Ryan J. Aaron is an associate in the Firm's Charleston, West Virginia, office.  He is a member of the Business Law Department, and his practice focuses on intellectual property, commercial litigation, banking, general business and coal law.

Mr. Aaron has experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  He also has advised clients in a variety of other intellectual property legal matters, including trademark and copyright concerns.  In May 2008, at the Defense Trial Counsel Annual Meeting, Young Lawyers Division, Mr. Aaron presented on the topic of advising business clients in intellectual property matters.  In addition, Mr. Aaron has published, as co-author, articles relating to trade secret law and non-compete agreements in the state of West Virginia.  Mr. Aaron also authors the Tech Tips column for the Defense Trial Counsel's quarterly newsletter, which addresses topics including web-based social networking, transitioning to paperless legal practices and changes in federal rules regarding the discovery of electronically stored information.

Mr. Aaron currently is a member of the Intellectual Property Committee of the West Virginia State Bar, the Technology Committee of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Research Advisory Council of a local university.  In addition, Mr. Aaron is a member of the Wheeling Jesuit University (WJU) Charleston Area Alumni Chapter and has served as a mentor to business-major students of Wheeling Jesuit University.  Mr. Aaron also was a recipient of the 2009 James O'Brien, S.J., Award, which is awarded to select alumni of Wheeling Jesuit University who "manifest a growing competence in their chosen field, and whose personal life reflects WJU's mission of 'educating men and women for life, leadership, and service to others'".  He also participated in the 2007-2008 Leadership Kanawha Valley program.  Mr. Aaron is an active member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in South Charleston.

Mr. Aaron graduated from Wheeling Jesuit University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in business management as a Laut Honors scholar and with Sigma Beta Delta honors recognition.  He then graduated from West Virginia University College of Law with a Juris Doctorate in 2005.  He also graduated from West Virginia State University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and received distinction honors.

He was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, and currently resides in the Cross Lanes area with his wife, Beth, son Luke and daughter Albree.

• West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Technology Committee, October 2007-Present
• Intellectual Property Owners Association, January 2006-Present
• West Virginia State Bar Association, Intellectual Property Committee, September 2005-Present

• Research Advisory Council Member, West Virginia State University, April 2008-Present
• Wheeling Jesuit University, Charleston Area Alumni Association Chapter, Steering Committee, August 2006-Present
• Wheeling Jesuit University, Alumni Mentor for students of the undergraduate business program, August 2005-Present
• Leadership Kanawha Valley, Participant, October 2007-May 2008
  

• How to Advise Business Clients in Matters Relating to Intellectual Property," Defense Trial Counsel West Virginia, Young Lawyers Division, Annual Meeting, May 2008

• "Tech Tips Corner," section of quarterly newsletter of Defense Trial Counsel West Virginia, September 2007–Present
• "Non-Compete Agreements under West Virginia Law," Trade Secrets and Agreements Not to Compete, A State-By-State Compendium, Defense Research Institute, 2008
• "Trade Secrets under West Virginia Law," Trade Secrets and Agreements Not to Compete, A State-By-State Compendium, Defense Research Institute, 2008
• "FDA Issues Policy Statement Reaffirming The Preemptive Effect Of Its Drug Labeling Regulations," 2006 Annual Meeting Notebook of Articles, Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia

• Wheeling Jesuit University, Recipient of the James O'Brien, S.J., Award for 2009