Ryan J. Swink

Ryan Swink is a trial lawyer in the Houston office of Ogletree Deakins, where he represents employers in high-stakes employment litigation. His practice spans complex wage and hour disputes, executive compensation matters, non-compete and trade secret litigation, and workplace safety and health proceedings.

Ryan is a seasoned appellate and trial advocate with a track record of successful outcomes for his clients. He has presented oral argument before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on multiple occasions, including defending a complete defense jury verdict in a Fair Labor Standards Act case and arguing a significant arbitration agreement interpretation issue. His trial experience includes securing a complete defense jury verdict in a 30-plaintiff FLSA case and arbitrating a multi-claimant gender discrimination and equal pay dispute to a full defense verdict.

Ryan has also achieved notable results in administrative and regulatory matters. He represents a wide variety of petrochemical manufacturers, refiners, and specialized chemical suppliers. Ryan is well versed in the process safety management (PSM) standard and brings that specialized knowledge to bear on behalf of his clients in workplace safety and health proceedings. He successfully prosecuted constitutional challenges to the structure of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, resulting in the withdrawal of multiple willful citations. His work securing the withdrawal of a fit testing citation saved a client seven figures in annual compliance costs. He has also represented employers in administrative hearings that led to the reclassification of willful citations and removal from OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) list.

In addition to complex litigation, Ryan handles single-plaintiff employment matters arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and analogous state and local laws. He regularly conducts workplace investigations, responds to charges of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, and defends employers in state and federal courts.

Ryan is committed to delivering exceptional value to his clients by leveraging cutting-edge technology, including artificial intelligence, to streamline legal processes and reduce costs. He integrates AI-powered tools into his practice for document review, legal research, and case analysis, enabling his team to work more efficiently without sacrificing quality. This forward-thinking approach allows Ryan to offer clients sophisticated legal representation at a fraction of the traditional cost, ensuring they receive top-tier advocacy while maximizing their return on legal spend.

Before joining Ogletree Deakins, Ryan served as a law clerk for United States District Judge Marcia Crone in the Eastern District of Texas. He graduated valedictorian from South Texas College of Law – Houston in 2017. During law school, he was an accomplished member of the Moot Court team, competing in national tournaments and earning multiple best brief awards.

Ryan is the father of three daughters and enjoys golf and fishing in his spare time.