Ryan Holt

Commercial litigation

Antitrust litigation

Ryan practices complex commercial litigation. Among other high-stakes business disputes, he has recently litigated covenants not to compete and trade secrets, commercial real estate transactions, contract disputes, business torts, and shareholder and corporate-governance issues. In 2025, Ryan was named the “Lawyer of the Year” in Nashville for real estate litigation. Ryan’s practice includes antitrust litigation, in which he represents large corporate clients in courts around the country.

Ryan’s clients span many industries, including manufacturing, real estate development, insurance, healthcare, chemicals, education, distribution and sales, financial services, technology, private equity and finance, food and beverage, and startups. He represents publicly traded companies, large private companies, small businesses, and individuals. In addition to trials and appeals in state and federal courts, Ryan advises clients on litigation avoidance and assessment. He is recognized by attorney ranking guides such as Chambers USA and Best Lawyers in America® for his work.

Ryan was the valedictorian of his law school class and served as the Editor in Chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review. Before joining the firm, he was a law clerk for the Honorable Gilbert S. Merritt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

As a former public school teacher, Ryan is passionate about public education. After college, he taught sixth-grade math in New York City through Teach For America. In 2011, Ryan helped found Intrepid College Prep Charter School, for which he served as a volunteer board member for twelve years, including six years as Board Chair. From February 2022 to May 2026, he served as the Congressional District 5 Representative on the Tennessee State Board of Education.

Fellow, Nashville Bar Foundation

Member, Antitrust Law Section, American Bar Association

Member, Federal Practice Section, Nashville Bar Association

Member, Litigation Section, Tennessee Bar Association

Member, Nashville Bar Foundation Leadership Forum (Class of 2017)

Member, Nashville Emerging Leaders (Class of 2013)

Member, Tennessee Bar Association Leadership Law (Class of 2019)

Member, Management Committee, Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison

Ryan Holt, Lessons from a Pedal Tavern: Why You Need a Good Operating Agreement, Sherrard Roe Blog (November 29, 2021)

Ryan Holt, Breaking Up Is Hard to Calculate: Recent Case Clarifies How to Value a Terminated Member’s Interest in a Tennessee LLC, Sherrard Roe Blog (June 14, 2021)

Ryan Holt, COVID-19 and Sellers of Goods: A Possible Defense, Sherrard Roe Blog (March 25, 2020)

Ryan Holt, Is COVID-19 an “Act of God” Under Tennessee Law?, Sherrard Roe Blog (March 24, 2020)

Ryan Holt, Thinking Inside the Box: Six Lessons on Drafting and Litigating Contracts After IHS v. BCBS, Sherrard Roe Blog (March 4, 2019)

Ryan Holt, Sucker Punch: Manny Pacquiao and Nondisclosure Litigation, Sherrard Roe Blog (May 12, 2015)

Ryan Holt, Is Your Choice-of-Law Clause Enforceable in Tennessee?, Sherrard Roe Blog (January 5, 2015)

Ryan Holt, Kicked Out of School: Charter Schools and Expulsion Law, Sherrard Roe Blog (November 4, 2014)

Ryan Holt, So You Want to Subpoena Facebook Content…, Sherrard Roe Blog (October 3, 2014)

Ryan Holt, Was the Bankruptcy Filed in Bad Faith?, Sherrard Roe Blog (September 16, 2014)

Note, A Uniform System for the Enforceability of Forum Selection Clauses in Federal Courts, 62 Vand. L. Rev. 1913 (2009)

Member, Tennessee State Board of Education, Congressional District 5 (2022 – 2026)

Founding Board Member, Intrepid College Preparatory Charter School (2011 – 2022)

Mentor, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee (2011 – 2015)

Member, Montgomery Bell Academy Young Alumni Board (2009 – 2014)

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

Raut, A. (Host). (January 13, 2025). RICO Claims in Antitrust. [Audio podcast] American Bar Association

“The Business of Lawyering: Professional Development for Today’s Attorney,” Tennessee Bar Association (February 5, 2016)

“Fundamentals of Federal Appellate Practice,” Panelist, Tennessee Bar Association (August 8, 2015)

ANTITRUST LITIGATION:

In re: MultiPlan Health Insurance Provider Litigation, in federal court in Chicago (representing national health systems in antitrust lawsuit alleging buyers’ cartel to fix and suppress prices for out-of-network healthcare goods and services)

In re: Optimal Blue Antitrust Litigation, in federal court in Nashville (represented national banking association in lawsuit alleging algorithmic price fixing)

In re: Tecfidera Antitrust Litigation, in federal court in Chicago (representing purchasers of pharmaceutical drug in antitrust lawsuit alleging suppression of competition for generic equivalent drugs)

In re: RealPage Antitrust Litigation, in federal court in Nashville (represented defendant property manager in lawsuit alleging algorithmic price fixing)

In re: Cattle and Beef Antitrust Litigation, in federal court in Minneapolis (representing grocers and wholesalers in antitrust lawsuit alleging price fixing by beef producers)

In re: Pork Antitrust Litigation, in federal court in Minneapolis (representing grocers and wholesalers in antitrust lawsuit alleging price fixing by pork producers)

