Ryan W. Keevan
Partner
Experience
For more than two decades, Ryan W. Keevan has defended businesses and employers before state trial, appellate, and federal courts and the North Carolina Industrial Commission. Industry leaders in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, trucking, construction, hospitality, financial institutions, professional sports and their insurance companies call upon Ryan to protect their interests during complex and often contentious litigation.
Ryan is a trusted legal advisor to workers’ compensation carriers, self-insured employers, and third-party administrators. In claims of workplace injury or occupational disease, he directs investigations to develop defense strategies and drive matters to prompt and favorable resolution. Ryan obtains substantial recoveries for clients by enforcing subrogation rights against third-parties responsible for workplace injuries or through restitution by identifying and aggressively prosecuting fraud before the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He has achieved multiple six-figure recoveries.
Through accessibility and understanding the business realities that drive client decision making, Ryan is able to build long-term client relationships. His philosophy is, “Don’t just be a lawyer. Be their lawyer.” To that end, he counsels and trains clients regarding industry-specific legal developments, investigation protocols, attorney-client privilege, and risk mitigation strategy to avoid unnecessary litigation. Ryan advises that business objectives are best served by measured risk-taking, not by yielding to unfounded litigation threats.
Before private practice, Ryan served as Maryland District Court Commissioner, an appointed judicial officer, in Montgomery County, Maryland. He also served for eight years in the U.S. Army Reserve, where his occupation was ammunition specialist.
Related Areas
Honors & Awards
The Best Lawyers in America®
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers, 2025
Background
Admissions
- North Carolina
- U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
Education
- Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, J.D., 2003
- Sherman Minton Moot Court
- Problem Editor
- Top Brief Writer
- West Virginia University, B.A., 1999
- Sherman Minton Moot Court
Military Service
- United States Army Reserve, 1994 – 2002
- MOS 55B, Ammunition Technician
News & Knowledge
RECENT INSIGHTS
August 18, 2025