Ryan Ray is a litigator, handling both civil and criminal cases at both the trial and appellate levels in state and federal court. Mr. Ray has served as lead trial counsel in complex oil and gas litigation (including class actions), federal criminal proceedings of a wide range, proceedings before the IRS and the United States Tax Court, class actions involving the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and zoning and regulatory matters in state and federal courts. Mr. Ray has also served as lead appellate counsel in matters before the Oklahoma Supreme Court and the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, obtaining significant relief in criminal matters, obtaining the affirmance of dismissal of a personal injury claim in which more than $10,000,000 in damages were sought, and successfully defending an initiative petition regarding proposed funding of a teacher pay raise against three separate constitutional and statutory challenges. Mr. Ray also served as co-counsel in an oil-and-gas class action appeal in which the trial court's judgment of $119,522,750.00- entered following a jury verdict-was reduced to $3,650,000.00. Prior to pursuing a law degree, Mr. Ray studied at the London School of Economics and served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. During law school, Mr. Ray served as the Executive Editor of the Arkansas Law Review. Mr. Ray also served as a research assistant to Professor Ned Snow during his law-school studies, assisting in research on copyright law, Internet law, and First Amendment jurisprudence. Mr. Ray also participated in a variety of intra- and inter-scholastic competitions while in law school. Mr. Ray was the champion of the 2006 University of Arkansas Negotiations Competition, a two-time semi-finalist in the intra-school Client Counseling Competition, the runner-up oralist in the 2006 Fall Moot Court Competition, and a finalist in the 2007 Benjamin J. Althemier Spring Moot Court Competition. Mr. Ray was also a member of the University of Arkansas School of Law's Traveling Teams for the 2006 ABA Negotiations Competition, the 2007 National Moot Court Competition, and the 2008 ATLA Student Trial Advocacy Competition.
University of Arkansas J.D., 2008 Summa cum laude (Top 3 percent) 2008 Outstanding Contribution to the Law School Community Award 2008 Outstanding Appellate Advocacy Prize sponsored by the Fayetteville law firm of Davis, Wright, Clark, Butt & Carithers. Arkansas State University B.A., Economics, 2004 Cum laude
Complex civil litigation in state and federal courts Criminal defense in state and federal courts Government enforcement and regulatory proceedings and investigations Federal Habeas Corpus Attorney disciplinary proceedings
AV Preeminent - Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Peer Review Ratings Oklahoma Super Lawyers, as Featured in Oklahoma Super Lawyers Magazine, 2013 - 2018 Oklahoma Rising Stars, as featured in Oklahoma Super Lawyers Magazine, 2011 - 2012 National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40, 2012 - 2017 American Society of Legal Advocates: Top 40 Under 40, 2013 - 2018 National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys: Top 10 Criminal Defense Attorneys in Oklahoma, 2015
McDonald v. Thompson, 2018 OK 25, 414 P.3d 367 Oklahoma Indep. Petroleum Ass'n v. Potts, 2018 OK 24, 414 P.3d 351 Oklahoma Oil & Gas Ass'n v. Thompson, 2018 OK 26, 414 P.3d 345 Osage Nation v. Bd. of Commissioners of Osage Cty., 2017 OK 34, 394 P.3d 1224 Mustang Run Wind Project, LLC v. Osage Cty. Bd. of Adjustment, 2016 OK 113, 387 P.3d 333 McCormick v. Parker, 821 F.3d 1240 (10th Cir. 2016) Krug v. Helmerich & Payne, Inc., 2013 OK 104, 320 P.3d 1012 Agrawal v. Duke Energy Field Servs., L.P., 2013 OK CIV APP 61, 307 P.3d 371 Transp. Alliance Bank, Inc. v. Arrow Trucking Co., 766 F. Supp. 2d 1188, 1191 (N.D. Okla. 2011) Tomlinson v. Combined Underwriters Life Ins. Co., 684 F. Supp. 2d 1296, 1297 (N.D. Okla. 2010)
