Ryan Thomas Donovan

Attorney Ryan T. Donovan is a litigator who focuses his practice on personal injury, commercial litigation and criminal defense. Mr. Donovan has handled all aspects of civil litigation including motion and trial practice and has successfully litigated cases in Federal Court and tried cases in the New York State Supreme Court. Mr Donovan has also successfully argued cases at the Appellate Division and has served as counsel to public employee unions representing members in both contract and disciplinary arbitrations. In 2008 Mr. Donovan was appointed to the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel by the Northern District of New York to represent criminal defendants in Federal Court. He has also represented clients in felony cases throughout the Capital Region.

Mr. Donovan is admitted to practice in New York State and the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. While in law school, Mr. Donovan was a finalist in the Senior Prize Competition and was elected to the position of Lieutenant Governor in the American Bar Association for the Second Circuit. Mr. Donovan was also awarded the Capital District Trial Lawyers prize in 2001.

Mr. Donovan was associated with two prominent Albany law firms, specializing in trial practice. He has represented physicians and hospitals in medical malpractice actions and corporations in litigation and mergers.

Mr. Donovan is a member of the New York State and Albany County Bar Associations and has served on the Albany Law School National Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2000. In 2009 he was appointed a Member of the Board of Trustees of Albany Law School and in 2010 was elected as President of the National Alumni Association.  Mr. Donovan was appointed as an adjunct professor at Albany Law School (Trial Advocacy) in 2011.

Mr. Donovan was elected to the position of Town Justice for the Town of Bethlehem in 2006 and re-elected in 2010. Mr. Donovan and his co-judge preside over the criminal, small claims and traffic matters in the Town of Bethlehem (pop. approx. 33,000).  He has also been appointed to sit as an Acting City Court Judge in the City of Troy. Mr. Donovan has lectured for local bar associations, the New York State Legislature, the New York State Bar Association and the New York State Town and Village Court Center on the topics of criminal, traffic, small claims matters and trial practice.