Ryan Heatherman is a Shareholder in GableGotwals’ Tulsa office. His practice focuses on business matters, estate planning, and a broad range of litigation, including business and corporate disputes, probate and estate disputes, insurance matters, and criminal defense.
Ryan helps businesses thrive at every stage – from launch to growth and beyond. He assists clients in negotiating deals, guiding them through government or internal investigations, and successfully resolving disputes. An experienced litigator, Ryan is no stranger to the courtroom, having tried dozens of cases to verdict in federal, state, and military courts. In addition, Ryan has extensive experience helping clients navigate the complexities of probates and estate planning.
Ryan began his career as an Officer in the United States Marine Corps, where he prosecuted courts-martial as a Trial Counsel, including numerous jury trials to verdict. Ryan later deployed to Afghanistan, embedded with an infantry battalion (2/7 Marines) involved in constant combat throughout 2008, where he resolved law of war and rules of engagement issues, in real time, and led all enemy combat detainee operations across a 27,800 square foot area in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Throughout this time, Ryan also prepared hundreds of estate plans for Marines, Sailors, and their families.
Following his military service, Ryan served as General Counsel of a Tulsa-based oil and gas company before founding a successful litigation law firm. He later returned to public service as an Assistant United States Attorney, where he held several leadership roles, including White-Collar Crime Coordinator for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Coordinator for all federal districts in Oklahoma. He was promoted to Violent Crimes Team Leader and Lead Homicide Prosecutor for the Northern District of Oklahoma, serving as first chair in numerous jury trials, including multiple complex first-degree murder cases. He has also authored and argued successful appellate briefs in both state and federal courts.