Overview
Ryan is a nationally-recognized lawyer for healthcare innovation.
Ryan helps his clients develop and launch innovative business models designed to improve healthcare quality, accessibility, and affordability. He serves as outside general counsel for digital health companies, healthcare providers, and life science companies that are transforming healthcare through innovation and cutting-edge science and technology. He regularly advises investors, senior executives, and corporate boards on the strategic threats and opportunities arising from emerging technologies and new laws and regulations, especially those affecting the healthcare industry.
Ryan has considerable experience advising clients on a variety of regulatory and corporate matters and in structuring and negotiating healthcare transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, licensing agreements, and financings.
Ryan frequently writes and lectures about issues emerging from the intersection of law, science, and technology. He has contributed many pro bono hours to charitable organizations focused on protecting the environment and advancing the frontiers of science, technology, and medicine. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of ScienceDebate, the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, and the Advisory Council of The Planetary Society, which was founded by Carl Sagan. Ryan previously studied European healthcare innovation as German Marshall Fund Memorial Fellow.
Ryan co-chairs the firm’s Life Sciences Group.
Services
Experience
- Structuring and negotiating acquisitions, financings, equity offerings, joint ventures, strategic alliances, technology development and intellectual property licensing arrangements;
- Advising clients on a wide variety of regulatory and compliance matters (telemedicine and digital health rules and regulations, the Affordable Care Act, Stark law, FDA rules, state and federal privacy and security laws, state licensure laws, fraud and abuse prohibitions, corporate practice of medicine, etc.);
- Leading legal strategy for clients’ national expansion efforts, including state compliance, policy-making, and government relations activities;
- Advising companies and inventors in connection with the development, licensing, and commercialization of intellectual property; and
- Representing boards of directors and independent committees on various corporate governance matters, including fiduciary duties and conflict-of-interest policies.
Credentials
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D. 1999, magna cum laude
- Gustavus Adolphus College, B.A., 1996, Political Science/Philosophy, summa cum laude
- Oxford University, Mansfield College
Admissions
- Minnesota
Clerkships
- Judicial Clerkship, Honorable Frank J. Magill, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 1999-2000
Recognition
- Best Lawyers in America, Health Care Law, 2025
- North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2015
- Advocate Award, Cancer Legal Line, 2013
- German Marshall Fund Fellow, focus on health care innovation, October 2012
- NASA Grant for Science Education and Innovation, 2011
- Minnesota Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2004, 2007-2008, 2010
- Amigos de Latino Economic Development Center Award, 2004
- Order of the Coif
Civic & Professional
Professional Activities
- University of St. Thomas, MBA in Medical Group Management, Adjunct Professor, Healthcare Policy and Legal Environment of Healthcare Management, 2005-present
- American Health Lawyers Association, Life Sciences Practice Group, Executive Committee
- Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), Fellow, 2011-present
- University of Minnesota Joint Degree Program in Law, Health and the Life Sciences, Advisory Board
- Life Science Alley, Alley Institute, Advisory Board, 2014
- University of Minnesota Law School, Adjunct Professor, Health Care Transactions, 2006-2010
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Health Law and Business Law Sections, Health Law Section Governing Council
- Strafford Publications, Health Law Advisory Board
- American Bar Association, Health Law and Business Law Sections
- Gustavus Adolphus College, Visiting Instructor, Biomedical Research, Ethics and Law
- Minnesota Cup, Biosciences Division, Lead Sponsor and Judge, 2011-2015
- Minnesota Law Review, Articles Editor
Community
- healthcare.mn, Board Member and Counsel
- Silicon Valley Artificial Intelligence, Board Member and Counsel
- The Planetary Society, Advisory Council
- Northstar Science Film Festival, Founder and Chairman
- sciencedebate.org, Board Member and Counsel
- BHALDI, Founder and Officer
- Minnesota Marshall Fellow Alumni Planning Committee
- Friends of The Works, Co-Founder and Past Member
- Young Scientist Roundtable, Committee Member
- Science Museum of Minnesota, Past Member of Presidential Advisory Board and Young Professionals Committee
News & Insights
Speaking Engagements
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Publications & Presentations
Moderator, Disrupters of Health Care and How AI Could Change the Industry, The Future of Health Care Conference, March 14, 2024
Presenter, Key Legal Developments: Year-in-Review and 2023 Preview, Minnesota Medical Group Management Association Winter Conference, March 7, 2023
Health Law Basics: Part Two, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, November 9, 2022
AI and Big Data, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, February 9, 2022
Co-Presenter, Health Law 101: Key Legal Issues for Health Care Startups and Investors, Twin Cities Startup Week, September 22, 2021
PE, or not PE, that is the Question, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, September 15, 2021
Co-Presenter, Unleashing Innovation: Representing Digital Health Start-Ups and Innovators, American Health Law Association Webinar, September 8, 2021
Co-Presenter, Masterclass in Digital Health Technologies and Emerging Legal Issues, American Health Law Association Annual Meeting 2021, June 29, 2021
