Ryan C. Wells
Ryan C. Wells represents clients in healthcare litigation, regulatory matters, government investigations, and privacy matters. He represents physicians in administrative proceedings before the Washington Medical Commission, drawing on his litigation experience to advise clients through investigations, disciplinary proceedings, and related regulatory matters. Ryan also advises clients on compliance with comprehensive state privacy laws and monitors the rapidly changing landscape of state data privacy legislation and regulation, including developments affecting the collection, use, retention, and deletion of personal and health-related data.
Ryan brings a background in complex litigation to his healthcare and privacy practice. He has represented individuals and multinational companies in commercial and business disputes, class actions, employment litigation, consumer protection matters, and disputes under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). His experience spans all stages of litigation and informs his approach to healthcare regulatory proceedings, privacy counseling, investigations, and disputes involving overlapping commercial, employment, and data governance issues.
Ryan maintains an active pro bono practice. He was appointed to represent a civilly committed resident who brought a claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) based on the denial of access to accessible restroom facilities, ultimately securing a favorable settlement with the State of Washington. Ryan also represented an individual in an immigration matter referred to the Ninth Circuit Mediation Program involving a motion to reopen agency proceedings based on changed country conditions. He negotiated a remand after the government agreed that the incorrect legal standard had been applied.
While in law school, Ryan served as an administrative editor of the University of Illinois Law Review and as a judicial extern to Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel of the US District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. Prior to joining Morgan Lewis, Ryan served as a staff attorney for the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, advising the court on appeals involving criminal convictions and sentencing, employment discrimination, and immigration law.
