About Ryan F.
Ryan F. Stephan trained as a political scientist before turning to law. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1991 and continued his legal studies at Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology, receiving his J.D. in 1997. Those years shaped his approach to litigation and public affairs.
After law school, Stephan built experience in Illinois courts and bar organizations. He has been a member of the Illinois State Bar Association since 2000 and joined the American Bar Association in 2007. His memberships reflect steady involvement in the profession over two decades.
In 2007 he took a step that defined the next phase of his career: he became a founding partner of Stephan Zouras, LLP. The firm emerged as his principal vehicle for practice. As a founding partner, Stephan has handled significant trial and appellate work. He has focused on litigation matters across Illinois courts and on coordinating cases that involve multiple jurisdictions within the state.
Stephan has also participated in community tutoring programs. He worked with Chicago Cares as a tutor from 2008 to 2009 and with Chicago Lights from 2009 to 2010. Those engagements complemented his courtroom work and brought him into classrooms and community centers.
Colleagues describe him as methodical in preparation and direct in the courtroom. He balances casework with bar activity and occasional firm management duties. His long tenure in Illinois practice and his role in founding a firm give him experience in both client representation and the organizational side of law practice.
As of 2026, Stephan maintains his Illinois bar associations and remains active at the firm he helped create. He continues to handle litigation matters and related case management in Illinois courts, where his current practice is concentrated.
