Heather Ryan

PRO

Heather Ryan

also known as Heather Mc Ardle Ryan

4.8
31 reviews
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.
Rating: 9.7

Licensed for 31 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Naperville, IL
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Administrative Law ... +3 more

200 E 5th Ave Ste 115, Naperville, IL

Free Consultation

About Heather

Biography

Experienced. Aggressive. Dependable. Passionate. Call Attorney Ryan today for a free consultation.

Practice Areas

6

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 25%

Attorney Ryan has been a premier criminal defense lawyer practicing in the great state of Illinois since 1994. If you have been accused of a crime, stop worrying, and call Attorney Ryan today for a free consultation.

25 years | 5,000 cases

25%
DUI and DWI 25%

Illinois takes DUIs extremely seriously. If you have been charged with a DUI, whether it's your first offense or you are a repeat offender, you will need to retain a knowledgeable DUI lawyer. For a free consultation, call Attorney Ryan now.

25 years | 5,000 cases

25%
Administrative Law 20%

Drivers License Reinstatement Hearings.

25 years | 4,000 cases

20%
Speeding and Traffic Ticket 15%

If you have received a speeding or traffic ticket, especially depending on the severity of the ticket, it may be wise to hire a lawyer to help you fight the ticket. Call Attorney Ryan today to see what your options are regarding your ticket.

25 years | 5,000 cases

15%
Juvenile Law 10%

If your child has been accused of a crime, you will need an experienced attorney that knows the rules of the juvenile court system in Illinois. Call Attorney Ryan today.

25 years | 1,000 cases

10%
Expungement 5%

Attorney Ryan can help you expunge your record.

25 years | 1,000 cases

5%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 45 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Credit Card

Awards

Client's Choice
Client's Choice
2018 2017 2014

Licenses

Licensed in Illinois for 31 years

State: Illinois

Acquired: 1994

Active and Authorized to Practice Law

No misconduct found

Location

Heather Ryan Law, LTD

200 E 5th Ave Ste 115, Naperville, IL, 60563-3173

heatherryanlaw.com/

Online Presence

Other places you can find Heather online.

Heather Ryan's Reviews

5 star

(29)

4 star

(0)

3 star

(0)

2 star

(0)

1 star

(1)

Posted by MAL | May 27, 2025 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Brilliant Lawyer and amazing support team

No words can describe my appreciation for Heather Ryan Law. Heather was brilliant in resolving my legal situation with the DuPage County States Attorney and Court system. Heather's jaw-dropping court ability was ... Lincoln Lawyer in person. Thank you, Heather,

Posted by Christian Rodriguez | April 19, 2023 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

The Best!

Incredible lawyer, Heather Ryan. Friendly, reasonable, incredibly timely, and reliable. I can't speak highly enough and constantly recommend anyone I can here.

Posted by Dahria | April 11, 2023 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

A lawyer that cares for her clients

It was recommended by my doctor in Illinois that I try the medical marijuana pilot program due to a lot of serious health issues I had unnecessarily acquired due to medical negligence a few years back. I moved out of illinois, dropped out of the program, and made sure my card was cancelled. I moved t...o Tennessee, and attempted to get a gun, and my gun check came back denied. I also got a letter from the government saying that my TSA Pre check had been cancelled without a reason why. For two years, I tried numerous efforts such as getting fingerprinted, and sending it in to the FBI to find out why I was getting denied, I tried my local sheriffs, I tried reaching out to Illinois, but everywhere I tried, it was a dead end. No one was able to let me know why I was denied the ability to purchase a gun. I tried at least five times over the two years. I got Heather's name from another lawyer that has been wonderful, Neil Levine. I explained my situation to, Heather, and she said she was on the case. Shortly after she took on my case, she resolved it. Due to the negligence of someone in Illinois not updating the records, I was never listed as having cancelled my card. With proof of cancellation, Heather was able to close the case Instantaneously. I went to purchase a gun about two hours after Heather let me know that the hold had been lifted, and the gentleman at the gun shop said he had never seen an approval come back so quickly! Heather was professional, efficient, and went above and beyond getting the job done. She is worth all the money invested in this situation. Thank you, Heather.

Posted by anonymous | July 14, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Knows the system

I needed to get fast action on a ticket violation causing a suspended drivers license. Heather Ryan Law, Ltd. was able to go to court the day after contact and get a hearing. The judge allowed court supervision which saved me from a suspended license. It would have taken me weeks without this help ...and I would have had to surrender the license.

