Ryan J. Watson

Partner

Washington + 1.202.879.3809

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Ryan Watson has more than 15 years of experience focusing on appellate litigation and high-stakes cases that challenge regulatory actions. Ryan has successfully argued in the Supreme Court of the United States and also has argued in the U.S. Courts of Appeals and in federal district courts. His cases often involve constitutional law, statutory interpretation, and administrative law.

Ryan, a former law clerk to Justice Samuel Alito, has successfully briefed cases in the Supreme Court of the United States and has co-written influential amicus briefs. He also has presented oral argument at all levels of the federal courts, including the Supreme Court.

Ryan frequently works on litigation involving federal regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), and he also develops creative legal strategies and comment submissions to regulatory agencies. Ryan has handled numerous oral arguments in a challenge to FDA's rule that would require large graphic warnings with disturbing images on cigarette packages. Additionally, he helped to obtain an appellate ruling that stayed an FDA marketing denial order and to persuade another court to invalidate FDA's pre-approval requirements for many changes to labels and brand names.

Ryan also served as principal brief-writer in a successful appeal involving novel technology issues and foreign sovereign immunity, helped Michael Jackson's estate prevail on appeal, and provided appellate representation to immigrants fleeing persecution.

Ryan speaks about the Supreme Court, moots advocates for Supreme Court cases, serves on the Messiah University Law Professionals Council, and previously served as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University Law School.

Experience

  • Vaping retailers and manufacturer prevail at U.S. Supreme Court in venue dispute against FDAOn behalf of retailers and R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, Jones Day secured a victory at the United States Supreme Court in a case involving the question whether retailers may challenge FDA marketing denial orders for tobacco products.
  • R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company and e-cigarette retailers successfully move to stay FDA's marketing denial order for menthol-flavored e-cigaretteAt the request of Jones Day clients including R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit stayed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's marketing denial order for the menthol-flavored Vuse Vibe e-cigarette.
  • R.J. Reynolds successfully obtains stay of FDA's graphic warnings ruleThe U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ruled--in favor of Jones Day clients that include R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company--that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's regulation requiring graphic cigarette warning labels likely exceeds the Agency's authority under the Tobacco Control Act.
  • Tobacco manufacturers challenge City of Edina's ban on flavored tobacco productsJones Day recently filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and other clients that challenges a City of Edina, Minnesota ordinance banning flavored tobacco products.
  • Tobacco manufacturers challenge LA County's ban on flavored tobacco productsJones Day recently filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and other affiliated clients challenging a County of Los Angeles ordinance that bans flavored tobacco products.
  • CEO testifies before Congressional subcommitteeJones Day prepared the CEO of a Fortune 500 company for testimony before a subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • Amici curiae assist in Supreme Court rejection of FLSA exemptions interpretationJones Day represented the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The National Federation of Independent Business, and Retail Litigation Center as amici curiae in connection with a brief in support of the employer’s position in Encino Motor Cars LLC v. Navarro, No. 16-1362 (U.S.).
  • Woman who fled Central America obtains stay of removalJones Day, working in conjunction with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, obtained a temporary stay of removal from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit for a Central American client in a life-or-death appeal.
  • Reynolds American acquired by British American Tobacco Plc in deal valued at $49 billionJones Day advised Reynolds American Inc. ("RAI") regarding the acquisition by British American Tobacco, p.l.c. ("BAT") of 57.8 percent of the outstanding shares of RAI not owned by BAT and its affiliates in a transaction valued at $49 billion.
  • Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance’s amicus brief helps persuade Supreme Court that faith-based organizations must be allowed to compete on “equal footing” for public benefitsJones Day filed an amicus brief on behalf of a national association of faith-based organizations, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify that, at least in the absence of exceptional circumstances, religiously motivated institutions may not be excluded from otherwise neutral grant programs.
  • R.J. Reynolds obtains decision overturning FDA's attempt to impose preapproval requirements for many label changesOn behalf of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and related entities, Jones Day and its co-counsel persuaded the court to invalidate the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's effort to impose preapproval requirements for many changes to labels and brand names for tobacco products.
  • Petitioner prevails in Sixth Circuit habeas appealJones Day successfully represented the petitioner in a habeas corpus case in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
  • Court-appointed amicus curiae files briefs in D.C. Circuit habeas corpus case involving extraditionJones Day attorney Ryan J. Watson, acting as court-appointed amicus curiae in this D.C. Circuit appeal, filed briefs relating to the habeas corpus petition of an individual who was extradited from Mexico to the United States.
  • Religious groups urge Supreme Court to grant petition in major religious-freedom caseIn February 2016, Jones Day filed an amicus brief, on behalf of religious groups, urging the Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit decision that upholds a Washington State law requiring pharmacists to dispense "Plan B" prescription drugs even when doing so violates their religious beliefs.
  • Estate of Michael Jackson prevails on appeal in D.C. Circuit case relating to evidence that plaintiff claimed was “newly discovered”On behalf of the Estate of Michael Joseph Jackson and MJJ Productions, Inc., Jones Day successfully argued on appeal that plaintiff failed to exercise reasonable diligence in seeking out a letter that she claimed was “newly discovered evidence.”
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    June 2016 Commentary

    Supreme Court Rules that Chevron Deference Is Not Owed to Unexplained Agency Positions

    July 6, 2015 External Publications

    Separation of powers: A primer, coauthor, Washington Times

    Additional Publications

    • August 23, 2016
      The Supreme Court’s Summary Docket: Highlights, Trends, and Statistics, Appellate Practice (American Bar Association), Vol. 35, No. 4.

    Additional Speaking Engagements

    • November 22, 2022
      Interview: Ryan Watson, Appellate Lawyer Podcast: Working with Dan Doriani
    • December 13, 2019
      Lecture Topic: The Supreme Court of the United States
      Rockbridge Academy
    • October 4, 2019
      Symposium Panelist: Clerking at the Supreme Court — The GW Connection, Presented by The National Constitution Center & the GW Law Review
    • December 5, 2018
      Lecture Topic: The Supreme Court of the United States
      Rockbridge Academy
    • December 4, 2017
      Lecture Topic: The Supreme Court of the United States
      Rockbridge Academy
    • April 4, 2017
      Symposium Panelist: Trinity Lutheran Church v. Pauley, George Mason University -- Antonin Scalia Law School
    • March 22, 2017
      Christian Legal Society -- The George Washington University Law School Chapter
    • December 2, 2016
      Lecture Topic: The Supreme Court of the United States
      Rockbridge Academy
    • April 12, 2016
      Presentation Topic: The Life Cycle of a Supreme Court Case, the Role of Law Clerks, and the Cert Pool, University of Kentucky College of Law
    • November 20, 2015
      Lecture Topic: The Life Cycle of a Case Before the Supreme Court of the United States, Messiah University
    • October 29, 2013
      Lecture Topic: The Supreme Court of the United States
      Rockbridge Academy

    • Panel Discussion: Judicial Clerkships
      The George Washington University Law School

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