Serving as lead counsel, obtained dismissal of a class action asserting claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, for civil conspiracy, and various theories of common-law fraud, allegedly arising from an emergency medical services contractor relationship with a municipal trust. Successfully litigated?in both the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit?a motion for new trial in a bank fraud prosecution in which the client (represented by other counsel at trial) had been convicted of thirteen counts of bank fraud and money laundering. Both courts reviewing the matter found the client entitled to a new trial on all counts. Subsequently negotiated an agreed resolution of probation with no incarceration. Served as lead trial counsel in an action involving disputed ownership of approximately 140,000 barrels of crude oil and numerous other related claims. The matter was successfully and confidentially resolved after several years of contested litigation. Served as lead trial counsel in a class action brought against a law firm asserting several theories, including alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; obtained dismissal and/or summary judgment on all claims in the client's favor. Obtained dismissal of a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act class action that sought certification of a class containing more than 100,000 members and sought more than $1,000,000 in damages. Obtained a sentence of probation in a federal criminal tax fraud prosecution involving more than twenty allegedly fraudulent tax returns. Obtained a sentence of probation in a federal bribery case involving cash payments at an Air Force base. Served as lead counsel in a significant oil-and-gas matter involving more than $2,000,000 in disputed revenues and a claim involving alleged breach of a tag-along provision for which more than $4,000,000 in damages were sought; obtained summary judgment from the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma on the tag-along claim. Served as lead trial counsel in a contested matter before the United States Tax Court, obtaining judgment in the client's favor cancelling a tax debt of more than $400,000.00. Served as lead counsel in a dispute with the IRS, the result of which was that the client's claimed theft loss of more than $7,000,000 was sustained. Obtained, in federal habeas proceedings, vacation of a client's judgment and sentence for which he was serving 125 years in prison; thereafter promptly negotiated to obtain client's release from custody.
Supreme Court of the United States United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit United States District Court Northern District of Oklahoma Western District of Oklahoma Eastern District of Oklahoma Oklahoma Bar Association Civil Procedure/Evidence Code Committee (2012-2016) United States Tax Court Criminal Justice Act Panel, United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma Criminal Justice Act Panel, United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Council Oak/Johnson-Sontag American Inn of Court Merits Selection Panel for Reappointment of United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Cleary (2009-2010) Merits Selection Panel for Reappointment of United States Magistrate Judge Frank H. McCarthy (2010) American Bar Association Section of Litigation Commercial and Business Litigation Committee Trial Evidence Committee Trial Practice Committee Criminal Justice Section Criminal Procedure, Evidence and Police Practices Committee Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section
You've Got Mail . . . But Do You Have a Contract?: Does an E-mail Satisfy the Arkansas Statute of Frauds?, 60 Ark. L. Rev. 707 (2007) Dolan v. City of Tigard, Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States (Macmillan Reference USA 2008) The Oil and Gas Lease in Oklahoma: A Primer, 80 Okla. B.J. 1031 (2009) Motions in Limine: To File or Not to File, 17 Proof No. 3, Summer 2009, at 1 The Warrantless Interception of E-mail: Fourth Amendment Search or Free Rein for the Police?, 36 Rutgers Computer & Tech. L.J. 178 (2010)
Oral Argument Before State and Federal Courts in Oklahoma, OBA Appellate Section; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; September 17, 2018 The Verdict: When Does an Amateur Become a Professional?, Featured Guest; Air Date, March 13, 2016 The Verdict: Discipline in Pro Sports, Featured Guest; Air Date, February 15, 2015 The Verdict: Meet Ryan Ray, Featured Guest; Air Date, July 13, 2014 Litigating a Federal Criminal Case: The Basics; University of Arkansas School of Law, Winter CLE; Fayetteville, Arkansas; February 1, 2014 The Constitutional Limitations on Takings; American Planning Association (Arkansas Chapter) 2011 Fall Conference; Fort Smith, Arkansas; September 8, 2011 Batson v. Kentucky - The Law; Tenth Circuit Federal Capital Habeas Corpus Seminar; Tulsa, Oklahoma; May 14, 2010 Provisions of the Oil and Gas Lease; Tulsa Association of Lease and Title Analysts 2009 Seminar; Tulsa, Oklahoma; June 18, 2009
