Ryan is passionate about helping clients resolve employment and professional liability matters. He enjoys building lasting relationships with his clients and employs a proactive approach that seeks to minimize risk before litigation arises. When litigation is unavoidable, Ryan is skilled in representing clients before state and federal administrative agencies, state courts, federal courts, appellate courts, and professional administrative or licensing boards.
Ryan has litigated numerous cases as lead counsel to favorable* jury verdicts and appellate decisions in North Carolina. 20 years of experience has sharpened Ryan’s litigation and counseling skills. His experience and results are described below.
Defense of Employers
Ryan’s employment practice includes representation of companies and human resource managers against claims of wrongful termination, retaliation, alleged violations of Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FLSA, FMLA, and REDA (other claims under EPLI policies). He also drafts, revises, and advises clients on issues related to non-competes, non-solicitation, and severance agreements. Ryan has been successful* in obtaining favorable results for clients in administrative hearings before the EEOC, Employment Security Commission (now the Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security), the Department of Labor, and Office of Administrative Hearings. In addition to representing clients in litigation, Ryan assists human resources professionals in companies, colleges, and municipalities with handling discipline, termination, and other various employment issues by focusing on proactive measures that organizations can put in place to resolve conflicts and potential claims before costly litigation arises.
Defense of Professionals
Ryan also defends licensed professionals (accountants, appraisers, attorneys, chiropractors, collection agencies, dentists, insurance agents/brokers, and real estate agents/brokers) against claims of professional negligence and malpractice made by former clients in all North Carolina Courts and before professional licensing or administrative boards such as North Carolina State Bar, North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners, North Carolina State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners, North Carolina Real Estate Commission, North Carolina Appraisal Board, and the North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners. While defending these professionals, Ryan assists them with handling the personal difficulties and frustrations that arise from these claims.
Defense of Municipalities
Ryan has extensive experience in representing municipalities in employment matters and also in litigation related to ordinances and land use issues. He is experienced in working with municipal officials, board members, and their local counsel in resolving or litigating issues if necessary.
Articles, Presentations, and Publications
•Author of Cranfill Sumner LLP’s Employment Law Toolkit ( 2024), a repository of foundational information and resources on the stages of employment: pre-hiring, the employment relationship, termination of the employment relationship and beyond
•Led a webinar for PLAN entitled “Admissibility of Licensing Board Decisions in Related (or Unrelated) Civil Actions”, October 28, 2021
•“Considerations for Pre-Suite Resolution of Professional Liability Claims”, April 2020, For the Defense
•Presented “Oops! Now What? Managing Claims Repair and Protecting a Client’s Reputation” at the Defense Research Institute (DRI) Professional Liability Conference in New York City on December 5, 2019
•Presented “Put into Practice: Risk Management Tips for Attorneys” at the Lawyers’ Mutual Insurance Company’s Annual Roadshow in Clemmons (October 29, 2019), Asheville (October 30, 2019), Greensboro (October 31, 2019), and Concord (November 22, 2019)
•Presented “Changing Interpretation of the ‘Legitimate Non-Discriminatory Reasons’ for Termination in Employment Law” at the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys Fall Conference in Greensboro on October 4, 2019
•Presented “Human Resources Law: What You Need to Know Now (Discrimination & Harassment)” on behalf of National Business Institute in Charlotte on September 24, 2019
•Presented “Shifting Landscapes: Adapting Your Firm To Emerging Threats” on behalf of E&O carrier CNA to attorney insureds in Charlotte on August 27, 2019
•Presentation for CEU Institute 8/2017: “Ahead of the Curve: Ethical Risk Management for Lawyers”
•Presentation for Counsel on Litigation Management entitled “Introduction to Legal Malpractice,” June 8, Charlotte, NC
•Bar Grievance? Malpractice Claim? 8 Actions to Help Weather the Storm, March 24, 2015, LinkedIn
•What Professionals Can Learn from National Championship Coaches’ Post-Game Comments, April 16, 2015, LinkedIn
•Presentation for CEU Institute 8/2015: “Competitive Edge: Law Practice Risk Management/Conflict of Interest”
•“Civil Conspiracy: Lawyers’ Vicarious Liability for Clients’ Torts,” January 2011, For The Defense
•“Consequences of Employees Use of Social Networking Sites that Every Employer Should Consider” - Catawba Valley SHRM and City of Newton, 2009
•“Revisions to the Americans with Disabilities Act effective January 1, 2009,” North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys Employment Law Seminar, 2009
•“North Carolina Retaliatory Discharge Act,” Risk and Insurance Management Society seminar presentation, 2008
Accomplishments
•Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants (2026)
•Selected for inclusion in North Carolina Super Lawyers in the fields of Professional Liability, Defense (2025); Employment and Labor (2026)
•Selected for inclusion in Business North Carolina Legal Elite - Litigation (2024)
•Named in North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Leaders in Law Class of 2023
•Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rated
Most Recent Posts
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Cranfill Sumner Welcomes Emily Martin as Attorney Recruiting and Professional Development Director
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced that Emily Martin has joined the firm as the Attorney Recruiting and Professional Development Director....
