Licensed for 23 years

Ryan John Swingle

Criminal defense Attorney at Athens, GA

About
Contact
Reviews
Cost
Resume

Super helpful

Lion..Lawyer.. They're one in the same.

When choosing a lawyer always go with the one who has the fight of a lion. If you want a lion defending you in a courtroom, this is your man. Ryan Swingle was recommended to me by a State Court Judge in Athens, Clarke County (which says a lot). I was told he had years of experience, and was good at his job. Upon consultation I noticed that he was confident in his abilities, but humble. He defended me in a DUI case. These cases can be stressful for the one being tried, because your sense of livelihood is a stake. Mr. Swingle provided a sense of peace though in knowing he would get the best outcome for me. All evidence in my case was dismissed after the motion to suppress hearing. He Won, We Won.

About Ryan

Learn Ryan’s areas of practice.

Practice areas

Criminal defense

50%

Nobody is the worst thing they've ever done. Guilty or innocent, you need a lawyer that will fight for you every step of the way. Call today.

23 years
DUI and DWI

25%

Experienced in the courtroom. Aggressive and knowledgable attorney who will fight for you.

23 years
Sex crime

10%

Total commitment to the client. Professional and expert defense. Call today.
Speeding and traffic ticket

10%

You need your driver's license. Protect it. Hire an expert. Call today.
Violent crime

5%

Violent crimes carrying the most severe, most life-altering consequences. Do not settle for anything less than an attorney who has handled, tried, and won these types of cases. Call today.

EXPERIENCED CRIMINAL DEFENSE. IF YOU'VE BEEN ARRESTED, CALL ME. I CAN HELP.

Ryan is a practicing criminal defense attorney with 17 years of experience fighting for clients throughout the State of Georgia. Since 2001, Ryan has advised, advocated for, and fought alongside hundreds of clients, helping them achieve acquittals and winning results. Ryan has argued to juries and tried every type of case from DUI to Malice Murder. Whatever the charge or accusation, Ryan can offer you or your loved one the expertise, experience and personal attention that YOUR case demands.

Ryan is a double dawg, a proud graduate of both the University of Georgia and the University of Georgia School of Law. After starting his professional career in Dalton, Georgia, Ryan relocated to Athens, Georgia in 2000 and quickly developed a specialization in criminal defense.

Ryan is a past Vice President of the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (GACDL); a faculty member at the GACDL Bill Daniel Trial Advocacy Program; a member in good standing of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Western Circuit Bar Association. Ryan has married to his wife Amy for 16 years and they have three children, twin daughters Riley and Amelia and a son Rory. Ryan is active in his church Resurrection Presbyterian Church, PCA, in Athens, where he serves as an Elder.

Awards

Client's Choice

2022 2021 2020 + 3 ...

Licensed for 23 years

State GA

Status Active Member in Good Standing

Acquired 1999

Updated 05/03/2023

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

Contact Ryan

Ryan J. Swingle, Attorney at Law, LLC

(706) 995-6029 Mobile

244 E. Washington Street

Athens, GA, 30601-4509

ryanswinglelaw.com

Message Get Directions

Reviews

Write A Review

5.0 / 5.0

72 customer reviews

5 Star

100%

4 Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

Client's Choice

Client's Choice is an Avvo award granted to attorneys with a significant number of client reviews over 4 stars in a given year.

Posted by anonymous | February 21, 2018

Super helpful

Ryan was really great. I had never been in any legal trouble before and he helped me understand what was happening and how to handle it. He explained everything that would happen before and after court. I felt really confident in my case and I am definitely glad I chose him as my lawyer!

Posted by anonymous | June 14, 2017

Lion..Lawyer.. They're one in the same.

Read less

Posted by anonymous | April 21, 2023

Always keeping you updated on every step of case

I have been working with Ryan got over 3 years in my husband’s case my husband is home with my kids and I and continues to assist God bless our family with finding him highly recommended

Posted by anonymous | March 13, 2023

Ryan was a great advocate for me

I was arrested for public intoxication on Jan 9, 2023, and I contacted Ryan Swingle for helping navigate the misdemeanor. He quickly reached out to me after I first contacted for a consultation. He was friendly, understanding, and reassuring, and he clearly has experience in Athens and knowledge of what he is doing. Whether by his expertise or through the nature of my charge, I did not even have to go to court. He was able to completely dismiss the charges. He also answered my many questions on how to navigate background checks etc. I highly recommend Ryan!

