Ryan is a civil litigator with significant experience representing clients in trial and appellate courts across the country. He has represented large corporations, smaller and start-up corporations, and individuals—all with the goal of providing reliable, creative, and responsive representation. After graduating at the top of his class at Tulane Law School, Ryan clerked for Justice Harriet O’Neill of the Texas Supreme Court. Ryan later clerked for Judge Michael W. Mosman, a federal district court judge in Oregon.
As a practicing lawyer, Ryan has represented clients involved in a variety of complex disputes, including intellectual-property, employment, securities, legal-malpractice, products liability, real-estate, transportation, defamation, election-related, and franchise matters. Ryan also specializes in cases involving fire loss; he is a rare lawyer who is also a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator. He also has substantial experience negotiating licensing transactions. Ryan also has substantial pro bono experience, including the representation of foreign journalists in asylum proceedings.
Representative Matters
- Representation of Fortune 100 tech company in products liability cases pending all across the country
- Representation of software companies in enforcement of their license terms, including through copyright-infringement claims
- Represented clients in various matters involving defamation, tortious interference, and contract claims
- Representation of clients in cases across the country involving fire loss, including those presenting complex issues relating to origin and cause
- Representation of clients in cases involving lithium-ion battery technology
- Representation of clients in cases involving election-related challenges
- Represented semi-conductor company in case involving patent-disclosure rules before standards bodies
- Represented clients in trademark and trade dress disputes
- Represented clients in various securities and corporate-governance matters, including derivative claims and those involving allegations of securities fraud
- Represented entertainment company in defense of various franchise claims
- Represented international semiconductor manufacturer in lawsuit presenting novel issues of fiduciary and corporate governance law
- Represented international natural foods grocery store chain in copyright infringement lawsuit brought by the designer of the chain’s private-label logo
- Represented well known comic book author in defamation and tortious-interference suit
- Represented law firm and lawyers in legal-malpractice litigation
- Represented property owners in disputes involving easements and restrictive covenants
- Represented employers in enforcement of non-compete and trade-secret rights
Professional Background
- Law Clerk to the Honorable Harriet O’Neill, Supreme Court of Texas, 2001-2002
- Appellate Associate, Vinson & Elkins LLP, 2002-2003
- Law Clerk to the Honorable Michael W. Mosman, U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, 2003-2004
- Litigation Associate, Wilmer Hale LLP, 2004-2006
Admissions
- Texas
- Virginia
- U.S. Courts of Appeals (5th & 9th)
- All federal district courts in Texas
- Eastern District of Virginia