The ABCs (and XYZs) of ASCs, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, June 9, 2021
Co-Presenter, Structuring Telemedicine Agreements for Healthcare Organizations, Physician Groups, and Practitioners, Strafford CLE Webinar, April 7, 2021
Selling Your Practice: Strategies for Success, Fredrikson & Byron Webinar, February 17, 2021
Co-Author with Ty Kayam, Microsoft, “Leveraging the FDA’s Digital Health Policies for COVID-19 Solutions,” American Health Law Association Bulletin, December 8, 2020
Co-Presenter, Interoperability and Information Blocking Final Rules, American Health Law Association Online Webinar, November 17, 2020
Panelist, The Current State & Future of Telemedicine, Medical Industry Leadership Institute Webinar, University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, November 10, 2020
Quoted in “The Legal Ramifications of Rapidly Scaling Telehealth (Q&A),” by Stephanie Baum, MedCity News, September 2020
Telehealth and Virtual Care in the Time of COVID-19: Current Status and Questions about the Future, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, September 16, 2020
Co-Presenter, New Data Blocking and Interoperability Rules: Implications for Healthcare Providers, Payers, Vendors, Strafford CLE Webinar, May 7, 2020
Interoperability and Information Blocking: What Providers Need to Know about the New CMS Final Rule, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, April 15, 2020
Fredrikson & Byron’s Health Law FAQs on COVID-19—What We Know as of March 20, 2020, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, March 20, 2020
Structuring Innovative Hospital/Physician Joint Ventures and Other Arrangements, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, January 15, 2020
Panelist, Healthcare 2020: Emerging Business Models, Fredrikson & Byron and Deloitte Program, December 4, 2019
Telemedicine Heading Into 2020: Updates on Legal, Reimbursement and Compliance Issues, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, November 20, 2019
Technology and the End of Democracy?, Governance of Emerging Technologies & Science Conference, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, May 2019
Digital Health: Emerging Legal, Regulatory and Ethical Issues, Strafford Webinar, January 23, 2019
Digital Health: Emerging Legal, Regulatory and Ethical Issues, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, January 16, 2019
Panelist, Artificial Intelligence: Threats and Opportunities, Common Good Breakfast Series, November 29, 2018
Quoted in “Navigating State Patient Data Privacy Laws Will Only Get More Challenging,” MedCity News, November 13, 2018
Moderator, Fact vs. Fiction—The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Health Care, Executive Conference on Future of Health Care, November 2, 2018
Moderator, Disruptive Innovation Through A.I.—On Demand Health Plans, Executive Conference on Future of Health Care, November 2, 2018
Panelist, Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Myths and Realities, Treehouse Health Breakfast Seminar, June 19, 2018
Co-Presenter, Digital Therapeutics: The Third Phase of Medicine?, Fredrikson & Byron and TreeHouse Health Webinar, April 26, 2018
Co-Presenter, Top Legal Issues for Healthcare Investors and Business Development Teams, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, April 11, 2018
Innovating in a Regulated Environment: Grow Your Practice and Stay Out of Jail!, Wisconsin Medical Group Management Association, March 15, 2018
Moderator, Future of Health Care Conference, University of St. Thomas, November 2010-2017
Healthcare, Blockchain and Smart Contracts: Emerging Issues for Healthcare Counsel, Strafford Webinar, October 11, 2017
Preparing Your Practice for Sale, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, January 18, 2017
Digital, Mobile and Virtual Medicine: Legal Challenges, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, May 11, 2016
Complying with Telemedicine Requirements, Lorman Webinar Series, February 25, 2016
Structuring and Negotiating a Health Care Transaction: Key Business and Regulatory Considerations, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, January 13, 2016
U.S. Health Care Regulatory and Health Care Innovation Policy, University of Saint Thomas Mini-MBA, July 17, 2015
Health Care Financing: Practical Tips and Considerations, Minnesota Cup Semi-Finalist Panel Discussion, July 15, 2015
U.S. Health Care Laws and Regulations: Innovating and Managing in a Regulated Environment, University of Saint Thomas Mini-MBA, July 14, 2015
Health Care Regulatory Update, CliftonLarsonAllen Nonprofit and Health Conference, May 4, 2015
US Health Care Policy—DC Seminar, University of Saint Thomas, April 26-28, 2015
U.S. Health Care Laws and Regulations: Innovating and Managing in a Regulated Environment, University of Saint Thomas Mini-MBA, April 21, 2015
U.S. Health Care Regulatory and Health Care Innovation Policy, University of Saint Thomas Mini-MBA, April 20, 2015
Digital Health: Key Legal and Regulatory Considerations, MobCon Digital Health Conference, April 8, 2015
Telemedicine: Legal Considerations and Government Oversight, National Business Institute CLE, March 25, 2015
U.S. Health Care Laws and Regulations: Innovating and Managing in a Regulated Environment, University of Saint Thomas Mini-MBA, November 4, 2014
Digital Health: Legal and Regulatory Issues Overview, healthcare.mn, September 3, 2014
Strategic Consolidation: A Case Study, MMGMA Summer Conference, July 18, 2014
Health Care Financing: Practical Tips and Considerations, Minnesota Cup Semi-Finalist Panel Discussion, July 10, 201
Telemedicine and Telehealth, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, July 9, 2014
Health Care Regulatory Update, CliftonLarsonAllen Nonprofit and Health Conference, May 12, 2014
Physician/Hospital Joint Venture: Key Considerations, Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, April 9, 2014