Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Graduating from Bishop Chatard High School, and heading to Indiana University.
When you graduated from high school, what did you think you wanted to be as an adult?
An attorney.
Was there an event in the last 20 years that had a great impact on your aspirations and/or career path?
Deciding to join Hall Render. I liked the people.
Have you been mentored by (or had any significant interactions with) previous Forty Under 40 honorees?
I know quite a few of the past Forty Under 40 honorees, so it would be tough to identify a particular honoree who has influenced me more than the others.
Where/what do you want to be 20 years from now?
Practicing law at Hall Render, or possibly retiring early.
President and Managing Partner, Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman P.C.
Age: 39
John Ryan started with Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman P.C. straight out of Indiana University law school and took only 12 years to ascend to president and managing partner of the Indianapolis-based law firm.
Roughly 95 percent of Hall Render’s clients are in health care, primarily on the provider side—hospitals, health systems and physician practices. Despite the economic downturn, the firm has grown to about 175 attorneys (Ryan was 53rd), and the growth is likely to continue.
“As health care reform has evolved, obviously it’s becoming much more complicated to navigate,” said Ryan, who took over the presidency Jan. 1 after six years as hiring partner and human resource committee chairman. “So we spend an awful lot of time preparing our clients and positioning them to succeed in a much tougher market than they’ve experienced in the past.”
Ryan’s interest in medical matters extends outside the office: His wife, Paula, has multiple sclerosis. He serves on the board and executive committee of the Indiana chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and she volunteers with the organization. Paula is in good health, her husband said; the couple had their fourth child last March.
Along with serving as board chairman of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and on the board of Bishop Chatard High School (“organizations that helped me along the way”), Ryan expects to be busy the next few years at Hall Render. Among his plans: enhancing the growth of services the firm provides clients and adding to the places it provides those services. Hall Render has offices in four states.
He’ll also concern himself with focusing on developing infrastructure and processes that will streamline the growing firm.
“That’s what I’ll be doing the next couple of years, I suspect,” he said. “That and coaching soccer.”•
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.