Former NLRB and In-House Employment Leader RyAnn Hooper Joins Littler in New York

NEW YORK (May 4, 2026) – Littler, the world’s largest labor and employment law practice representing management, has added RyAnn Hooper as of counsel in its New York City office. Hooper joins the firm from New York Life Insurance Company, where she served as Head of Employment Law, and brings two decades of experience advising on labor relations, employment law and workforce strategy across the public and private sectors—including 10 years at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). 

“With labor law increasingly woven into every aspect of management’s workforce decisions, organizations need strategic business partners who can take a proactive, holistic approach to labor relations planning, as well as employee engagement strategies that can not only help manage risk—but improve businesses’ bottom lines,” said Jonathan Levine, Brooke Niedecken and Brendan Fitzgerald, co-chairs of Littler’s Labor Management Relations Practice Group, in a joint statement. “RyAnn’s extensive in-house leadership experience, coupled with her deep firsthand knowledge of how the NLRB operates, make her a vital asset to our team.” 

At New York Life, Hooper led the Fortune 100 company’s global employment law function, overseeing employment litigation strategy and advising on a range of workplace risks, employment matters and corporate governance issues. Well-versed in new workplace technologies, she helped to design and implement artificial intelligence (AI) tools while ensuring legal defensibility, fairness and alignment with evolving regulatory frameworks. Her work included advising on complex employment counseling matters, executive-level decision making and the legal implications of emerging technology impacting the workforce.

During her time at the NLRB, Hooper served as Board Counsel and later as a Senior Trial Attorney, where she prosecuted complex labor disputes and acted as lead counsel on several precedent-setting cases. She later worked in private practice advising employers on a range of labor relations matters, including collective bargaining negotiations, union organizing campaigns, NLRB elections and labor litigation.

“As AI, evolving regulatory frameworks and economic volatility continue to reshape the modern workforce, I’m excited to join a firm that understands the need for integrated labor, employment and broader workforce strategies. I look forward to supporting clients across a wide range of labor, workforce management, and emerging technology issues,” said Hooper. “I am excited to join Littler and take this next step with its industry-leading team of attorneys.” 

Hooper received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and her B.A. from the University of Michigan. A frequent speaker on labor relations and emerging workplace issues, Hooper has presented at industry conferences hosted by the American Bar Association and the Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s Labor and Employment Law Institute. She is a fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers.

About Littler 

With more than 1,800 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our global team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow.