General Archives - Ryan P. Smith Law, PLC

He Has a Degree in What?

Posted on December 10, 2025

The Bachelor of Science degree that I earned from the University of Maryland is in ... architecture. No, not English, philosophy or any of a number of fields that feature analysis and writing, but architecture. My family sometimes chuckles at this,...

Lessons from the Marine Corps Marathon

Posted on November 26, 2025

The last time that I participated in "Show and Tell" had to have been in Ms. Duhamel's class at Patton Elementary a long time ago. A very long time. Yet there I was at a recent ProVisors meeting, asked to bring an item that meant something to me...

With Apologies to Jerry West

Posted on November 13, 2025

I am not ashamed to admit that I am a logo geek. My F3 workout buddies can attest to my collection of pom hats bearing hockey logos from the 1970s, and in fact, if given the chance I would compel a certain hockey team to return to

Bigger Than Me

Posted on April 25, 2024

Time is a valuable – and quickly fleeting – commodity. In my head, my wife and I just brought our youngest home from the hospital, but the reality is that we will be staring at an empty nest very soon. (A friend once told me that the days are long, but the...

Wealth Compliance Leaders

Posted on August 2, 2023

Our F3 workouts typically begin at 0530, which leads the smart aleck in me to quip that it is probably better for everyone involved that they can't see me very well. I guess the joke is on me. It was my pleasure to spend some time on camera with Parham Nasseri,...

Yet Another Assortment of . . .

Posted on May 23, 2023

Brain Droppings! George Carlin’s Brain Droppings is an inspiration for my micro-blog on LinkedIn. Below are some of my most recent posts. The Financial Professionals Coalition, Ltd. For those of you in the registered investment adviser or broker-dealer space,...

More Thoughts, Ideas and uh, Brain Droppings

Posted on April 28, 2023

As noted time and time again, George Carlin’s Brain Droppings is as an inspiration for my micro-blog on LinkedIn. There I frequently comment on events affecting the broker-dealer and registered investment adviser communities. And there have...

Another Batch of Brain Droppings

Posted on March 24, 2023

George Carlin’s philosophy tome, Brain Droppings, is as an inspiration for my micro-blog on LinkedIn. Below are some of my most recent posts. Firms Face Choppy Water Navigating SEC Compliance Dates “Regulation does not exist in a vacuum.” I appreciate Investment Adviser Association President Barr saying very publicly (and to...

My January Brain Droppings

Posted on March 20, 2023

George Carlin was one of our best modern-day philosophers, and his book Brain Droppings served as an inspiration for my micro-blog on LinkedIn. Below are some of my posts for January. FINRA Amends FINRA Rule 2231 I have not heard anyone exclaim "Oh good, my securities account statement is here!"...

Yet Even More Brain Droppings – Broker-Dealer Edition

Posted on February 19, 2023

Comedians are some of our best modern-day philosophers, and as I noted earlier, George Carlin was one of the best. He captured his musings, beliefs, etc. in many books. One of which is Brain Droppings, which...