
Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals
- Second Circuit Court of Appeals
- Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Central District of California
- Northern District of California
- Southern District of California
Ryan Baker
Since founding the firm in 2006, Ryan Baker has established a reputation the media has described as “tenacious,” a “trailblazer” and a “leader.” His victories have been described as a “legal earthquake” and “landmark.” Ryan tries cases and argues appeals in state and federal courts across the country, including the U.S. and California Supreme Courts. He has also arbitrated cases before numerous arbitral organizations, including FINRA.
Ryan is at home in any courtroom where he represents both plaintiffs and defendants. His litigation practice areas include commercial and entertainment disputes, intellectual property (copyright, trademark, trade secret and patent), antitrust, securities, financial technology and white-collar crime.
Based on his experience and success, Ryan has recognized by the National Law Journal as a “Litigation Trailblazer,” a “Super Lawyer” by Los Angeles Magazine, a Benchmark “Star,” a “Top Lawyer” by Cablefax, and a “Leader in Law” by Los Angeles Business Journal. Most of these recognitions have been repeated.
Ryan regularly publishes in various academic and legal periodicals, including Intellectual Property and Business Law Today. He has appeared on CNN’s Burden of Proof and on NBC Channel 4 News in Los Angeles. Ryan has been repeatedly quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, National Law Journal, Hollywood Reporter and numerous other national business and legal publications.
Ryan is a member of the Anti-Defamation League’s (“ADL’s”) Los Angeles Regional executive committee and legal advisory board, through which he advises the ADL on important legal issues to further the fight against bias and hate. He is also a member of the California Central District pro bono panel. Through that panel, he represents indigent individuals in civil rights and other cases in federal court. Ryan is also a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and an ambassador for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.
Ryan received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 2000, where he was a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. In 1997, he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Brigham Young University graduating magna cum laude with University Honors.
Prior to Waymaker, Ryan practiced at Quinn Emanuel and Cooley.
Representative Engagements
- Argued and obtained reversal of trial court’s determination that client’s arbitration agreement was unconscionable. California Court of Appeal found that the trial court’s refusal to permit an evidentiary hearing prior to finding unconscionability was reversible error.
- In Ninth Circuit, argued and won affirmance of district court’s determination that civil RICO’s predicate act requirement was not satisfied by an allegation that certain intangible property was taken, where such property was not actually transferred.
- Argued in California Supreme Court to overturn broad anti-SLAPP ruling. Obtained unanimous ruling reversing the trial court’s ruling, which granted an anti-SLAPP motion based on a confidential and allegedly defamatory report, which was found to extent California’s anti-SLAPP law beyond what was intended by the Legislature. Opinion is published here. Oral argument video can be viewed here.
- Obtained vacatur of seven-figure judgment for client, a real estate holding and management company. Case subsequently settled for approximately 2 percent of the prior judgment amount.
- Obtained reversal of a Florida cyberstalking injunction in the Florida District Court of Appeals. After oral argument, the Florida appellate court agreed the issued injunction was an improper prior restraint of First Amendment free speech and that no cyberstalking had been established. The Appellate Court directed dismissal of the case in its entirety.
- Obtained “landmark” copyright ruling, in which the Central District of California court found, for the first time, that an Internet retransmitter of television programming could be entitled to a compulsory copyright license under Section 111 of the Copyright Act.
- Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of client in patent infringement case against Cirque de Soleil related to Michael Jackson One show.
- Argued, and won, Ninth Circuit appeal against insurance companies on behalf of Mattel in the Barbie-Bratz litigation.
- Successfully defended multimillion dollar arbitration brought by international investment bank against client; after five days of arbitration, client prevailed on all claims and recovered attorneys’ fees and costs.
- Prevailed in two separate but related California appeals to protect client’s right to jury trial.
- Obtained a favorable settlement for The Carlyle Group in a dispute against the defendant seller of a building that contained asbestos.
- Defended manufacturer of revolutionary lightweight sport aircraft against engineering company. Obtained a walk-away settlement following the articulation of potential cross-claims.
- Secured dismissal of claims brought by a landlord against a popular Los Angeles nightclub.
- Pursued breach of contract claims on behalf of client DIRECTV against a former dealer. Prevailed in arbitration, obtaining an award of all damages sought, in addition to attorneys’ fees.
- Represented a major retailer and independent studio in a dispute related to the motion picture Monster. After a week of jury trial in Texas state court, obtained a favorable settlement.
- Filed action for breach of a loan agreement on behalf of his client, a real estate developer, in Maine federal court. Obtained summary judgment on all claims; also obtained sanctions against the defendants based on defendants’ discovery misconduct.
- Represented a software company seeking to prevent competitor from infringement. Obtained an unprecedented preliminary injunction for client, which enabled that client to protect its intellectual property while pursuing claims against a competitor.
