Ryan H. Weinstein
Represents clients in high-stakes commercial litigation, white collar criminal defense and government enforcement matters. Former federal prosecutor.
Ryan represents Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms, healthcare organizations and technology companies in high-stakes commercial litigation, white-collar criminal defense and government enforcement actions. He frequently guides clients through their most complex civil, criminal and regulatory challenges, including healthcare fraud, data privacy class actions, securities fraud, defense contractor fraud and intellectual property disputes.
During his seven-year tenure as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division for the Central District of California, Ryan led complex federal criminal investigations and prosecutions, achieving a 100% conviction rate across jury trials involving bank fraud, wire fraud, tax fraud, money laundering and regulatory offenses. In private practice, he leads trial-ready case teams in state and federal courts nationwide, consistently securing complete dismissals, favorable settlements and trial victories.
Experience
Ryan’s representations prior to joining Davis Polk include:
- Private equity-backed companies in multimillion-dollar employment matters and commercial disputes
- The holding company of China’s leading social media platform in litigation arising from a $2.6 billion going-private transaction
- A biotechnology company in securing a complete dismissal that protected the client’s licensure across the United States
- A large U.S. health care provider in obtaining settlement in an action against an insurer seeking to recover $200 million in reimbursement
- U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee in obtaining the dismissal of an action alleging sexual abuse by a USA Weightlifting team member
- A private equity firm in obtaining dismissal of a shareholders’ action challenging the firm’s financing of an energy startup
- MGA Entertainment in its highly publicized “battle of the dolls” trial against Mattel over the rights to the Bratz doll franchise
- Former CEO of Brocade Communications in his successful defense of charges of securities fraud for improperly backdating stock options
Education
- Articles Editor, Stanford Law Review
- magna cum laude
Prior experience
- Counsel, Ropes & Gray, 2023-2026
- Counsel, Covington & Burling, 2019-2023
- Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division, Central District of California, 2012-2019
- Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, 2005-2012
- Strategy Consultant, Accenture, 1998-2002
Qualifications and admissions
- State of California
- U.S. District Court, C.D. California
- U.S. District Court, N.D. California
- U.S. District Court, S.D. California