Ryan J. Watson

Ryan Watson has approximately 20 years of experience focusing on appellate litigation and high-stakes cases challenging regulatory actions. Ryan has successfully argued in the Supreme Court of the United States, as well as federal appellate and district courts. His cases often involve constitutional law, statutory interpretation, and administrative law.

Ryan, a former Supreme Court law clerk, has successfully presented oral argument and briefed cases at all levels of the federal courts, including the Supreme Court.

Ryan frequently works on litigation involving regulatory agencies, and he also develops creative legal strategies and submissions to agencies. Ryan secured a Supreme Court ruling recognizing that regulatory action can have devastating downstream effects for parties that are not the most direct target of the agency's action. Additionally, Ryan successfully handled numerous oral arguments in a challenge to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) rule that would require large graphic warnings on cigarette packages. He also helped to obtain rulings that stayed an FDA marketing denial order and that invalidated FDA's pre-approval requirements for many label changes.

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

Ryan has been featured as a key lawyer in Legal 500's ranking of firm appellate practices, and his appellate work was also highlighted in Law360's recognition of Jones Day as Appellate Group of the Year. He speaks about the Supreme Court, serves on the Messiah University Law Professionals Council, and served as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University Law School.