Michael F. Ryan

Senior Counsel

Michael F. Ryan

Senior Counsel

Michael Ryan is a senior counsel in the Labor & Employment Practice Group in Foley’s Houston and Denver offices. He counsels employers on a wide range of employment matters, including unfair competition and trade secret laws, hiring and firing decisions, EEO and FLSA matters, enforcement of personnel policies, leave issues, accommodations, drug-testing laws, safety regulations, and governmental investigations. He has significant experience representing clients in prosecuting and defending restrictive covenants, trade secret theft claims, discrimination and retaliation claims, and wage-and-hour matters.

Michael partners with clients of all sizes, from multinational corporations to local business and executives. He has particular experience counseling employers and litigating cases involving oil and gas services and production, health care, security, safety, chemical, service, and retail. He also frequently presents at seminars and conducts trainings on various employment topics, including EEO matters and internal and governmental investigations.

Prior to earning his law degree, Michael served as a judicial intern for the Hon. Hilda G. Tagle, U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of Texas-Brownsville Division. He also worked in-house as a compliance and employment law clerk for an oilfield services company in Houston.

Affiliations

  • Member, State Bar of Texas
  • Member, Young Alumni Committee, University of Houston Law Center (2015-Present)
  • Member, Association of Women Attorneys
  • Former member, Professionalism Committee, Houston Bar Association (2015-2016)

Community Involvement

Michael is an active board member on the University of Houston’s Young Alumni Committee and the Houston A&M Club, a member of the Young Energy Professionals-Social Subcommittee, and he also enjoys coaching his son’s local Little League baseball team.

May 1, 2025 Pro Bono

Foley Secures Favorable Settlement for Pro Bono Client in Wrongful Eviction and Theft Case

Foley & Lardner LLP recently secured a favorable settlement on behalf of a pro bono client in Texas in a case involving wrongful eviction and theft of property.
April 3, 2025 Deals and Wins

Foley Represents cQuant.io in Acquisition by Zema Global

Foley & Lardner LLP represented cQuant.io, an industry leader in analytic solutions for energy and commodity companies, in its acquisition by Zema Global, a leading provider of data management and analytics solutions for companies in the energy, commodities, and financial sectors.
December 23, 2024 Labor & Employment Law Perspectives

Regulating Artificial Intelligence in Employment Decision-Making: What’s on the Horizon for 2025

Share on TwitterShare by EmailShareBack to topEmployment law in 2024 could aptly be summarized as the “Year of Artificial Intelligence Legislation.
November 15, 2024 Blogs

Texas Federal Court Vacates 2024 Fair Labor Standards Act Salary Basis Rule, Reversing Prior July Increase

Share on TwitterShare by EmailShareBack to topFederal District Court Judge Sean Jordan of the Eastern District of Texas today ordered vacatur of the 2024 final rule previously announced by the Department of Labor that saw the first increases to the salary basis requirement in decades.
October 14, 2024

The Fast Follower’s Guide to Recent AI Law

As investors, entrepreneurs, and engineers supercharge the development of artificial intelligence to the tune of US$184 billion in 2024, this new era will create both winners and losers.
September 6, 2024 In the News

Old Employment Law Principles Can Answer New AI Concerns

The integration of artificial intelligence into the workplace has sparked a flurry of legal and regulatory discussions in recent months.