Read less

Posted by Sonia | December 17, 2022

The Best Defense Lawyer in Town!!!

Ryan was hired to defend my son, RLT. It was amazing watching him work in the court room. He never got in his feelings, he was in RLT's feelings. He did more than enough for my son. He treated him like a brother. Thank you Ryan for your kind and fantastic work you did. He made some "THANGS" get out of the way. I wish you all the blessings God has for you.and believe me, you got some blessings coming. I will forever pray for you. Again, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND CARING HEART!!!!!! Torris had the most faith in you. After he saw you at work that first day, he said, NO WORRIES TORRIS AND SONIA BROUGHTON

Read less

Posted by Brittany | December 17, 2022

Murder Case

Ryan has been nothing short of amazing. He literally dedicated his time and attention to everything that was needed not only from the defendant but his family as well (the ones that were authorized to speak). I am truly grateful and Thank God that it was him. Ryan thank you for being so patient and consistent with everything during this time. From Ricky,” I refer this this lawyer to anyone going through any criminal litigation. He is a wonderful person, a hard worker at his craft, and he never stop fighting for me. He has truly become family. Job well Done. We love you Ryan”… again I could never express my gratitude. Thank you!!

Read less

Posted by anonymous | November 28, 2022

Best lawyer in Athens ga

Ryan did what he thought was best and he listened to my side of the story and help me get this dismissed I am very happy he did his best work thank you Ryan

Posted by anonymous | September 14, 2022

This is who you are looking for!

Ryan Swingle’s services came highly recommended to me by several layers outside of Athens. His great reputation extends far and wide. I could not have asked for a better experience with Mr. Swingle. He is easy to talk to and not intimidating, which is so vital when needing legal counsel and representation. He is highly detail-oriented and listens closely - clarifying facts, and going above and beyond to gather and absorb every piece of information possible to best represent his clients. He has an incredible mind and an impressive ability to think quickly, reorganize strategy when necessary, and articulate exactly the items that need to be addressed. In my case, I had a favorable outcome in court, for which I am forever grateful. However, if it had not been favorable, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that it would not have been due to fault or poor representation by Mr. Swingle. I highly recommend him without reservation!

Read less

Posted by Anna | May 5, 2022

Phenomenal Lawyer

Ryan Swingle is an amazing attorney. He is so professional, and handled my case so well from start to finish. I received excellent advice regarding every step of the process when I had a tricky situation surrounding a ticket for supposed lapsed insurance which Ryan was able to get dismissed without me ever having to appear in court. He also was able to get my bench warrant taken care of. I strongly recommend Ryan Swingle, he made me feel so comfortable and confident throughout what had previously been an intimidating process dealing with the courts.

Read less

Posted by George | May 2, 2022

Amazing lawyer.

Mr Swingle is a fantastic lawyer and human being. He helped me get two cases dismissed this year. He is kind, intelligent, open minded and a great listener. I highly recommended his firm.

Posted by anonymous | March 25, 2022

Excellent

Ryan was organized, empathetic, and most importantly - effective. My case never went to arrest. Ryan collected information and steered the strategy and methods of my defense (including smart and strategic communication with the detective working the investigation, and interviews with associated parties) towards the correct and rightful outcome. I am grateful for his work. Worth every penny.

Read less

Posted by anonymous | February 5, 2022

Highly recommend

We contacted Ryan over a weekend regarding false allegations made against my husband. Ryan contacted us almost immediately and met with us on very short notice on a holiday. Ryan explained to us that he believed his role was to assist in shutting the investigation down before it went any further and he worked constantly for us. He remained in contact with us daily (multiple times a day) for 3 weeks, answered any questions we had, and constantly kept us informed. We worked together to gather information to provide to law enforcement to show show innocence to prevent charges from ever being brought against him. Without Ryan’s guidance the outcome of the investigation could have turned out very differently. We will always be grateful for Ryan’s knowledge, professionalism, communication, commitment, and compassion during a very difficult time.

