Overview

Ryan Petty, Ph.D., is a patent litigator with a background in biochemistry and research.

Ryan combines scientific and legal skills to build strong, well-reasoned arguments to protect and enforce his clients’ IP rights. Before attending law school, Ryan earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry. Ryan is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the chemical and biochemical arts, which enables him to talk science with innovators and translate complex theories and inventions into plain English for juries and judges.

Ryan maintains an active pro bono practice, ranging from representing tenants in housing court to authoring amicus briefs in federal appellate courts on behalf of nonprofits.

Ryan served as law clerk for Justice Margaret H. Chutich and Justice Natalie E. Hudson of the Minnesota Supreme Court from 2020-2021. In law school, he was an active member of the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology (JOLT). As a member of JOLT’s inaugural Federal Circuit Comments, Ryan wrote on various issues decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, including double patenting and standing. Ryan was a research assistant to Professors Ruth Okediji and William “Terry” Fisher, focusing on the topics of international IP law, traditional knowledge, and global access to medicine. He also serves as a teaching fellow for Harvard’s CopyrightX, teaching U.S. copyright law to students from across the globe.

At the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry, Ryan studied positive-strand RNA viruses and their interactions with host-cell machinery. He is experienced in molecular cloning techniques, recombinant protein production, and other biochemical methods.

Professional associations

  • Minnesota Lavender Bar Association – Board of Directors, Representative to MSBA Assembly
  • Minnesota State Bar Association