  • Boston University (B.A., 2011)

 

  • Rhode Island
  • Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

  • Selected as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, 2025 and 2026 in the field of Labor and Employment – Management.
  • Professional Excellence in the Law, Arbitration and Mediation, Rhode Island Monthly, 2026.