Ryan works on land use disputes over easement rights, sewer usage, lease agreements, nonconforming uses, and development rights, among other issues. He also assists in preparing due diligence reviews of brownfield sites across the country. Ryan has conducted environmental due diligence for roof-top solar developers throughout New England and assisted local counsel in preparing waste disposal agreements and permitting applications for a highway reconstruction project in New York. He also represented a major environmental conservation organization in Connecticut in preparing agreements with various land trusts to allocate federal funds for the preservation of environmentally-sensitive lands and prepare restrictive easements for those lands. Ryan represents a local homeless shelter and community group in land use approval applications to town Commissions and on appeal.

Ryan started his career in California, where he represented a developer attempting to build convenience stores before both county land use boards and in state Superior Court on appeals from California Environmental Quality Act determinations of significant environmental impact. He also worked on antitrust litigation in state Superior Court on behalf of a large liquor distributor and drafted various briefs in administrative appeals relating to large underground storage tanks in Hawaii.