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Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Listed Among NC Lawyers Weekly Legal 250
Four attorneys at Cranfill Sumner LLP have been listed among the North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Legal 250....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Honored at ALM’s Southeastern Legal Awards; Firm Recognized as Best Legal Innovation Finalist
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced that attorneys Vince Eisinger and Chad Rhoades have been selected as winners of the Southeastern Legal Awards’ “On the Rise in North Carolina” category. In addition, the firm has been named a finalist for “Best Legal Innovation” for its forward-thinking CEO leadership structure. Winners will be honored at the awards ceremony on May 7 at The Whitley in Atlanta....
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17 Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Named to 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner LLP announced that 17 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2026 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
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Cranfill Sumner LLP Names Dominic Totman Chair of Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced that Dominic Totman has been named Chair of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group....
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Christopher Blake Joins Cranfill Sumner LLP
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced that Christopher Blake has joined the firm’s Raleigh office as Of Counsel. Chris brings more than four decades of courtroom experience to the firm and will continue to focus his practice on business and insurance litigation....
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Steven Bader Admitted to Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
Steven Bader, a Partner at Cranfill Sumner LLP, has been admitted into membership of the prestigious Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel....
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Dominic Totman Named Partner at Cranfill Sumner LLP
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced that Dominic Totman has been named a partner at the firm....
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Cranfill Sumner LLP Announces Executive Committee
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced the formation of its Executive Committee, a milestone in the firm’s ongoing strategic evolution and long-term governance vision. This development follows the firm’s recent appointment of its first Chief Executive Officer....
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33 CSH Law Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America 2026
Thirty-three attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law) were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2026....
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Cranfill Sumner Hosts 2025 Employment Law Webinar
On Feb. 26, Cranfill Sumner LLP hosted its 2025 Employment Law Panel webinar....
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21 Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Named to 2025 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Cranfill Sumner LLP announced that 21 of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the 2025 North Carolina Super Lawyers and 2025 North Carolina Rising Stars lists....
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Attorneys Lead Webinar Discussing Gender Identity Workplace Accommodations
Ryan Bolick and Kayla McDaniel recently hosted the “Gender Identity & Accommodations In the Workplace” webinar through PLAN....
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Cranfill Sumner LLP Hosts 2024 Employment Law Panel Webinar
Cranfill Sumner LLP today hosted its 2024 Employment Law Panel as part of its ongoing webinar series....
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Cranfill Sumner LLP Launches Employment Law Toolkit
Cranfill Sumner LLP today launched a new resource hub designed to assist individuals and businesses at every stage of the employment process....
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Cranfill Sumner LLP Attorneys Listed Among 2024 Legal Elite
Twelve Cranfill Sumner LLP attorneys were recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as part of the magazine’s Legal Elite program. ...
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Ryan Bolick Honored with 2023 Leaders in the Law Award
Ryan Bolick was recently honored as a member of the North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Leaders in the Law Class of 2023. North Carolina Lawyers Weekly presents this peer-nominated award annually to honor legal professionals licensed and practicing law in the state of North Carolina who have gone above and beyond in their profession and their community. These honorees represent the most influential individuals within the state’s legal community....
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Cranfill Sumner Webinar Series Features Employment Law Panel
On Feb. 16, Cranfill Sumner LLP hosted an Employment Law Panel as part of its webinar series. The panel featured Benton Toups, Ryan Bolick, Vince Eisinger, and Georgia Malik....