In re: Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation, in federal court in Chicago (represented grocers and wholesalers in antitrust lawsuit alleging price fixing by chicken producers)

New Horizon Home Care, LLC v. Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, in federal court in Nevada (defeated antitrust claims on dispositive motions on behalf of defendant healthcare system)

In re: American Express Antitrust Litigation, in federal court in New York (represented direct action plaintiffs in antitrust lawsuit against American Express)

CORPORATE AND BUSINESS LITIGATION

Chartwell Properties, LLC v. Low et al., in federal court in Nashville (representing luxury condominium developer in RICO and fraud lawsuit seeking approximately $250 million in damages arising from alleged construction racketeering scheme)

Commodore Trust v. Fritch, in Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee (defending former owner of NHL franchise against petition to vacate arbitration award)

FKP v. Premier Parking, in the Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee (represented partnership in lawsuit alleging breach of contract and fraud)

Presley v. Livingston Regional Hospital et al., in Chancery Court for Clay County, Tennessee (defended hospital against claims of tortious interference with business relationships and negligent supervision)

Accurate Energetic Systems, LLC v. Maxam North America, Inc., in Chancery Court for Humphreys County, TN (obtained emergency injunctive relief of dismissal of multiple lawsuits in Canada brought in violation of forum selection clause)

Solugen v. M3 Chemical Group, LLC, in federal court in Houston (represented chemical company regarding claims of breach of contract and fraud involving stock options)

Fishon v. Mars Petcare US, Inc., in federal court in Nashville (defended national pet-food company against class-action claims for breach of warranty)

Baurle v. Kelty, in Business Court for Davidson County, Tennessee (obtained summary judgment for minority owners of real estate investment LLC regarding ownership percentages and control rights)

Schwartz v. Tennessee Brew Works, LLC, in Business Court for Davidson County, Tennessee (defeated injunction to block start-up brewery from raising capital)

Accurate Energetic Systems, LLC v. American Sporting Supplies, LLC, American Arbitration Association (prevailed on contract and tort claims after trial between manufacturers of explosive products)

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE LITIGATION

Houston Humphreys, LLC v. Houston Street Partners, LLC, in Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee (representing owners of large commercial property in litigation involving $40+ million real estate transaction)

Domus Development, LLC v. Titan Development, LLC, in federal court in Nashville (represented real estate developer regarding partnership agreement for large real estate transaction)

Propst Development Fiddler’s Glen Nashville, LLC v. Paul W. Chrisman, Jr., in Chancery Court for Williamson County, Tennessee (represented real estate developer regarding commercial real estate transaction)

Nashville Cool Springs, L.P. v. Sports Land Group, LLC, in Business Court for Davidson County, Tennessee (obtained summary judgment for developer regarding commercial real estate transaction)

PSC Metals, Inc. v. Shelby Land Co. LLC, in federal court in Nashville (obtained summary judgment for owners of scrapyard property in downtown Nashville regarding valuation of property)

NON-COMPETE AND TRADE SECRET LITIGATION

HealthEquity, Inc. v. Whitmire, WEX, Inc., et al., in Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee (defending financial technology benefits company against claims of procurement of breach of non-solicitation covenants and tortious interference)

Crawford Electric Supply v. Lonestar Electric Supply, in Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee (representing distributor of electrical products in litigation regarding post-employment restrictive covenants)

Springstone Health Opco, LLC v. CPS Solutions, LLC, in Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee (representing health system in lawsuit for breach of contract and validity of restrictive covenants for approximately 60 personnel across 16 healthcare facilities)

Freedom Capital Group, LLC v. Blue Metric Group, LLC et al., in federal court in Nashville (defeated motion for temporary injunction and defended real estate companies against claims including alleged misappropriation of trade secrets)

Servpro Industries, LLC v. Zollman, in Circuit Court for Sumner County, Tennessee (defending individual sued regarding non-compete)

CONSTITUTIONAL LITIGATION

Lovins v. Parker, 712 F.3d 283 (6th Cir. 2013) (issuance of writ of habeas corpus to invalidate sentencing enhancement as violation of Sixth Amendment), 2:08-cv-02706 (W.D. Tenn.) (obtained court order that ordered client to be immediately released from prison for warden’s violation of prior court order)

Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D.

University of Nebraska – Lincoln, M.A., economics

Vanderbilt University, B.A., summa cum laude

Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial (2023 – 2026)

Benchmark Litigation “Future Star,” Appellate, Commercial, Real Estate (2019 – 2026)

Best Lawyers in America®, “Lawyer of the Year,” Nashville, Litigation – Real Estate (2025)

Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2021 – 2026); Litigation – Real Estate (2022 – 2026)

Legal 500, US City Elite – Nashville, Commercial Disputes (2026)

Mid-South Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, Antitrust Litigation (2024 – 2025)

Mid-South Super Lawyers “Rising Star,” Business Litigation, Antitrust Litigation (2013 – 2023)

Nashville Emerging Leader Award, Finalist (2016)

Nashville Bar Journal, Article of the Year (2012)

Tennessee Bar Association Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Attorneys of the Year Award (2025)

Tennessee Supreme Court Attorneys for Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll (2015 – 2016)