Ryan Billings is a Wisconsin native who practices complex litigation, representing business entities in civil litigation, appeals and alternatives to litigation. Mr. Billings earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Ivy-League institutions before practicing for several years with Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York City. He brings substantial experience to clients in business-critical litigation in regional, national and international settings.

Some of his high-profile cases include:

  • Successfully representing Wisconsin businesses in recent antitrust case before the United States Supreme Court involving hundreds of millions of dollars in controversy.
  • Securing injunction barring international reinsurance company from using his client’s cost models. Resulting settlement provided over $1 billion of new business for the client.
  • Defending “Big Four” accounting firm against $1 billion lawsuit, establishing law of deepening insolvency.
  • Defending Fortune 50 company against multiple shareholder class actions seeking billions of dollars in damages, resulting in favorable settlements.
  • Securing order involving rare exercise of Wisconsin Supreme Court’s supervisory powers to address violation of client’s constitutional rights and vacate rulings of non-judicial referee.
  • Defeating eleventh-hour injunction that would have prevented merger of international conglomerates.
  • Successfully prosecuting numerous actions combatting breach of restrictive covenants and theft of trade secrets.
  • Guiding telecommunications company through merger with another Fortune 100 company.
  • Defending Fortune 50 company in SEC investigation involving the proper reporting of environmental remediation reserves.
  • Defending securities trader in a massive investigation involving the Department of Justice, FBI, SEC and NYSE.
  • Negotiating post-acquisition deal with Fortune 10 company, resulting in full release and 50% recovery of attorney fees.
  • Successfully representing athlete banned from international sports because of use of prescribed medication.

Practice Areas:

  • Antitrust, Unfair Competition & Trade Regulation
  • Appellate Practice
  • Arbitration & Mediation
  • Bankruptcy Representation
  • E-Discovery Compliance
  • Employment and Labor Law for Businesses
  • Employment Disputes & Non-compete
  • Intellectual Property, Trademarks, Brands & Advertising
  • Preference & Fraudulent Transfer Litigation
  • Preference Claim Defense
  • Securities

Bar Admissions:

  • Wisconsin
  • New York
  • United States Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • Western District of Wisconsin
  • Southern District of New York
  • Northern District of Illinois
  • Bankruptcy Court of Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • Bankruptcy Court of Western District of Wisconsin
  • Bankruptcy Court of Southern District of New York

Legal Education:

  • Harvard Law School, J.D. (2004)
    • Harvard Law Review (Notes Editor, 2002-2004)

Undergraduate Education:

  • Princeton University, B.A., cum laude (2001)

Professional Distinctions/Honors/Awards:

  • Recognized by SuperLawyers.com as a “Rising Star” 2015-2017.

Representative Published Works:

  • “Legislature’s Changes to Rules of Civil Procedure,” Wisconsin Lawyer Magazine, June 2018 (vol. 91, no. 6) (co-author, with R. Gegios and M. Bialzik).
  • Amendments to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Should Aid Counsel in Helping Clients Limit Preservation Costs, Exposure to Discovery Sanctions, Wis. Law Journal, April 2016.
  • Wisconsin Discovery Law and Practice (4th ed. 2015) (Introduction to Discovery & Electronic Discovery Law Chapters).
  • How to Respond to Trade Secret Theft: The First 48 Hours, ABA Business Torts Litigation Journal, Spring 2015.
  • Using the New York Convention as an Arbitration Tool, Wis. Law Journal, December 2014.

Professional Associations:

  • President-Elect, State Bar of Wisconsin, May 7, 2024 - June 30, 2024
  • President, State Bar of Wisconsin, July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025
  • Board of Governors, State Bar of Wisconsin, 2019-2024
    •          Policy Committee Chair
    •          Executive Committee Member
    •          Liaison to the Business Law Section
  • Wisconsin Judicial Council Member
  • Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
  • Fellows of the Wisconsin Bar Foundation
  • Thomas E. Fairchild Inn of Court
  • Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Bar Association
  • Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Milwaukee Bar Association

Community Involvement:

  • Permanent Member, National Eagle Scout Association