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Ryan Bolick to Serve on Lawyers Mutual Community Board
Ryan Bolick, a Partner at Cranfill Sumner LLP, has been appointed to serve on the Lawyers Mutual Charlotte Community Board. His term began January 2022 and continues through December 2025....
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Ryan Bolick Named to Cranfill Sumner LLP Management Committee
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced that Ryan Bolick has been named to serve on the firm’s Management Committee....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Present PLAN Webinar
Ryan Bolick and Melody Jolly presented the Nov. 8 webinar “The Best Legal Malpractice Defense is a Good Offense: Strategies for Success in the ‘Case Within a Case,’ an Often-overlooked Prerequisite to Legal Malpractice Liability.”...
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Ryan Bolick Certified as Superior Court Mediator
Cranfill Sumner LLP today announced that Ryan Bolick recently completed training for Mediator Certification and is now a Certified Superior Court Mediator with the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission....
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CSH Law Attorneys Lead PLAN Webinar
Ryan Bolick and Melody Jolly led the Oct. 28 PLAN webinar “Admissibility of Licensing Board Decisions in Related (or Unrelated) Civil Actions.”...
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Volunteer for Legal Aid Eviction Project
In May 2020, Legal Aid of North Carolina launched an effort to help North Carolinians who were struggling to pay rent and were facing eviction. Legal Aid paired available emergency financial support with a search for volunteer attorneys from across the state who could help negotiate past and future payments with landlords....
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Ryan Bolick Featured in For the Defense
Ryan Bolick, a Partner at Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner), was featured in the April edition of For the Defense. Ryan’s article, “Considerations for Pre-Suit Resolution of Professional Liability Claims,” examines creative ways to handle professional liability claims while avoiding lawsuits and protecting a client’s reputation. Ryan presented this topic along with Roseanne DeBellis of Great American Insurance Company and Mark Scruggs of NC Lawyers Mutual, at the DRI Professional Liability Conference in NYC in December 2019. ...
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Melody Jolly and Ryan Bolick Participate in DRI Professional Liability Conference
Melody Jolly and Ryan Bolick participated in the recent DRI 2019 Professional Liability Conference which was held in New York City. ...
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Ryan Bolick Presents at Risk Management CLE Series
Ryan Bolick served as a featured speaker in a CLE event sponsored by Lawyers’ Mutual. Ryan presented on a panel presentation entitled “This Case is Killing Me,” addressing the stresses of representing difficult clients and how to prevent those cases from evolving into a legal malpractice claim....
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Ryan Bolick Speaks at NBI Human Resources Law Seminar
Ryan Bolick spoke at the recent “Human Resource Law: What You Need to Know Now” seminar which was presented by the National Business Institute on Nov. 13....
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Cranfill Sumner Charlotte Hosts Delegation from U.S. State Department International Visitor Leadership Program
Cranfill Sumner LLP’s (Cranfill Sumner) Charlotte office hosted a delegation of 27 attorneys from the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on March 19. The IVLP is a short-term, international exchange program for professionals that provides nearly 5,000 professionals each year with the opportunity to learn from their colleagues in a specific field in the United States....
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Ryan Bolick Appointed Chair of MCB Grievance Committee
Ryan Bolick was recently appointed Chair of the Mecklenburg County Bar Grievance Committee. His three-year term began in July 2018....
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Ryan Bolick Appointed to Lake Norman SHRM Board
Ryan Bolick, Vice Chair of the Professional Liability Practice Group at Cranfill Sumner LLP, was recently appointed to serve on the board of directors of the Lake Norman Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Eight attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 9th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 4. The statewide event is sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation and the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA)....
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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Participate in 4ALL Statewide Service Day
Eleven attorneys from Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) participated in the North Carolina Bar Association’s 8th Annual 4ALL Statewide Service Day on Friday, March 6. ...
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Ryan Bolick Appointed to MCB Grievance Committee
Ryan Bolick, Vice-Chair of the Professional Liability Practice Group at Cranfill Sumner LLP, was recently appointed to serve on the Grievance & Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee of the Mecklenburg County Bar....