Antony Ryan

Antony L. Ryan handles a wide variety of litigation matters, focusing on securities litigation, accountants’ liability, M&A litigation and antitrust law. Known for his “creativity and mastery of the law,” he frequently leads challenging and business‑critical litigation in federal and state courts around the country. (Chambers USA)

Praised by his clients as “analytically exceptional,” “extremely intellectual” and “a great leader,” Mr. Ryan is regularly recognized by leading industry publications. (Chambers USA) He has been named Benchmark Litigation’s “Securities Litigator of the Year,” selected by Lawdragon as a nationwide “Legend” and recognized to The Legal 500 Hall of Fame for his work in securities litigation.

Mr. Ryan has been featured in many of Lawdragon’s leading lawyer guides, including “500 Leading Litigators in America,” “500 Leading Lawyers in America,” “500 Leading Global Litigators” and “500 Leading Global Antitrust & Competition Lawyers.” The Legal 500 US has recommended Mr. Ryan for M&A litigation, securities litigation, financial services litigation and appellate work. In further recognition of his extensive securities litigation experience, Mr. Ryan was previously recognized by Law360 as one of five securities lawyers under 40 to watch, and has been repeatedly recommended for his work in this field by Chambers USA and Benchmark Litigation, which named him a “National Star” in securities litigation.

Mr. Ryan maintains an active pro bono practice and serves as the Pro Bono Partner. He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Volunteers of Legal Service, and serves on the Board of Directors of The Legal Aid Society.

Mr. Ryan currently leads three separate pro bono class actions, on behalf of juvenile offenders in New York State eligible for release on parole, children in the New York City foster‑care system, and inmates at St. Clair Correctional Facility in Alabama. He is also handling a pro bono matter before the U.S. Supreme Court, in which he represents an individual serving a life sentence who is seeking a grant of compassionate release under the First Step Act.

Mr. Ryan received a Pro Bono Publico Award from The Legal Aid Society for helping to win an Article 440 petition in New York Supreme Court to vacate the wrongful conviction of a client who spent 14 years in prison for second‑degree murder. The decision was affirmed on appeal, and the charges against his client were dropped. Mr. Ryan also received multiple Pro Bono Publico Awards for his work, together with Legal Aid and the Urban Justice Center, leading a class action against New York State and City agencies seeking pre‑release planning and transitional services for parolees with serious mental illness. He also obtained a writ of mandamus from the Second Circuit in a Section 1983 case on behalf of a prison inmate, in a decision establishing the legal standard for implied waiver of the psychotherapist‑patient privilege.

Mr. Ryan co‑edited the book and co‑authored the U.S. chapter in several editions of Getting the Deal Through: Securities Litigation (Law Business Research). He also has authored law review articles on civil procedure and patent law.

Mr. Ryan was raised in Amherst, Massachusetts. He received a B.A. summa cum laude from Yale College in 1992, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received a J.D. magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1995, where he was Supervising Editor of the Law Review, and oralist on the winning team in the Ames Moot Court Competition. Following graduation, Mr. Ryan served as a law clerk to Hon. Judith W. Rogers of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Mr. Ryan joined Cravath in 1996 and was elected a partner in 2002.