John M. Ryan
Practice Focus:
Maritime
Commercial
Employment
Contact Information
Norfolk Office
500 World Trade Center
Norfolk, Virginia 23510
(757) 446-8605
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John is a partner with Vandeventer Black and traditionally concentrates his law practice in commercial, maritime and employment matters. His maritime and commercial practices focus on the many aspects of marine terminal operations, as well as complex civil litigation before the state and federal courts. In the field of labor and employment law, John is experienced in union avoidance, as well as “Title VII” issues and consulting with clients to avoid employment pitfalls.
Currently, John serves as General Counsel to Virginia International Terminals, Inc., the company that operates the state’s three major maritime terminals in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News.
He received an A.B. from Dartmouth College and a LL.B. from the University of Virginia. John served as the President of the Virginia Bar Association (1988-1989), is an honorary member of the West Virginia Bar Association and a member of the National and Southern Conferences of Bar Presidents. He is also a member of the Hampton Roads Maritime Association, The Maritime Law Association of the United States (Board Member 2005- present) and the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute. John is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Council Member and Fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Further, he is a permanent member of the Judicial Conference of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, a Master and Past President of the James Kent Chapter of the American Inns of Court and a former Trustee of the John Marshall Foundation.
John is listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” in the fields of Business Litigation, Maritime Law and Labor and Employment Law. He is the distinguished recipient of the Norfolk & Portsmouth Bar Association’s 2002 Eggleston- I’Anson Professionalism Award. He was selected as one of Virginia Business’ “Virginia Legal Elite” in 2005 in the field of Labor and Employment Law.
John’s ties to the community are strong. He serves on the Board of Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, is a Director of the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, is a Commissioner and Chair of the Arts and Humanities Commission of Virginia Beach. He is a former Director of The Virginia Symphony and a former Trustee of the Norfolk Academy.