Ryan Johnson

Ryan Johnson is a prominent patent litigator at Fenwick & West, where he is a partner in the firm's New York office, having joined in July 2018 as part of a team of IP litigation partners. His practice spans diverse technology sectors, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, consumer products, telecommunications, and high-tech industries. He has particular experience with cases arising under the Hatch-Waxman Act, as well as matters involving internet encryption and social media marketing. Before his legal career, Johnson conducted research on experimental recombinant DNA vaccines for HIV and worked as a product formulator and process development engineer for a consumer products company, providing him with a strong technical foundation.

Johnson primarily represents defendants, including major operating companies, in high-stakes patent infringement actions. His work on the defense side is underscored by Fenwick's recognition as a top-performing law firm for representing defendants in patent litigation.

His notable case experience includes successfully defending AU Optronics Corporation against Phenix Longhorn, LLC in the Eastern District of Texas, where a jury found no infringement and one asserted patent invalid. He has also represented pharmaceutical giants such as Pfizer and UCB in various trials, including securing favorable rulings in District Court and at the Federal Circuit concerning the drug Toviaz®, and winning a patent infringement case against generic manufacturers for Lyrica®.

Johnson is also active in post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). He has represented clients as both petitioners and patent owners in Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceedings, leading to outcomes such as the cancellation of challenged claims for Pfizer and the upholding of claims for Novo Nordisk. He is admitted to the New York State Bar and the Connecticut State Bar (both 2008), and practices before various federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.