Profile
Ryan P. Kelley advises large and small companies on their legal needs, from early inception to global operations. He counsels venture capital funds, start-ups, emerging, growth, and established companies in the technology, government contracting, space, biotech, AI, and cybersecurity industries. Ryan is known for engaging deeply with these clients on their domestic and cross-border corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, financings, joint ventures, capital raises, strategic investments and alliances, and corporate restructuring.
Concentrations
- Space, Aerospace, and Defense
- Venture capital
- Cross-Border M&A
- Emerging technology
- Blockchain taskforce
- Innovation & Artificial Intelligence
Capabilities
Experience
- Representation of H2M Group, LLC, a veteran owned provider of geospatial intelligence services to the U.S. Government, in its sale to Mantech International Corporation.
- Representation of a veteran owned small-business geospatial intelligence services provider in the sale of 100% of its membership interests to ECS Federal, LLC, a technology services company.
- Representation of Sev1Tech, LLC, a technology company providing information technology, cybersecurity, cloud, and program management services and solutions to U.S. government, in the sale of a controlling interest to DFW Capital Partners, a private equity investment firm focused on lower middle-market companies.
- Representation of Higher Logic, LLC, an industry leader in cloud-based community platforms, in its $55 million investment from JMI Equity, a growth equity firm focused on investing in leading software companies.
- Representation of Axios, Inc. in its sale to LGS Innovations, a portfolio company of Madison Dearborn Partners and CoVant, for an undisclosed sum. Virginia-based Axios is a provider of communications and signal processing solutions and mission support services for the Department of Defense and Intelligence communities.
- Representation of Maryland-based 7 Delta, Inc. in its acquisition by Mantech International Corporation. 7 Delta, Inc. was a government contractor providing IT services systems integration, program management, software development, security architecture, and information assurance to a number of large U.S. government clients. Such clients include Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which 7 Delta served as a prime contractor on the VA’s Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology (T4) program.
- Represented Rafael SCD. USA, Inc., a leading optoelectronic technology manufacturer and subsidiary of Israeli company Semiconductor Devices, an Elbit System-Rafael partnership, in its purchase of Quantum Imaging, Inc., a manufacturer of high-performance imaging system.
- Representation of Progeny Systems Corporation in the sale of its Intelligent Systems Group, a leader in artificial intelligence-enabled analysis of satellite imagery, to AeroVironment, Inc., a leading manufacturer of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
- Representation of Solers, Inc., a leading provider of software development and systems for space situational awareness, in its sale to Peraton Corporation, a portfolio company of Veritas Capital and provider of innovative solutions to the nation's most sensitive and mission-critical programs and systems.
- Representation of Progeny Systems Corporation, a leading provider of advanced software and hardware solutions for submarine modernization, in its sale to General Dynamics Mission Systems.
- Representation of Berico Technologies, LLC, a cloud and software development company for U.S. government clients, in its sale to Novetta, Inc. Representation of Ironclad Technology Services, LLC, an information technology support company, in its sale to Cydecor, Inc., a Virginia based computer systems & design company.
- Representation of Arena Technologies LLC, a provider of technology consulting to the intelligence and defense communities, in its sale to Systems Planning & Analysis, Inc., a provider of management services to U.S. government clients.
- Legal Intern, Government of Liberia, Ministry of Public Works, Summer 2011
- Legal Intern, Alliant Techsystems, Inc., Summer 2010
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, "Ones to Watch," Corporate Law, 2024-2025
- Elected Member, International Institute of Space Law, 2024
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Business Law Section, 2008–Present
Credentials
Education
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J.D., cum laude, University of Minnesota Law School
- Editor, Minnesota Law Review, Volume 95
- President, American Constitution Society
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M.A., The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University
- Lier Fellow
- B.A., International Relations, cum laude, Carleton College
Admissions
- Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Languages
- French, Conversational