Luke is a fifth generation native of Northampton, Massachusetts. He received a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a juris doctor degree, magna cum laude, from Western New England College School of Law. While at Western New England, Luke served as editor-in-chief of the Law Review. After law school, he clerked for United States District Judge Michael Ponsor. Luke concentrates his practice in criminal defense at the trial and appellate level and in civil rights litigation. His work has been featured in two documentaries – “How to Fix a Drug Scandal” and “The System” – as well as numerous publications including Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, Reason, and Slate. Along with his sister Molly Ryan Strehorn, he has published articles on the rights of criminal defendants to access internal affairs files in self-defense cases, challenging search warrants in drug cases, and ending the drug war. Luke is active in many community organizations including Arise for Social Justice, Out Now and Springfield No One Leaves. Since 2016, Luke has been recognized as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in the area of criminal defense. He currently serves on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Advisory Committee for the Rules of Criminal Procedure, as well as the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Luke has been named a Lawyer of the Year by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. He is also the recipient of an Access to Justice Award from the Massachusetts Bar Association and received the Edward J. Dugan Award for Zealous Advocacy and Outstanding Legal Services to the Poor from the Committee for Public Counsel Services. Luke is a regular speaker at continuing legal education events and community organizer trainings and a frequent guest on podcasts and radio programs. He can be found on Twitter @LukeRyanLawMA.
Learn More
