Ryan Appleby is a litigation partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn. Ryan focuses his practice on complex civil litigation and trial advocacy. He has helped clients navigate disputes in state and federal court, arbitration, and mediation in a variety of industries, including health care, insurance, higher education, and technology. Ryan has successfully tried some of his client’s most significant, high stakes matters including cases involving over a billion dollars of potential damages. Ryan also understands cases are fought and won inside and outside the courtroom and has extensive experience assisting in public relations, defending client secrets and confidentiality, and working with clients to protect reputational interests. Ryan has been recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Insurance Law.
Health Care Litigation: Ryan has extensive experience representing health plans, managed care organizations, and health insurers in a variety of lawsuits, arbitrations, and government inquiries. His recent experience includes:
- Representing a defendant in In re MultiPlan Health Insurance Provider Litigation (N.D. Ill. 2025), a “sweeping” multidistrict litigation alleging antitrust claims against managed care organizations.
- Defending a pharmacy benefit manager in first-of-its-kind FTC investigation and enforcement action alleging unfair rebating practices with respect to insulin drugs.
- Successfully defended a managed care organization in out-of-network reimbursement dispute filed in Pennsylvania. After the Court granted summary judgment on all but one claim—completely gutting the Plaintiffs’ case and eliminating any possibility of punitive damages or a jury trial—Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed the single remaining count.
- Representing a managed care organization in multiple disputes and trials in Florida relating to out-of-network reimbursements.
Insurance Litigation: Ryan has litigated game-changing cases for the country’s leading insurers. His recent experience includes:
- Defended a national insurance company in highly publicized month-long trial relating to confirmation of a bankruptcy plan filed by the insured.
- Representing a major insurer in six coverage litigation cases involving claims by a school district related to alleged sexual abuse of students by teachers.
- Serving as national coordinating counsel for insurer client in connection with all sexual abuse exposures, including cases filed in several jurisdictions and forums.
- Successfully resolved a case brought by a major event organizer and media company against commercial lines insurer for alleged “business interruption” losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Complex Commercial Litigation: In addition to Ryan’s extensive health care and insurance litigation experience, Ryan has a robust complex commercial litigation and trial practice. His recent experience includes:
- Trial counsel for a large U.S. manufacturer in an international arbitration where the claimant alleged fraud and breach of contract and sought over one billion dollars in damages. After a three-week arbitration, the three-member tribunal ruled entirely in favor of the client, awarding it attorneys’ fees and costs from claimant.
- Representing a university in litigation resulting from dozens of lawsuits filed in state and federal court alleging sexual abuse by university doctor.
- Trial counsel for a leading semiconductor manufacturer in breach of contract dispute with former CEO.
- Represented a multinational automotive manufacturer in putative class action involving alien tort and RICO claims and successfully secured a complete dismissal following oral argument and published decision. (You v. Japan (N.D. Cal. 2015) 150 F.Supp.3d 1140.)
- Represented a leading technology company in data privacy class action alleging violations of Wiretap Act, California Invasion of Privacy Act, and other statutes, and successfully secured rejection of all class claims for statutory damages.
- Successfully quashed multiple deposition subpoenas to executives of multinational technology firm and protected them against unnecessary third-party depositions.
Pro Bono and Board Affiliations
Ryan is actively involved in his community. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Western Center on Law and Poverty. And he maintains an active pro bono practice, including a variety of adoption, immigration, and criminal justice cases.
Education
Ryan received his law degree from the University of Southern California, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif, served as the executive notes editor on the Southern California Law Review, and was a member of the Post-Conviction Justice Project. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Pepperdine University. His publications include, “Proposition 9, Marsy’s Law: An Ill-Suited Ballot Initiative and the (Predictably) Unsatisfactory Results,” 86 S. Cal. L. Rev. 321 (2013).
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- University of Southern California - 2013 Juris Doctor
- Pepperdine University - 2010 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- California Bar
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