Alumni Profile: Crystal & Ryan Blitz '17

Law School Partners, Law Firm Partners, Life Partners
Crystal and Ryan met at Touro Law, providing a foundation for success in law and life

Crystal and Ryan both dreamed of becoming attorneys since childhood, leading them to enroll at Touro Law to pursue their ambitions. Little did they know that while chasing their legal careers, they would also find their future spouse along the way.

Crystal chose Touro Law because of the school’s reputation in providing opportunities for practical experience and wanted to be close to home. Ryan had worked for NYS Assemblyman, and current judge, Edward Hennessey, who is a Touro Law graduate. Hennessey introduced Ryan to Touro Law and he was sold on the proximity to the courthouses and networking opportunities that would be available.

Crystal says, “Ryan and I met at Touro Law. We were in the same section and friends before we started dating -there was always a connection between us from the moment we met. I was part of the Student Bar Association and in our 3L year, I invited Ryan to an event and he attended. Afterwards, he asked me out on our first date, and we have been together since!”

Juggling law school responsibilities, including classwork and extra-curricular activities such as Law Review, SBA and more, was not always easy but Crystal and Ryan always prioritized and made it work, which translated to prioritizing each other during their careers and hectic life.

Crystal reflects, “Ryan and I studied a lot together and since we lived relatively close to each other, we commuted every weekend to see each other. We always put each other first and we understood we had obligations, however our obligations never stopped us from communicating and making enough time to spend together.”

Crystal and Ryan graduated in 2017 and married in 2020. After practicing in New York for several years, they decided to take the Florida bar exam enabling them to practice in both NY and Florida and move to Florida to raise their family.

They have full lives, with a toddler and a baby on the way. Recently, Crystal was named partner at Golberg Segalla, LLP and Ryan was named partner at Shendell & Pollock, PL. Their commitment to each other in law school was critical to their success, personally and professionally, and is still the cornerstone of their relationship.

Ryan comments, “Our goal is always to be present and devote our attention to the present moment.  It is a challenge, and we're never perfect - especially with more responsibilities at work, and with another baby on the way - but we get through it together and are always making progress.” 

They are busy, dedicated and have to prioritize getting it all done. But they wouldn’t have it any other way and are both glad to have a partner who is in the same field and understands the pressures and intricacies of working as an attorney while being each other’s best friend and biggest supporter.

Ryan stated, “We understand the challenges each other goes through at work and are able talk the other through work or personal struggles and appreciate the accomplishments of the other.”

Looking back, they are both grateful for the paths they took and the coincidence that brought them to law school at the same time, starting in the same section. They know not everyone gets lucky in love while pursuing a law degree, but they are thankful it worked that way for them. They would remind current law students to prioritize self-care and trust in the power of possibilities.

Crystal says, “Don’t forget to take care of your well-being and do the things you love to do. The hard work and long hours you spend studying are ultimately, worth becoming a lawyer. Stay focused on your dreams and doing what makes you happy.”

Ryan adds, “Take advantage of as many opportunities as possible while in law school.  It is a short period of your life where you have limitless resources available to prepare yourself for your legal future. Also, be social and ask questions because you never know what connections or relationships you'll make by simply shaking someone's hand.”