- Represented a major grocery store chain against discrimination claims brought by a former employee in a week-long jury trial. Client settled on favorable terms while appeal was pending.
- Defended Rolls-Royce in a dispute related to the construction of an oil platform. Obtained summary judgment of all claims.
Representative Clients
- Avery Dennison Corporation
- Bank of the West
- The Carlyle Group
- DIRECTV
- FilmOn Networks
- Funtastic Limited (Australia)
- ICON Aircraft
- Mattel
- Motorola
- Rolls-Royce Energy Systems
- Sumifru Corporation (Philippines)
- Sunnova Solar Energy
- THUMS Long Beach
- University of Southern California
- Zions Bankcorporation
Other Professional Activities
- American Bar Association, Litigation Section
- American Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Anti-Defamation League, Legal Advisory Committee
- California Central District Pro Bono Panel
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
Newsroom
- Ryan Baker Quoted by BBC on Depp v. Heard One Month into Trial
- BBC’s ‘Good Morning Britain’ Asks Partner Ryan Baker About Ongoing High-Profile Litigation Between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard
- Ryan Baker Quoted by BBC on Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Defamation Trial and SLAPP
- Ryan Baker Quoted by Vulture on Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Defamation Trial and anti-SLAPP
- Three Waymaker Lawyers Lead Pro Bono Win for Foreign Client in Trademark Infringement Case
- Ryan Baker Quoted by Business Insider on Hollywood M&A Frenzy
- Five Partners Named Southern California Super Lawyers 2022
- Three Waymaker Lawyers Named 2021 Leaders in Law by Los Angeles Business Journal
- Ryan Baker Quoted in Business Insider on How Netflix co-CEO Comments on Dave Chappelle May Impact 13 Reasons Why Lawsuit
- Three Partners and Waymaker Recognized in Benchmark Litigation California 2022
- Partner Ryan Baker Quoted in Law.com about Courts Pushing Civil Cases to Settle Due to COVID Backlog
- Ryan G. Baker Elected to Anti-Defamation League’s Los Angeles Regional Executive Committee
- Partners Ryan Baker and Teresa Huggins Score Complete Victory in a Two-Day Arbitration, Validating Electronically Executed End-User Agreements
- Partner Ryan Baker Quoted About Confidentiality Requests in Data Breach Notifications – Legaltech News
- CA Supreme Court to Consider anti-SLAPP Framework in Geiser v. Kuhns – Daily Journal
- Law Firm Names Are Getting More Interesting - Law.com’s Mid-Market Report
- Ryan Baker Talks Entertainment Industry Contracts with Variety
- LA firm Baker Marquart rebrand as Waymaker - Daily Journal
- Can Parler, Or Its Amazon Suit, Survive? - Law360
- Baker Marquart is now Waymaker
- Baker Marquart [Waymaker] Wraps Negligence Claim for Cannabis Client; Scores Favorable Settlement
- Baker Marquart [Waymaker] Lands Reversal in the California Appellate Court
- Baker Marquart [Waymaker] Secures Trial Court RICO Win in the Ninth Circuit
- Attorneys Ryan Baker, Brian Klein, Ashley Martabano and Teresa Huggins Speak at TechGC Private Dinner in Santa Monica
- Los Angeles Business Journal Recognizes Ryan Baker Again as a Leader in Law
- Benchmark Litigation Recognizes Attorneys Ryan Baker and Jaime Marquart as Local Litigation Stars; Firm Receives Highly Coveted Recommended Status From 2020 Rankings
- Ryan Baker Selected to National Law Journal’s Sixth Annual Litigation Trailblazers
- Over the Top – The Legal Gridlock that Hinders Competition in the US Streaming Video Market: Ryan Baker and Scott Malzahn Author Article for Intellectual Property Magazine
- Ryan Baker Appointed to the Legal Advisory Committee for the Anti-Defamation League Los Angeles Region
- Ryan Baker’s Q&A with Broadcasting & Cable: Why Over-the-Top Providers Are Hampered by Outdated Copyright Act and Regulatory Uncertainty
- “Character is the Most Important Quality” – Daily Journal Profiles Baker Marquart
- Five Baker Marquart Attorneys Selected as 2019 Southern California Super Lawyers – Brian Klein Named to Top 100 List
- Daily Journal Covers Ryan Baker’s Anti-SLAPP Argument Before California High Court
- Baker Marquart Takes FilmOn.com, Inc. v. DoubleVerify, Inc. Libel Case to CA Supreme Court to Reverse Dangerous Anti-SLAPP Ruling
- Baker Marquart Nets Favorable Settlement of National Copyright Claims
- Ryan Baker Named a 2017 Top Lawyer by Cablefax
- Baker Marquart Partners Named 2017 Super Lawyers