Ryan Locke

As a high school freshman, Ryan Locke's first successful petition was a letter-writing campaign convincing the school newspaper to let him on staff as an underclassman, which set Ryan on a path to become its Editor-in-Chief. That early drive to connect and convince guided Ryan's academic choices: studying rhetoric and psychology at the University of Richmond, then honing his advocacy skills at the University of Georgia School of Law, where he earned induction into the Order of Barristers.

Ryan's career has let him practice advocacy, teach it, and judge it. As an Adjunct Professor at Emory University School of Law, he helps students develop trial presentation and storytelling skills. As a Judge on the Fulton County Magistrate Court—one of few Georgia judgeships permitting concurrent practice—he presides over bench trials as both judge and fact-finder, assessing firsthand what makes arguments connect and what falls flat.

Those roles build on a foundation forged in high-stakes practice. As a public defender, Ryan tried cases where the stakes couldn't be higher. He's argued nearly two dozen appeals before the Georgia Supreme Court. And in plaintiff personal injury work, Ryan translated clients' circumstances into narratives that helped achieve significant settlements.

Now, at Locke Immigration Law, Ryan helps driven, talented immigrants build their futures in the United States. Whether it's an EB-1A petition showcasing original contributions, an O-1 case for a leader at the top of their field, or a National Interest Waiver demonstrating critical value to the U.S., Ryan approaches each case the way he's approached every challenge in his career: by taking complex ideas and making them clear and undeniable. If you're ready to tell your story, Ryan is ready to help you win.