Top Lawyer Ryan Quits Counsel Post for HBS

In a surprise career move he described as merely a "bureaucratic shuffle," Allan A. Ryan, Jr. announced last week his intention to leave his post as University attorney in the Office of the General Counsel.

He will soon assume the role of director of intellectual property for the publishing operations of Harvard Business School.

In an eclectic Harvard legal career spanning 15 years, Ryan has worked in courtrooms, as well as for museums, libraries and publishers.

As a jack-of-all-trades, he became the University's point person on sweatshop issues, forging a close relationship with the opposition, Students Against Sweatshops (SAS).

Of this high-profile role, he said, "It ended up almost by accident on my desk."

"A few years ago, students began to speak out about sweatshops and I was approached about what to do. I said, 'Talk to them,' and I became the contact person almost by default," Ryan said.

Benjamin L. McKean '02, a member of SAS, said that he respects Ryan.

"He genuinely did care about the University's involvement in sweatshops. He's very smart about what the University could do."

Another SAS member, Madeleine S. Elfenbein '04, said working with Ryan was productive.

"He seemed really dedicated to the process of resolving differences with the administration and Students Against Sweatshops," she said. "I really hope they'll put in someone as good as he is."

Ryan admitted his differences with the students' positions, but attributes these disagreements to personal convictions.

"I don't always agree with the students, and I often tell them that bluntly," Ryan said.

Despite being at odds, Ryan said, "I listen to them, and they listen to me."

General Counsel Anne Taylor said she hasn't yet thought about whom might be appointed his successor.

"It's a great loss to the general counsel's office," she said. "He's a great colleague [and] we've worked together for a number of years."

But Taylor was hopeful for Ryan's future in his new position. "This is an exciting opportunity for him," she said. "It's exciting, dynamic and fast-moving. His practice in recent years has dealt with intellectual property law."

Ryan said his new job will focus on the business of disseminating information about business, management and leadership.

"In this digital age, keeping control over content is important," he said. "I will be help to acquire and protect [the Business School's] intellectual assets, books and journal articles, and see that nobody infringes on these copyrights."

However, Ryan said, "I won't be practicing law anymore."

The impending change makes Ryan somewhat nostalgic.

"I have been practicing law for 15 years and I love my clients," he said. "Right now, it seems like an interesting, exciting, challenging assignment with a group of people I know and like."

Ryan said he will miss having frequent interaction with students.

"What sets Harvard apart from other large corporations, like John Hancock or Microsoft, are its students," he said. "I like that part of it. I have worked with Evening with Champions at Eliot House and served as a freshman advisor."

Ryan said he is uncertain about the implications his departure has for the University's dealings with SAS and other activist groups.

"I don't know who will be stepping in to take this all on in terms of sweatshop negotiations. I'm not even sure that it will be somebody in this office," he said.

McKean said he will miss Ryan's presence in the University administration.

"Personally, I'm sad to see Allan go, in a 'Stockholm Syndrome' sort of way, where if you get stuck in a room with a kidnapper for long enough, you grow fond of them."