Ryan Q. Keech

Representative Matters

• Representing prominent fertility practice and physicians in asserting derivative and direct claims in Los Angeles Superior Court in high-profile action and related appeal involving breaches of contractual obligations and violations of the California corporate practice of medicine doctrine
• After multi-week evidentiary hearing, obtained defense award in favor of European component manufacturer in San Francisco-based ICC arbitration involving allegations of trade secret misappropriation
• Secured a $40 million jury verdict, plus an award of fees, for an FDIC-insured California digital bank in a high-profile federal trade secrets and California Unfair Competition Law (UCL) dispute against a competing financial institution and former employees. The jury found that the defendants had engaged in willful and malicious trade secret misappropriation
• Represented a client in Los Angeles Superior Court in litigation stemming from a confrontation involving a former high-profile Los Angeles County elected official, including a related insurance recovery action. Obtained dismissal with prejudice of claims alleging deprivation of speech rights and false imprisonment and achieved resolution of the remaining claims on the eve of jury selection
• Served as lead counsel for a San Luis Obispo, California food distributor in insurance recovery litigation arising from a product recall in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
• Trial counsel for former executive and stockholder of an Ohio sterilization company in litigation concerning company's use of ethylene oxide in its sterilization process in Illinois, Georgia and New Mexico, as well as conversion of executive's stock
• Represented Florida real estate developers and a religious university in defending against RICO, trade secret, and intentional interference claims in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida arising from a luxury Palm Beach real estate development. Obtained dismissal with prejudice of the RICO and specific performance claims at the pleading stage
• Represented independent studio and related profit participants in claims arising from licensing of theatrical motion picture in secondary markets
• Represented a San Diego public entity serving as lead plaintiff in a class action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York involving alleged antitrust misconduct in the municipal bond market related to variable rate demand obligations. Successfully defeated a statute of limitations-based motion to dismiss
• Represented an internationally recognized clothing and fashion accessories brand in pursuing trademark infringement claims against a global print-on-demand company. Successfully defeated a motion for summary judgment and obtained a jury verdict finding contributory infringement of the client's protected marks in one of the first federal civil jury trials in Los Angeles following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions
• Represented a California restaurant trade association in obtaining preliminary injunctive and other writ relief against outdoor dining restrictions on federal and state constitutional grounds
• Represented a television writer in asserting claims arising from a high-profile television project under the WGA Minimum Basic Agreement
• Represented a high-profile feature film director in defending breach of contract claims arising from production delays under the DGA Basic Agreement
• Represented the founders and principal shareholders of a Southern California clinical trial company in asserting derivative and direct claims arising from a dispute over corporate control, resulting in a favorable settlement
• Represented a high-profile executive in multijurisdictional arbitration and litigation arising from the executive's alleged wrongful ouster from and control of a New York fashion luxury company
• Defended a Los Angeles apparel company against trademark infringement claims concerning rights related to the manufacture and sale of apparel displaying words
• Represented a film and television producer as plaintiff in a declaratory judgment action in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California involving copyright claims relating to architectural plans. Obtained a prompt settlement allowing a high-end residential real estate project to proceed
• Represented a Los Angeles lifestyle brand in a declaratory judgment action defending its toy line against copyright infringement claims asserted by a global toy manufacturer
• Represented a Beverly Hills small-cap fund in obtaining a stay of litigation and served as lead arbitration counsel in a multiday AAA arbitration involving breach of contract, wrongful termination in violation of public policy, and trade secret misappropriation claims
• Defended a Los Angeles advertising agency in litigation arising from an alleged breach of a digital media planning agreement related to an experiential marketing campaign for an internationally recognized toy line
• Obtained a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California halting the advertising and sale of a competing product based on trademark, trade dress, and copyright infringement claims. Successfully defended the injunction on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Obtained terminating sanctions before trial in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, resulting in a seven-figure judgment, a full damages award, more than $1 million in attorneys' fees, and a permanent injunction in litigation involving trademark, trade dress, and RICO conspiracy claims
• Obtained summary judgment in Los Angeles Superior Court defeating eight-figure contract and tort claims asserted by a former independent contractor
• Served on the trial team that secured a complete defense verdict following a jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of producers, a writer, a director, and an affiliated production company in litigation involving intellectual property claims arising from the development and production of a major theatrical motion picture
• Defended an animation studio against copyright infringement claims related to a major theatrical motion picture
• Successfully defended the owners and operators of a major social media application against trademark infringement claims
• Represented a high-profile nonprofit organization in the motion picture industry in enforcing intellectual property rights and related restrictions governing the sale of industry award statuettes by award recipients
• Represented institutional investors in antitrust litigation involving alleged collusion in the markets for benchmark swap rates and precious metals
• Represented a monoline bond insurer in multijurisdictional litigation arising from the financial crisis involving alleged misrepresentations related to residential mortgage-backed securities, with the matters resolving through nine- and ten-figure settlements
• Represented a global toy manufacturer in multijurisdictional litigation involving copyright, trademark, trade dress, and trade secret claims arising from the conception and sale of dolls

Education

• J.D. New York University School of Law
• LL.B. York University Osgoode Hall Law School
• B.A. Queen's University at Kingston

Bar Admissions

• California
• District of Columbia
• Ontario, Canada

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Professional Memberships and Activities

• Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers Los Angeles
• Member, Beverly Hills Bar Association

• TopVerdict, Top 20 Verdicts in California, 2025
• Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Southern California, 2021 – 2025