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
- Eastern District of California
- Northern District of California
- Southern District of California
Ryan Baker
Ryan is at home in any courtroom. Over the course of his career, he has built a reputation the media described as “tenacious,” a “trailblazer” and “visionary.” His court victories have been called a “legal earthquake” and “landmark.”
Representing individual investors to multinational corporations as both plaintiffs and defendants, Ryan’s cases involve intellectual property (copyright, trademark, trade secret and patent), antitrust, securities and white-collar crime. He has argued and prevailed in precedent-setting appeals, including cases relating to anti-SLAPP law, copyright, insurers’ duties, civil procedure and contract interpretation. He has also handled cases before numerous arbitral organizations, including FINRA.
In 2024, the Daily Journal named Ryan a “Top Intellectual Property Lawyer.” He has also been recognized by the National Law Journal as a “Litigation Trailblazer” and an “Elite Boutique Trailblazer,” a “Super Lawyer” by Los Angeles Magazine, a Benchmark Litigation “Star,” a “Top Lawyer” by Cablefax, and one of the “Top 100 Lawyers” in Los Angeles by Los Angeles Business Journal, which also honored him a “Leader in Law” and a “Leader of Influence.” Most of these recognitions have been repeated.
Ryan publishes articles in academic and legal outlets and has appeared as a legal media expert on NBC News, Sky News and BBC to discuss breaking news related to litigation matters. Ryan has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, National Law Journal, Hollywood Reporter and other national and international business and legal publications.
Committed to community service, Ryan is a longstanding member of the California Central District pro bono panel, through which he represents indigent individuals in civil rights and other cases in federal court. He is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and Litigation Counsel of America and has been involved in the Los Angeles Big Brother/Big Sister program for more than 15 years.
Prior to Waymaker (previously Baker Marquart), Ryan practiced at Quinn Emanuel and Cooley. He received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 2000 and was a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau from 1998-2000. In 1997, Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Brigham Young University magna cum laude with University Honors.
Recent Honors
- Chambers USA Litigation: General Commercial 2024
- Daily Journal Top Intellectual Property Lawyers 2024
- Benchmark Litigation “Star” (2020-2024)
- Super Lawyer (2014-2024)
- Top 100 Lawyers in Los Angeles (2022-2024), Los Angeles Business Journal
- Leader of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys (2022 and 2024), Los Angeles Business Journal
- Legal Visionary (2022-2023), Los Angeles Times Business of Law: Trends, Updates, Visionaries magazine
- Elite Boutique Trailblazer (2022), National Law Journal
- Leader in Law (2022), Los Angeles Business Journal
- Litigation Trailblazer (2019), National Law Journal
Representative Engagements
- Won unanimous jury verdict for plaintiff client in trade secret, trademark, copyright and contract dispute. After two weeks of trial, the jury deliberated for less than 3 hours to find in favor of firm’s client on 48 of 52 liability issues, including the invalidation of two patents obtained by defendants based on plaintiffs’ alleged trade secrets. Prior to the victory at trial, the firm had won every single major motion, including a preliminary injunction, summary adjudication and winning almost $100,000 in sanctions.
- Obtained summary adjudication for international restaurant group related to commercial lease that was never performed, in part, due to the COVID pandemic; following summary adjudication ruling, negotiated favorable settlement, which included client’s attorneys’ fees.
- Obtained a preliminary injunction in the California Central District for manufacturer of cosmetic implant against defendants alleged to have stolen trade secrets used to design a competing implant product.
