Former Eckert Seamans CEO Moves In-House to Solar Energy Company
Tim Ryan led Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott for 12 years before stepping down unexpectedly in 2017.
October 14, 2019 at 04:35 PM
3 minute read
Tim Ryan, former CEO of Pittsburgh-based regional firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, now in-house with First Solar.
The former CEO of Pittsburgh-based regional firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott has made a move in-house.
Timothy Ryan, who led the Am Law 200 firm from 2005 to 2017, is now a deputy general counsel for litigation at First Solar Inc., as of last week. Ryan said in an interview Monday that his role is a newly created one, in which he will be heading up all litigation for the company.
Ryan said he had a long client relationship with First Solar while he was at Eckert Seamans starting in 1999, though not so much while he was leading the law firm.
First Solar, based in Tempe, Arizona, develops and operates grid-connected solar power plants. According to its website, the company has about 6,400 employees worldwide, and reported $2.2 billion in revenue in 2018.
In addition to its Tempe headquarters, its U.S. footprint includes a manufacturing location in Perrysburg, Ohio, and North America offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey; Houston; and San Francisco. It has international locations in Asia, Europe and South America as well.
Ryan said he will continue to be a resident of Pittsburgh, though First Solar does not have a location there, and he plans to split his time between Pittsburgh and other places where the company has a presence.
Ryan stepped down from his post as CEO of Eckert Seamans somewhat abruptly in March 2017. During his time as CEO, the firm doubled in size, growing to 14 offices in 10 states and Washington, D.C.
The firm then announced that it would adopt a two-CEO model, with partners Tim Hudak and Dorothy Davis taking on the leadership responsibilities. But a year later, it switched back to having one CEO, with Davis stepping down.
Asked whether First Solar will continue to have a working relationship with Eckert Seamans, Ryan said he does not know, but "if an appropriate matter came up I would consider it."
Regarding the firm where he spent more than three decades as a lawyer, he said, "it will always have a very special place with me. I leave behind tremendous professional relationships and wish my colleagues nothing but the best."
In a statement Monday about Ryan's departure, Hudak recognized the firm's growth under Ryan's leadership.
"Tim will always be a member of the Eckert Seamans family, and all of us wish him continued success in his new role as deputy general counsel-litigation with First Solar," Hudak said.
Eckert Seamans recently announced leadership transitions in its Pittsburgh and Wilmington, Delaware, offices.
Read More
Tim Ryan, Eckert Seamans' Longtime CEO, Abruptly Announces Resignation
Eckert Seamans Scraps Two-CEO Model After One Year
Under New Leader, Eckert Seamans' Pittsburgh Office Plans for Growth
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