LAWYER PROFILE
Ryan Thomas

Ryan Thomas

USA 2026

Chambers ranking badge
Chambers ranking badge

Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

USA

Practice Areas

Ryan Thomas is the chair of the firm’s Private Equity Team and co-chair of the Healthcare Private Equity Team. Ryan focuses his practice on representing national, middle market private equity firms and their portfolio companies on a broad range of strategic and private equity transaction structures, including mergers, tender offers, going private and leveraged buyout transactions and other recapitalizations with an aggregate value exceeding $60 billion. He also counsels issuers, strategic investors and national and regional growth equity firms in private and public placements of equity and debt securities.

Ryan’s practice focuses on middle market transactions within the healthcare, life sciences, technology/software, retail and food & beverage, government services and manufacturing industries, among others. He also advises management, boards and special committees on shareholder activism, corporate governance and public company disclosure and merger matters.

Ryan's practice includes:

- Mergers and acquisitions

- Private equity

- Growth equity

- Securities transactions

- International transactions

- Corporate governance

- Public company disclosures

- Joint ventures, licensing and commercial transactions

Career

Joined Bass, Berry & Sims in 2004 in its Nashville office.

Ryan previously practiced in Boston, MA with Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, LLP (1999-2004).

Professional Memberships

Association for Corporate Growth, Tennessee Chapter: Board Member

American Bar Association: Business Law and M&A Committees; Business Law Today, Executive Editor, M&A (2017) and Deal Points, Editor (2016-2018)

American Health Law Association (AHLA)

Personal

JD, Vanderbilt Law School

BA, Trinity College

Awards

Corporate/M&A (2017-2026)

Chambers USA

Finalist in Deal of the Year Categories (2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2015)

The M&A Advisor

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Guide to the USA

Corporate/M&A - Tennessee

Band 3
Band 3

Individual Editorial
Ryan Thomas chairs the firm's private equity group and has experience handling healthcare, technology and private equity transactions. His experience also covers entity formation and recapitalization.

Ranked Individuals at Bass, Berry & Sims PLC (73)

District of Columbia

Illinois

Tennessee

What success is built on

Chambers is the leading data and intelligence partner for the legal sector.

Explore thought leadership