Congratulations to Erik Braaten, our newest Paralegal

Erik has recently become our newest Paralegal and has been a member of the Firm since March 2021 working primarily as a Legal Assistant. He was born and raised in San Diego, South Bay (Chula Vista), attended San Diego State University where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 2020 and received his Paralegal Studies Certification in 2022 from the University of California, San Diego. Please check out his bio link in the Paralegal section of our website for more information. Congratulations, Erik!

Congratulations to Kent Thaeler on his recent retirement

On February 14, 2025, Kent Thaeler retired after a long and distinguished career practicing law in San Diego and throughout the state of California. We wish him the very best as he begins the next chapter of his life with new opportunities to pursue his passions and spend time with family.

Kent is already greatly missed and we wish him a most fulfililng and rewarding retirement.

Congratulations to our newest Associate Attorneys, Jessie M. Keppler, Esq. and James Thomas, Esq.

We are thrilled to have Ms. Keppler and Mr. Thomas join our Firm as our newest Associate Attorneys. They were both admitted to the California State Bar in November 2024 and we look forward to their continued successes as they embark on their legal careers with the Firm.

Ms. Keppler was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science with Minors in Business Economics and Law & Society from Purdue University in 2021, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2024.

During law school, Ms. Keppler gained valuable trial experience while interning for California Superior Court Judge, Hon. Kirk Athanasiou, and while externing for the City of San Diego by assisting in the prosecution of misdemeanor charges. Ms. Keppler also provided pro bono legal assistance to clients with civil litigation issues ranging from consumer debt collection disputes to fraud and breach of contract at the University of San Diego Civil Clinic. Ms. Keppler served on the board of the Business Law Society and graduated with Highest Distinction for completing over 250 hours of pro bono legal work during law school.

Mr. Thomas is an Associate Attorney with Ryan Carvalho & Retz LLP. He attained his Bachelor of Arts Degree at San Diego State University and graduated magna cum laude from California Western School of Law in 2024.

At California Western, Mr. Thomas was a board member for the Law Review and acted as the Executive Director of Notes and Comments. He has been published in both the California Western Law Review and the Texas Intellectual Property Law Journal. In 2024, he was inducted into the National Order of Scribes by The American Society of Legal Writers. Mr. Thomas also completed over 750 hours of pro bono and public service hours earning him a place in the Pro Bono Honors Society, Public Service Honors Society, and a Wiley W. Manuel Certificate. He acted as a clerk for the Community Law Project, a Student Fellow for New Media Rights, a Teaching Fellow for Torts II, and an Honors Instructor for Legal Skills. During his final year of law school, Mr. Thomas was awarded both the Faculty Award and the Service Award for Promotion of Academic Success in Others.

RCR is celebrating its 20th year!

Ryan Carvalho & Retz was established in 2004 and we are proud to be celebrating our 20th year!

Our Firm provides legal services to clients throughout Southern and Northern California and specializes in Business Law, Catastrophic Loss, Civil Litigation, Construction, Real Estate, Premises Liability, Premises Liability, Product Defect, Transportation and Wrongful Death claims. 

Our mission is to provide superior legal work and personalized client attention while also making our representation as economically efficient as possible for our clients.  We value input from our clients to better understand their legal needs and strive to achieve results that meet or exceed their expectations. We pride ourselves on providing the highest-quality professional and personal service through our lawyers and team members and strive to build a firm that attracts, develops and retains exceptional people.

Norman A. Ryan, Esq. and Ryan Carvalho & Retz LLP have both been named as a Tier 2 firm in San Diego by U.S. News in the Insurance Metropolitan Market for Best Lawyers® and Best Lawyers®“Best Law Firms” in 2024.  Attorneys and Law Firms included in the 2024 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.