Ryan S. Appleby

Ryan Appleby is a litigation partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. 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 (2023-2024).

Ryan’s representative matters include:

• 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 leading health benefits business in numerous disputes and trials across the country relating to out-of-network reimbursements.
• Trial counsel for national insurance company in highly publicized month-long trial relating to confirmation of a bankruptcy plan filed by the insured.
• Representing leading insurer as trial counsel and national coordinating counsel for all sex abuse exposures, including several cases involving dozens of insurance policies spanning several decades.
• Representing university in litigation resulting from dozens of lawsuits filed in state and federal court alleging sexual abuse by university doctor.
• Trial counsel for leading semiconductor manufacturer in breach of contract dispute with former CEO.
• Represented 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 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.

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.

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).

Ryan is a member of the State Bar of California and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Capabilities

• Litigation
• FDA and Health Care
• Insurance and Reinsurance
• International Arbitration
• Trials

Credentials

Education:

• University of Southern California - 2013 Juris Doctor
• Pepperdine University - 2010 Bachelor of Arts

Admissions:

• California Bar