Posted by anonymous | March 2, 2021 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Fantastic Lawyer

Heather was amazing! I called a few lawyers for consultation and she got me in on a Sunday (next day) and walked me through next steps. She was a flat rate, which she expressed, and even worked with me on a payment plan. Heather always got back to me in a timely manner (had a lot of questions) and he...ld my hand through the court process. She truly is what got me through it all. I couldn’t have been more grateful for someone who was real with me and actually wanted to help me and not just take my money. I would 100% recommend hiring Heather Ryan to help you get through your tough time!!

See All Client Reviews

Heather Ryan's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Heather
Ingrid Linnea Nierman headshot
Ingrid Nierman

Criminal defense lawyer | Apr 05

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Heather is a very well respected and knowledgeable attorney in the area. I endorse this lawyer."

Michael S O'Meara headshot
Michael O'Meara

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Heather. She is a top notch criminal defense attorney. I have known Heather for more than 20 years."

Michael Patrick O'Donnell headshot
Michael O'Donnell

DUI and DWI lawyer | May 07

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"Heather is an excellent attorney. She is very knowledgeable about her work and great at what she does. She works hard to obtain the best results for her clients and is very well regarded in the court house among her colleagues. I highly endorse this attorney."

Ashley Paige Rhea Shields headshot
Ashley Shields

DUI and DWI lawyer | Mar 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Very knowledgable and personable. An advocate for her clients. Her capabilities and ability to explain the DUI/DWI process afford me the pleasure of referring Heather without hesitation."

Michelle Lynn Moore headshot
Michelle Moore

Administrative law lawyer | Jan 21

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Heather professionally for 20 years and know her to be very knowledgeable and zealous as an advocate. I refer all of my Secretary of State driver's license reinstatement cases to her and she's been successful with every one of them. The Secretary of State's Office can be tricky to navigate, if you aren't familiar with the requirements necessary for license reinstatement. I highly recommend Heather to anyone who needs help getting reinstated."

Martin Samuel Lascola headshot
Martin Lascola

Unknown lawyer | Oct 16

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Heather is an extremely intelligent and dedicated Defense Attorney. She was a prosecutor for many years before entering private practice and is now a seasoned and well-respected Defense Attorney. She understands both sides and has an excellent rapport with the State's Attorneys Office. Heather is an experienced trial attorney as well, should a case require motion or trial work. Furthermore, she has built a strong reputation conducting Administrative Hearings before the Illinois Secretary of State and has an extremely high success rate in restoring the driving privileges of clients that have been revoked as a result of DUI conviction(s). It is without hesitation that I recommend Heather to any client in need of superior legal representation."

View All Endorsements
Michael Patrick O'Donnell headshot
Michael O'Donnell

Criminal defense lawyer

Ingrid Linnea Nierman headshot
Ingrid Nierman

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.7 (Superb)

Honors

2016

Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers

2015

Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers

2014

Board Member, Saint Peter & Paul Advancement Board

2014

Client Choice Award, AVVO

2014

Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers

Work Experience

2014 - Present

Owner, Heather Ryan Law

2000 - 2014

Partner, Ryan & Ryan

1995 - 2000

Assistant States Attorney, DuPage County State's Attorneys Office

1994 - 1995

Assistant Attorney, French Kezelis & Kominiarek

Associations

2014 - Present

National Trial Lawyers Association

Member

2008 - Present

DuPage Association of Women Lawyers

Member

2008 - Present

DuPage American Inn of Court

Member

2000 - Present

DuPage County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

Member

1994 - Present

DuPage County Bar Association

Member

1994 - Present

Illinois State Bar Association

Member

2014 - 2015

Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism

Mentor

Sample of Legal Cases

City of Naperville vs. J.P.

Driving while License was suspended charge amended to petty offense. Conviction avoided.

Driver's License Reinstatement Hearing

Secretary of State granted full reinstatement of drivers license after 1 hearing.

Village of Shiller Park vs. M.F.

Charge amended to petty offense. Mandatory coviction avoided.

People v. Valentine

Client found not guilty after trial

See More Legal Cases

Education

1994

John Marshall Law School, Chicago

JD - Juris Doctor

1990

Loyola University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2002

Campaign Dinner

Citizens to Elect Jim Ryan

2001

Kane County Womens Luncheon

Campaign

Publications

2015

ryancrimlaw.com Know how to get your license reinstated

Languages

Spanish

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution