Ryan J. O'Neil

Ryan is a trial attorney who represents life sciences, health care, and consumer products companies in complex product liability, mass tort, and commercial litigation nationwide. He has deep experience guiding clients through every phase of litigation — from pre-suit investigation and strategic counseling through dispositive motions, expert discovery, mediation, trial, and appeal — in both federal and state courts across the U.S. Ryan is frequently called upon to handle matters with significant scientific, regulatory, and technical complexity, and he works closely with clients to develop practical strategies that align legal risk with business objectives.

A seasoned trial advocate, Ryan has served as national and trial counsel in high-stakes pharmaceutical and medical device matters, including multidistrict litigation and coordinated state proceedings. He has been trial counsel in multiple jury trials and defense verdicts, including bellwether trials and complex product liability cases in both federal and state courts. In addition to his courtroom work, Ryan advises clients on risk management, litigation avoidance, and compliance strategies designed to reduce exposure before disputes arise. His practice also includes white collar defense and internal investigations, where he has represented corporate executives and financial institutions in regulatory and enforcement matters.

Pharmaceutical and Medical Device

• National counsel for a manufacturer of medical implant devices and biologics in product liability cases nationwide, including a federal court multidistrict litigation and a parallel state court coordinated proceeding.
• Trial counsel for a medical device manufacturer during two-week jury trial that resulted in defense verdict on multimillion dollar product liability claim that metal-on-metal hip implant products were unreasonably dangerous.
• Trial counsel for a medical device manufacturer during a two-week jury trial that resulted in a defense verdict on a claim that a hip implant product had been improperly mislabeled.
• Trial counsel for a medical device manufacturer during a three-week bellwether jury trial as part of a federal multidistrict litigation asserting product liability claims involving metal-on-metal hip implant products.
• Member of an appellate team that obtained the complete affirmance of a defense verdict for a medical device manufacturer on issues, including the exclusion of a prior deposition testimony at trial and a jury instruction given on the unavoidably unsafe doctrine.
• Represented a global manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients in consolidated opioid litigation defending against claims asserted by governmental entities, municipalities, insurance companies, and individuals (among others) based on theories of consumer fraud and deceptive practices, public nuisance, negligence, unjust enrichment, fraud, and conspiracy.
• Obtained complete dismissal of all claims with prejudice on behalf of a global manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients in opioid litigation involving claims brought by parents of children born with neonatal abstinence syndrome.
• Representing an importer and seller of bulk active pharmaceutical ingredients in Zantac/ranitidine mass tort litigation.
• Obtained complete dismissal without leave to amend of California state court action filed against a medical device manufacturer involving claims of design and manufacturing defect, failure to warn, negligence, and loss of consortium arising from the implantation of prosthetic hip implant components.
• Obtained federal court dismissal of product liability complaint against medical device manufacturer based upon a finding that the court lacked general and specific personal jurisdiction over the manufacturer.
• Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of medical device manufacturer in contract dispute with a former product distributor.

Specialized Nutrition and Food Science

• Counsel for a Fortune 500 global health care company in mass tort proceedings defending against design defect and failure to warn claims involving specialized preterm infant formula and fortifier products.

Consumer Products

• Counsel for top Fortune 100 multinational technology company, and related entities, in consumer products liability litigation pending in both federal and state courts. Representative products defended include lithium-ion batteries, cosmetics, home appliances, over-the-counter medical products, and various personal recreational products.

Toxic Torts

• Represented a multinational pharmaceutical company in the defense of toxic tort cases, including talcum powder and asbestos exposure claims.

Transportation

• Co-lead trial counsel representing national transportation corporation during eight-week consolidated jury trial involving multiple plaintiffs’ claims following motor vehicle collision.
• Counsel for national waste collection corporation in lawsuit stemming from truck-pedestrian accident involving claims of negligence and corporate misconduct.
• Counsel for a leading national infrastructure construction company in a multiplaintiff lawsuit stemming from a truck-motorcycle accident.

General Product Liability / Tort Defense

• Counsel for a leading global life sciences company that provides comprehensive clinical laboratory and end-to-end drug development services in the defense of various tort claims, obtaining a complete dismissal of all claims at the motion to dismiss and summary judgment stages.
• Counsel for a pontoon boat manufacturer defending against design, manufacturing, and warning defect claims based upon corporate successor liability theory.
• Counsel for and advisor to a UK-based international supplier of cable protection products for operators and service providers in the oil and gas industry.

White Collar Defense / Internal Investigations

• Member of a team that served as legal counsel to the special committee of a bank, counseling the bank through OCC investigations and issuing a comprehensive report of investigation which was submitted to the OCC.
• Member of a team that represented a former officer and director of a publicly traded company in a high-profile SEC investigation that resulted in the SEC issuing a “no action” letter to conclude its multiyear inquiry.

Pro Bono

• Obtained SSI/SSDI benefits for individual client facing risk of homelessness.
• Successfully appealed veteran’s disability rating arising from Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.

• Pennsylvania Super Lawyers “Rising Star” (2019-2025)
• Named to the Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch list for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions (2020-2025), Product Liability Litigation (2020-2025), and Personal Injury Litigation (2022-2025)