- 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 trial court, which had granted an anti-SLAPP motion based on a confidential and allegedly defamatory report. The Court concluded the confidential report was not protected. Accordingly, the trial court overextended California’s anti-SLAPP law beyond the legislative intent. 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
- Archie Comic Publications
- Avery Dennison Corporation
- Bank of the West
- The Carlyle Group
- DIRECTV
- FilmOn Networks
- Funtastic Limited (Australia)
- ICON Aircraft
- International Medical Devices
- Kurvana
- Mattel
- Melaleuca
- Motorola
- Rolls-Royce Energy Systems
- Sumifru Corporation (Philippines)
- Sunnova Solar Energy
- University of Southern California
- Zions Bankcorporation
Other Professional Activities
- American Bar Association, Litigation Section
- American Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
- Barrister, Order of Veritas
- Advocate, Order of Certus
- Member, Trial Law Institute
- Member, Diversity Law Institute
Newsroom
- Ryan Baker Profiled by Daily Journal as Top Trade Secrets Lawyer 2024
- Four Waymaker Partners Honored as Benchmark Litigation Stars 2025
- Ryan Baker Quoted in Law360 Story About Ethical Duties of Lawyers Using AI
- Partners Keri Curtis Axel and Ryan Baker Named 2024 Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys by Los Angeles Business Journal
- Ryan Baker Quoted by Bloomberg Law on DOJ’s Antitrust Case Against Google and Bench vs. Jury Trials
- Chambers USA 2024 Ranks Waymaker for Litigation: General Commercial: Highly Regarded - California
- Ryan Baker Named One of California’s Top IP Lawyers 2024 by Daily Journal
- Law360 Quoted Ryan Baker About SCOTUS Decision
- Ryan Baker Quoted in Law.com About Impact of Fewer Jury Trials And Appeals
- Ryan Baker Again Named One of the Top 100 Lawyers in Los Angeles by Los Angeles Business Journal
- Ryan Baker Quoted in Los Angeles Times Story About Extortion After Billionaire’s Dog Bites Woman
- In Major Victory, Judge Awards $18.3 Million, Issues Permanent Injunction, Invalidates Patents in IMD Penile Implant Trade Secrets Theft Case
- Baker Explains Unclean Hands Doctrine to San Diego Union Tribune
- Ryan Baker Quoted in Bloomberg Law about U.S. Supreme Court Arbitration Case
- Five Partners Named Southern California Super Lawyers 2024
- Ryan Baker Quoted in Law360 Story About the Top Patent Awards 2023
- IMD Deserves $46 Million in Damages After Penile Implant Trial Win Ryan Baker Tells Judge
- Four Waymaker Partners Recognized as Benchmark Litigation Stars 2024
- Ryan Baker Interviewed By BBC World Service on Twitter vs. Meta Threads
- Strong Courtroom Performances By Partner Ryan Baker and Associate Emily Stierwalt led to Penile IP Trial Victory
- Damages in Trade Secrets Misappropriations Case Expected to Reach $10 Million Reports Law.Com
- Sweeping Victory for Waymaker In Penile Implant Trade Secrets 8-0 Jury Trial Win
- Sweeping Victory for Waymaker As Jury Unanimously Finds Houston Urologist Stole IMD Penile Implant Trade Secrets
- Penile Implant Trade Secrets Trial Starts with Ryan Baker and Scott Malzahn as Lead Defense Counsel
- Ryan Baker Named One of the Top 100 Lawyers in Los Angeles by Los Angeles Business Journal
- Partner Ryan Baker And Counsel Ashley Martabano Lead Roundtables at 8th Annual Fullstack GC Conference in San Francisco
- Five Partners Named Southern California Super Lawyers 2023
- Partner Ryan Baker Named to ADL’s National Commission
- Ryan Baker Interviewed by Law.com About Anti-SLAPP Defenses
- Partner Ryan Baker Interviewed by CBS News Morning about Social Media Companies Facing Lawsuit From Parents
- Partner Ryan Baker Interviewed by BBC on Balenciaga Ad Scandal and Subsequent Lawsuit
- Four Partners and Waymaker Recognized in Benchmark Litigation California 2023
- Johnny Depp Fans Rush to Fork Over Cash for Unsealed Court Docs. Did It Backfire?
- Co-Managing Partner Ryan Baker Named 2022 Leader of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys by Los Angeles Business Journal
- Partners Keri Curtis Axel, Ryan Baker and Brian Klein Named Elite Boutique Trailblazers 2022 by the National Law Journal
- Partners Ryan Baker and Scott Malzahn Honored as Legal Visionaries 2022 in the Business of Law by Los Angeles Times B2B Publishing
- Ryan Baker Interviewed on Sky News immediately following Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard Verdict
- Ryan Baker Quoted by BBC.com on Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard Verdict
- Co-Founders Ryan Baker and Jaime Marquart Quoted in Reuters Story about Law Firm Names
- Co-Managing Partner Ryan Baker Named one of the Top 100 Lawyers by Los Angeles Business Journal
- Ryan Baker Quoted by Newsweek on Johnny Depp v. Amanda Heard Trial Break
- Ryan Baker Discusses Privacy Issues Related to Racy Rep. Madison Cawthorn video on NBC NOW Tonight with Joshua Johnson
- Ryan Baker Quoted by BBC on Depp v. Heard One Month into Trial