Ryan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Dartmouth College in 1980, and received his Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1984.

[1][2] Ryan began his legal career in California as a prosecutor with the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

While working with the District Attorney's Office, he handled a variety of cases including homicides and violent gang prosecutions.

President George W. Bush nominated Ryan as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Ryan was a "loyal Bush supporter" and that the Justice Department fired him primarily out of concern that his poor performance could cause a public relations problem.