Read less

Posted by Jamaal | November 24, 2021

The best lawyer

Ryan is great if anybody have any legal problems call Ryan i hired him for my felony case and he got all charges dropped he is very communicative , supportive and he always make sure you get the best result in your case. Hiring Ryan will give u confidence in your case he will fight for you to see u walking out the court room happy. I highly recommend him for anything from traffic stop to felony case. He a lawyer that does his job and don’t just take your money he has your back and also builds relationship with his clients to make them fill comfortable. Don’t think twice call RYAN SWINGLE!!

Read less

Posted by anonymous | September 15, 2021

Highly recommend

From April 2019-July 2021 I lived under the uncertainty of my future as I faced a significant prison sentence. I maintained my innocence and Ryan truly made me feel listened to and respected. He communicated directly with me and my girlfriend when needed and made sure we knew what the next steps were and was honest with us on where the case stood. In the end, Ryan was able to get the very best outcome we could have asked for at Jury trial where I was found not guilty. Ryan was calm when needing to be calm and he was a lion fighting for me when pushed. I could never thank him enough for the attention he gave me and my case and fighting for my innocence and life back.

Read less

Posted by anonymous | July 23, 2021

Grateful

I called Mr. Swingle because I was looking for help for a family member. He called me back personally and spent as much time on the phone with me as I needed, asked lots of questions, and made sure he completely understood what was going on. In the end, he said he wasn’t the person I needed, but would reach out to another attorney he thought would be the right fit. When she wasn’t able to take on another case, he recommended 2 more attorneys with the qualifications we needed. He was still following up with me at 10:30 that night, making sure I got matched with the best person for the case. I hope I never need a criminal defense attorney, but I’d definitely hire him if I did.

Read less

Posted by Kalise | March 30, 2021

Justice Served

Mr. Swingle really listened to me and made me feel understood even though we have different backgrounds. He protected my rights and made sure we stayed focus on the best outcome. Highly recommended.

Posted by Karlye Duffield | February 11, 2021

AMAZING!

Mr.Swingle is amazing! I would recommend him 100% for any criminal case. He was there every step of the way . Answered any questions i had , wrote everything down , and got to know the case on a personal level . He fought for my family ! Thank you so much for everything you did ! You are a blessing !

Posted by anonymous | January 8, 2021

The BEST lawyer in the Athens area!

At first I was only consulting with Ryan about my case and ended up hiring him last minute to help me out. With Ryan’s help, I will be able to get my charges off my record with minimum cost and I cannot thank him enough for it! I was so stressed and he helped me with everything. If you ever need a lawyer I definitely recommend hiring Ryan!

Read less

Posted by anonymous | December 23, 2020

The best lawyer/human for your problems!

Mr. Swingle is the most honest, respectable lawyer I have ever come across. He is kind and compassionate and truly cares about his clients. I would highly recommend him for any case, as he is dependable and will help you fight for the best possible outcomes.

Posted by anonymous | November 28, 2020

Review!

So helpful! I totally recommend he was reassuring and very informative about the situation.

View all reviews

View less reviews

Cost

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

Lead Trial Lawyer
Georgia Capital Defender
2013 - 2017

Lead Trial Attorney
Northeast Georgia Regional Conflict Defender
2009 - 2013

Trial Lawyer
Georgia Public Defender Standards Council
2005 - 2009

Trial Lawyer
University of Georgia School of Law Legal Aid and Defender Clinic
2001 - 2005

View all work experience

Education

University of Georgia School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
1999

University of Georgia
Bachelor of Arts
1996

Associations

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
Member
2010 - Present

Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (GACDL)
Past Vice President
2001 - Present

Languages Spoken

English

Speaking Engagements

Bill Daniels Trial Advocacy Program
Trial Practice: Opening Statements in the Criminal Defense Case (Demonstration)
2016

Bill Daniels Trial Advocacy Program
Trial Practice: Opening Statements in a Criminal Defense Case (Demonstration)
2015

Attorney endorsements

Received (16)

Given (7)

Endorse Ryan

Samuel Thomas

Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 23
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Joshua Teague

DUI and DWI Attorney | Mar 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan's quick thinking, steadfast preparedness, and courtroom experience make him my go to contact in the Athens area."

