RIT graduate Ryan Lamon builds a career prosecuting major felony cases while mentoring the next generation of future lawyers

Rochester, New York – The courtroom can be an unforgiving place—fast decisions, high pressure, and outcomes that carry serious consequences. Yet for Ryan Lamon, it has also become a place of purpose. Nearly a decade after graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Lamon has built a career arguing cases before judges and juries. At the same time, he has returned to the place where his journey began, stepping back into the classroom to help guide the next generation of students who hope to follow similar paths.

Lamon, who earned his degree in criminal justice from RIT in 2017, now balances two demanding roles. During the day, he works as a prosecutor handling serious criminal cases. Beyond the courthouse, he spends time mentoring and teaching students who are beginning to explore the legal world themselves.

His decision to return to campus as an educator reflects a deep sense of gratitude toward the people who helped shape his career. The lessons he learned as a student, he says, still echo in the way he approaches both law and life.

“If you asked me who the most influential people were in my life, most of them would be teachers,” said Lamon, who embraced a new role as an adjunct professor in RIT’s College of Liberal Arts this academic year. “I owe a lot of my success to the different teachers, professors, and bosses who supported me along the way.”

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That support helped guide Lamon from a small city in upstate New York to a professional career in law. After finishing his undergraduate studies at RIT, the Watertown native continued his education at Pennsylvania State University, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree.

His path eventually led him to public service. In 2022, Lamon joined the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Today, he serves as a special assistant district attorney in the office’s Major Felony Bureau. The position carries significant responsibility. His work centers on prosecuting violent felony cases on behalf of the residents of Monroe County, where he now lives.

The role places Lamon in the middle of some of the most serious legal proceedings in the region. Prosecutors in the Major Felony Bureau handle complex cases that demand careful preparation, sharp legal reasoning, and the ability to perform under intense scrutiny. For Lamon, the courtroom has become both a professional arena and a place where his earlier academic experiences continue to guide him.

Interestingly, becoming a lawyer was not always part of his original plan.

As a student, Lamon initially imagined himself wearing a badge rather than arguing cases before a judge. He envisioned a career in law enforcement, pursuing the type of work that involved investigations and field operations. But an opportunity during his time at RIT changed everything.

While completing an internship with the U.S. Marshals Service, Lamon had the chance to observe legal proceedings up close. The experience exposed him to the rhythm and strategy of courtroom litigation—something that quickly captured his attention.

“The biggest thing I loved about the internship was being in the courtroom. But I didn’t know a lot about being a lawyer other than what I saw on TV,” he said. “Now that I’m here, I can’t really see myself doing anything else.”

That realization eventually reshaped his career ambitions. Instead of pursuing police work, Lamon focused on the legal field, channeling his interest in justice into prosecuting criminal cases.

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Years later, the courtroom remains a defining part of his life. Yet a new opportunity allowed him to return to campus in a different role.

In 2024, Lamon was invited to serve as an adviser for RIT’s Mock Trial Association. The student organization gives participants hands-on experience in courtroom procedure, allowing them to practice building cases, presenting arguments, and questioning witnesses.

What began as a volunteer mentorship role quickly became something more meaningful. Lamon found himself enjoying the time spent guiding students who were eager to learn the intricacies of legal advocacy.

When the chance arose to teach a mock trial course, he did not hesitate.

“The people you mentor, especially in the Rochester legal community, will eventually become the people working alongside you. By giving back to your community, you’re improving where you live,” he said. “If I can play a very small part in supporting the next generation, I’m happy to help.”

For Lamon, teaching is not simply about passing along legal knowledge. It is also about sharing the practical lessons that only come from real courtroom experience. His students gain insight into the pressures of trial preparation, the strategy behind presenting evidence, and the human side of legal work.

At the same time, Lamon says the experience has changed him as well.

In his classroom, learning flows in both directions. Students often bring fresh perspectives, new ways of thinking about legal arguments, and creative approaches to solving problems. Those ideas sometimes influence how Lamon approaches his own work as a prosecutor.

“Seeing the way some of these students think is fun. The way they approach things is often different from what I was always taught. That doesn’t mean my way is right or theirs is wrong; it’s just different,” he said. “It’s impacted how I approach cases I work on, and it’s helped me grow.”

That exchange of ideas—between a practicing attorney and aspiring legal professionals—has created a unique bridge between the courtroom and the classroom.

For Lamon, both spaces serve the same goal: the pursuit of knowledge, justice, and growth. And as he continues to navigate a demanding legal career, he remains committed to ensuring that the support he once received as a student continues to reach those who follow behind him.