Ryan Bergsieker is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Denver office.  A former federal cybercrimes prosecutor who has tried more than 45 cases to verdict, Ryan’s practice is focused in three areas: government investigations, complex civil litigation, and cybersecurity/data privacy counseling.

In ranking Ryan as one of the top white collar defense and government investigations lawyers in Colorado, Chambers & Partners  (ranked 2017-2023) highlights client reports that Ryan “demonstrates good judgment and produces an excellent work product,” is “prompt, responsive and dependable,” “draws on strong expertise in government investigations and cybersecurity,” and is “very strong on tech and hacking.” Based on client feedback, BTI  has named Ryan to its nationwide 2020 Client Service All-Stars List, recognizing “attorneys who stand above all the others in delivering the absolute best in client service.”  He also has been recognized by Best Lawyers® in America (2021-2024) in Criminal Defense: White Collar, and named a “Complete Lawyer” who “excel[s] in the courtroom, in the boardroom, in client meetings and out in the community.”

Ryan has particular experience with Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and State Attorney General investigations, and substantive expertise regarding federal, state, and international consumer protection, privacy and cybersecurity laws, regulations, and standards.

Ryan has served on the Board of Directors of the Faculty of Federal Advocates and the Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel for the District of Colorado. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University with an A.B. from the School of Public and International Affairs.  He received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served on the Board of the Yale Law Journal and as a civil procedure teaching assistant.  After graduating from law school, Ryan clerked for the Honorable David M. Ebel on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Before joining Gibson Dunn, Ryan served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Colorado.  He coordinated the District’s computer hacking prosecutions, served as its subject matter expert on electronic surveillance law, and investigated and prosecuted a wide range of crimes, including computer intrusions, denial of service attacks, theft of proprietary business information, identity theft, pharmaceutical misbranding, wire fraud, mail fraud, and murder.  In addition to trying cases before nearly every judge in the District, he led dozens of criminal investigations and argued multiple appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.  As a result of Ryan’s work, the United States Attorney awarded him the District’s Distinguished Service Award and the U.S. Attorney’s Award of Excellence.

Representative Government Investigations Matters

• Representing publicly traded social media company in FTC investigation related to disclosures regarding the company’s use of consumers’ personal information.
• Representing publicly traded e-commerce company in FTC investigation following then-largest-ever data breach.
• Representing publicly traded fintech company in CFPB inquiry regarding payment practices.
• Representing multiple publicly traded healthcare providers and payors in Department of Health and Human Services investigations of potential HIPAA violations.
• Representing publicly traded social media company in Department of Justice investigation regarding alleged algorithmic bias in the delivery of housing ads.
• Conducting internal investigation for publicly traded retail company regarding electronic exfiltration of sensitive company information in corporate espionage scheme.
• Conducting internal investigation for publicly traded hospitality industry company regarding the unauthorized use of company computer resources for cryptocurrency mining.
• Representing multiple tech industry companies in selecting and interfacing with independent assessors/reviewers/monitors appointed under FTC and DOJ consent orders.
• Representing publicly traded e-commerce company in parallel investigations by state attorneys general regarding revisions to user agreement.
• Representing privately held software company in FTC COPPA investigation.
• Representing publicly traded healthcare provider in multi-state parallel criminal and civil False Claims Act investigations by DOJ.
• Representing publicly traded automobile manufacturer in investigation by coalition of state attorneys general regarding advertising claims.

 Representative Civil Litigation Matters

• Representing large government contractor in False Claims Act qui tam litigation.
• Representing financial institution in theft of trade secrets litigation.
• Representing publicly traded recreational industry company in litigation over control of significant resort property.