Deborah Gowen

Criminal defense Attorney | Oct 31
Relationship: Supervised lawyer

"I have known Ryan since he interned with me as an undergraduate. Even then, I preferred him to many law students. He is sharp, insightful, works really hard, and has integrity. I highly recommend him."

D. Sessions

Criminal defense Attorney | Nov 05
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan is a phenomenal lawyer, and if you are fortunate enough to have him on your side, you'll receive great representation. I endorse Ryan without hesitation."

Teri Thompson

Criminal defense Attorney | Jun 01
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. Ryan and I worked side by side in a very lengthy and complicated case. I admired him then for his extreme professionalism and dedication. I look forward to the opportunity to work with him again."

Jeffery Rothman

Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 21
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan is one of the hardest working smart guys in the criminal defense field. I refer him cases because i know people are in great hands."

Daniel Partain

Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 15
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Ryan since we attend law school together at the University of Georgia. He was a passionate advocate for what was right, back then. Since then, he and I were public defenders, but in different areas of Georgia. However, his reputation of being a zealous advocate for his clients was well known, and well deserved. He has been a wonderful proponent of "paying it forward" by teaching new and upcoming lawyers on how to fight for the rights of their clients, but to do so ethically. If you have Ryan as your attorney, you are in good hands. I endorse Ryan without any hesitation."

Christine Koehler

Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 06
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I can't quite tell you how long I have known Ryan, but it seems like forever. He is an incredibly talented lawyer who is passionate about his clients and his work. I highly recommend Ryan. If he is your lawyer, you are in good hands."

Leslie Jones

Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 03
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"For more than a decade, I have worked with Ryan Swingle. First, as opposing counsel, and now as a fellow defense attorney. Ryan has the highest level of legal talent. He knows the law. He understands how courts, judges, and juries work. But, most importantly, he does everything he can to gain the best strategic advantage for his Clients. He cares about his Clients and what happens in their cases."

Ramon Alvarado

Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 01
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I've had the pleasure of teaching with Ryan the past couple of years at the GACDL Bill Daniel Trial Advocacy Program. The program consists of a core faculty invited to teach other attorneys and Ryan has been a fantastic addition to that faculty. I have seen the skill and knowledge that Ryan has as a trial attorney and I'm confident all of his clients are very well represented. I highly endorse Ryan; he is an exceptional lawyer."

Ryan Ignatius

Criminal defense Attorney | Mar 31
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan Swingle is an excellent and intelligent attorney I'd trust with any case he took on. Mr. Swingle's what you want in an attorney: someone smart you can trust; that you know will give very good advice borne out of years of experience; and that you know will fight like hell for you."

Whitney Scherck

Criminal defense Attorney | Mar 31
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan is a brilliant trial attorney and a fantastic guy who truly cares about his clients and his work. Respected across the state for his compassion, dedication, and exceptional advocacy, I am convinced he has found more than 24 hours in a day. He is as good as they come!"

Scott Wallace

Criminal defense Attorney | Mar 30
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan is one of the finest criminal defense trial lawyers in the State of Georgia. Impeccable integrity and courtroom skill that only many years in front of judges and juries can produce."

Michael Magee

Criminal defense Attorney | Mar 30
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan is a very talented lawyer with significant trial experience. He is a patient and tireless worker with great insight. If I needed representation, he would be at the top of my list."

Zachary North

Criminal defense Attorney | Mar 30
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan handles the cases that are as serious as they come, and he does so with skill and compassion. He carries my highest recommendation."

Matthew Benson

Criminal defense Attorney | Feb 22
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ryan's legal acumen is only matched by his passion to help people. He's good at what he does; he believes in what he does; and he cares for his clients' well-being. Those are the qualities of all exceptional lawyers, and Ryan is most certainly an exceptional lawyer."

View more endorsements