Thomas J. Ryan, 66th President of the State Bar of Michigan, will meet with members of the General Practice/Solo Practice Society (GPSP) at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School located at 217 S. Capitol Ave., on February 1, 2001. At the request of the event's organizer, GPSP President Michael Williams, Ryan will discuss his experience in solo practice and how students can turn the State Bar into a resource for their study and later practice of law. The meeting, which begins at 5:00 p.m., will also include comments from Professor Gary Bauer, Faculty Adviser at Cooley.

GPSP at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School is an organization of students who aspire to the general practice of law in a solo or a small firm setting.

Ryan is a sole practitioner in Sylvan Lake where his practice focuses on municipal, criminal, probate and real estate law. He is also currently serving as counsel for the Village of Clarkston/City of Clarkston, attorney for the Village of Beverly Hills and City of Keego Harbor, and as prosecuting attorney for Bloomfield and Southfield Townships. He has served on the State Bar's Board of Commissioners since 1992 and rose to the rank of Bar president after serving as secretary (1997-1998), vice president (1998-1999) and president-elect (1999-2000).

Ryan has served as chairperson of the State Bar's Long Range Planning Commissioner Committee, Scope & Correlation, and Awards Committees. He has also served on the Executive, Fiscal, and Legislation Commissioner Committees and as commissioner liaison to the State Bar Officers and Deans of Law Schools of Michigan Committee.

Ryan is a member of the Oakland County Bar Association and has served as its president (1993 to 1994) and on the Board of Directors. He is also a member of the American Bar Association and the Oakland Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Ryan is a 1969 graduate of the University of Notre Dame and received his J.D. from the University of Detroit-Mercy in 1972.

Ryan's speech is open to the media. Please contact Michael Williams at (517) 485-1598 for a reservation. A photograph of Ryan is available on the State Bar of Michigan's web site www.michbar.org. Click on the "Member Resources" button, then click "News." The photo is located at the bottom of the News page.