The Lawyer's Edge · 2026-06-16 · 42 min
Ryan Lockman is the managing partner of Horn Williamson & Collins, a mid-sized construction and commercial litigation law firm in Philadelphia and Delaware. A trial lawyer representing homeowners in residential construction defect and consumer protection disputes throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Ryan has secured more than $20 million in verdicts and arbitration awards, including a $3.2 million jury verdict for homeowners in a construction defect trial. He earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, which informs his approach to law firm management, operational efficiency, and long-term strategic growth. Most recently, Ryan developed Construction Defect University, an AI-assisted internal training platform built using Claude Code to provide more structured onboarding and practice-specific training for attorneys and paralegals. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT ATTORNEY TRAINING Law firms have long relied on observation-based training, with younger lawyers learning by sitting in meetings, listening to experienced attorneys talk through cases, and gradually figuring out how the work gets done.
Travis Armstrong | What Happens When Lawyers Actually Listen to Their COO61 / 100
Steve Barham | Leading with Integrity as the Legal Profession Changes
Ivy Slater | Why Succession Planning Is a Growth Strategy, Not a Retirement Issue
Michael Caplan | How a Client-Facing COO is Changing the Business of Law
Jim Pattillo | Scaling a Litigation Practice Without Losing What Makes It Work