RYAN SWANSON HISTORY - TIMELINE
Founder of Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC, John Ryan, graduates from the University of Wisconsin. He played 4 years of college football.
John Ryan attends Chicago College of Law, later to become Chicago-Kent College of Law. John Ryan appears in the 1896 Chicago College of Law Precedent.
John Ryan admitted to practice in Wisconsin and starts his private practice.
John Ryan serves in the Spanish American War. His name shows on the roster for the Rough Riders. The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one of the three to see action.
John Ryan moves his law practice into the Globe Building, now the Kimpton Alexis Hotel, standing at the northwest corner of First and Madison
The future home of our current building at Rainier Square is regraded.
John Ryan moves to the Alaska Building, Seattle’s first steel-framed skyscraper.
The firm becomes Ryan & Desmond as Grover Desmond joins John Ryan. Now with two attorneys, the firm is officially off and running. Grover was born in Clinton, Iowa and attended the University of Washington Law School. He was partnered with John E. Ryan Sr. until his death in 1932.
The two partners move to the Pantages Building. Primarily a theater but was fronted with offices.
William D. Askren elected as Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court.
John Ryan Jr. joins his father’s firm as an Associate. He attended Queen Anne High School and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and legal education from the University of Virginia. He joined the firm after serving in World War I. John Ryan Jr. served as managing partner of the firm for 49 years until his death in 1982.
The firm moves to the Northern Life Building and becomes Ryan, Desmond & Ryan. The Northern Life Building still stands on the block across the street from our current building on 3rd Avenue in Seattle.
William D. Askren joins the firm. The firm becomes Ryan, Askren & Ryan. He was born in Mount Ayr, Iowa where he attended school until he was 14. He moved to Tacoma in 1902 and found a job as a bellhop. He later became a clerk in a pawn shop and studied law at night.
The firm moves to the White Henry Stuart Building located at 1318 4th Avenue. The building was torn down in 1974 for the Rainier Square project. An almost identical building was built, the Cobb building, and remains standing at the corner of 4th and University (Location of the Capital Grille).
The eight attorneys and support staff of Ryan, Askren & Mathewson celebrate 50 years!
Ray Swanson joins the firm upon graduating from the University of Washington Law School. He serves as managing partner from 1982 - 1989. He retires from the firm in 1993.
The firm changes its name to Ryan, Askren, Mathewson, Carlson & King.
Richard L. Cleveland joins the firm as an Associate. He was born in Seattle in 1930. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1948 and received his BA from the University of Washington in 1952. While at UW he was in the Air Force ROTC, and on graduation was assigned to Russian Language School at Syracuse University. After completing the course, he was stationed in Washington DC, where he met his future wife, Nancy. Upon discharge from the Air Force as a Captain, he attended Harvard Law School, graduating in 1959. Dick returned to Seattle and started his legal career at the firm. He retires in 2006.
The firm changes its name to Ryan, Askren, Carlson, Bush & Swanson.
The firm changes its name to Ryan, Carlson, Bush, Swanson & Hendel.
Joel Paget joined the firm and continued his practice until his passing in 2024, celebrating his 53rd anniversary in 2024. A graduate of the University of Washington School of Law (Student Body President 1966-1967), Joel was a legal intern for the Department of Motor Vehicles and a WA Court of Appeals Law Clerk for Judge Herbert A. Swanson. Before starting his career as an attorney, he worked as a Men's Furnishing Salesman at JC Penney located at 2nd and Pike, now the site of Target. Joel had the distinct honor of meeting James Cash Penney during a visit to the store.
Three entrepreneurs contacted Ryan Swanson attorney Mike Rayton to help them launch their new coffee business – they called their company Starbucks. Mike Rayton presided over the first couple of board meetings and remained on as Assistant Secretary on the Board of Directors. We were also the Registered Agent for Starbucks back in those days.
The firm becomes Ryan, Bush, Swanson & Hendel and moves its sixteen Attorneys and staff to the Union Bank of California Building located at 901 Fifth Avenue. John E. Ryan, Jr. had his own dedicated parking space on the first level which, after his passing, was used by Ray Swanson and his Corvette.
Portrait of women employees at Ryan, Bush, Swanson & Hendel. Morey Priest, second from left, would be hired as the first woman attorney at the firm four years later. She later became the first woman member.
The firm undergoes its 10th and final name change to become Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC.
Roger Kindley, Jim Shaker, Bob Curran, and Joel Paget sing songs by the Temptations at Ryan Swanson's Holiday Party at Madison Hotel (now the Renaissance Madison).
John Iverson was elected as Managing Director replacing Ray Swanson. He becomes only the fourth Managing Partner in the firm's 90-year history.
The firm moves to 1201 Third Avenue. At the time, the 55 Story building is the second-tallest building in the city, the eighth tallest on the West Coast of the United States.
Rick Friedhoff elected as Managing Director.
Joel Paget elected as Managing Director.
Jerry Kindinger is elected as Managing Director.
The firm celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Immigration attorney Janet Cheetham named to the inaugural Washington Super Lawyers list. Janet is one of only six lawyers whose names have appeared on the list every year since. She would be featured on the cover of Super Lawyers Magazine 25 years later in 2022.
Ryan Swanson becomes a charter member of TAGLaw, a worldwide network of prominent law firms in the TAG Alliances.
Roger Myklebust elected as Managing Director.
Kevin Bay elected as Managing Director.
The firm adopts our current logo.
Bob Curran elected as Managing Director.
Ryan Swanson is consistently recognized among Washington's Best Workplaces by the Puget Sound Business Journal.
Ryan Swanson member John Ruhl appointed to King County Superior Court.
Dave Tift elected as Managing Director.
Ryan Swanson holds our 120th anniversary celebration; all previous (living) managing directors attend with current managing director Dave Tift.
Women chair half of Ryan Swanson’s major practice groups: Marsha Mavunkel (Immigration), Kristin Nealey Meier (Healthcare), Kari Brotherton (Estate Planning & Probate) and Britenae Pierce (Employment Rights, Benefits & Labor). Meier would also become co-chair of the Litigation group in 2021.
Ryan Swanson joins diversity hiring initiatives like the Gregoire Fellows program and LEAD-WA's 1L Diversity Fellowship. These programs support minority students in law, reinforcing the firm's commitment to legal diversity.
Bryan Graff is elected Managing Director.
The firm celebrates its 125th anniversary!
The firm moves to the Rainier Square Building located at 401 Union Street.
Eleven associates make up one of the largest group of associate attorneys at Ryan Swanson in recent years.