DLA Piper Americas Chair Frank Ryan Delivers Syracuse University College of Law Commencement Address

Frank Ryan, DLA Piper Americas Chair, Global Co-Chair, and Global Co-CEO, delivered the keynote address at Syracuse University College of Law’s 2025 commencement, emphasizing intellectual curiosity as one of the most important characteristics a lawyer can possess.

Ryan, an alumnus of Syracuse University (’90) and the school’s College of Law (’94), is a member of the College of Law’s Board of Advisors. He spoke to more than 230 graduates at the May 9 ceremony at the JMA Wireless Dome.

“Those who think they immediately have the answer cannot grow,” Ryan said. “Those who see only one outcome or path or ideology cannot improve in our profession.”

Ryan encouraged the graduates to keep their minds open to other viewpoints and to approach learning as a lifelong endeavor: “What you now possess is an understanding of the space that exists between not knowing and knowing. You now understand the journey of curiosity, the journey of discovery – a journey filled with challenge, discipline, and discomfort. I hope that never ends for you.”

A go-to strategist for some of the world’s most sophisticated media and sports companies, Ryan has guided DLA Piper in raising market share in key practices and sectors, developing world-class talent, and delivering impactful pro bono projects around the globe.

Ryan is a member of the Legal Services Corporation's Leaders Council, advising the country's largest funder of civil legal aid programs in support of equal access to legal representation. He is the founding chair of DLA Piper’s Legal Elite Athlete Pipeline (LEAP) and Building Relationships to Advance Veterans’ Opportunities (BRAVO) scholarship programs, established to assist student athletes and veterans wishing to pursue a career in the legal profession. He is also a member of the Wall Street Journal CEO Council and Thomson Reuters' Global Strategy Board.