Chris Ryder

Chris champions his clients’ causes through clear communication and hard work.

Words matter. That’s why Chris centers his practice around communicating clearly. His goal is to build trust and advance his client’s interests whether he’s interacting with opposing counsel, a judge, or the public. But he also knows there’s no substitute for hard work when taking on large corporations. Chris pushes complex cases forward, from investigation, through discovery, all the way to appeals. 

With a background in journalism, Chris brings experience in conversational writing and public speaking to his work as an associate attorney on Keller Rohrback’s complex litigation team. His short-lived journalism stint also affirmed that he wanted to be in the trenches, protecting the underdog and reining in bad corporate actors. And Keller Rohrback proved to be the perfect fit.

As an attorney dedicated to the public interest, Chris views class actions and mass torts as effective ways to curb corporate wrongdoing. With an interest in the digital landscape, Chris is active in Keller Rohrback’s consumer and data privacy protection practices and other complex litigation teams. He represents dozens of school districts in the In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Product Liability Litigation MDL and California’s Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings (“JCCP”) re Social Media Cases, tackling social media companies for creative addictive products and contributing to a youth mental health crisis.

Before landing at Keller Rohrback, Chris’s tracked a serendipitous path to the law. He applied to conservatories for jazz performance but ultimately pivoted to journalism. During college, Chris interned at a non-profit in Washington D.C. focused on tech-related policy. That work planted the seeds of his legal career. From there, Chris attended and received his J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law, where he served as the Managing Editor of the Gonzaga Law Review and graduated magna cum laude. After law school, Chris clerked for the Honorable Justice Susan Owens of the Washington State Supreme Court.

Outside of work, Chris enjoys playing chess, hiking and paddleboarding across the Pacific Northwest, and visiting McMenamins pubs with his wife (he has been to all 62 properties, earning him the title of “Cosmic Tripster” and lifelong bragging rights).