Overview
Ryan Clinton is a civil appellate attorney and leads the firm’s Texas issues and appeals practice. A former Assistant Solicitor General in the Texas Attorney General’s Office, Ryan has more than two decades of Texas litigation experience in state and federal court. He has delivered dozens of trial court and appellate arguments, numbering in the double-digits before the Supreme Court of Texas. He is also Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Ryan is particularly skilled in handling high-stakes appeals for oil and gas clients and is recognized by Chambers for “Oil & Gas Litigation” nationwide. His experience in the Supreme Court of Texas includes obtaining a vacatur of a $125 million arbitration award for an energy company, as well as representing a natural gas production company in a royalty methodology challenge, an exploration and production company in a personal injury dispute, and two oil and gas producers in a pair of retained acreage clause cases. He also argued on behalf of an international oil and gas producer in a precedent-setting gas royalties dispute in a Texas court of appeals.
Outside of the oil and gas industry, he has handled appeals in personal injury, employment, intellectual property, government, constitutional, and breach of contract matters.
As Assistant Solicitor General, Ryan successfully defended Texas A&M University in state and federal appeals related to the tragic “Aggie Bonfire” collapse, the State of Texas in a constitutional challenge to the Texas Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act, and a court of appeals sued by a sitting appellate justice over opinion authorship.
Ryan is a frequent speaker at Texas oil and gas litigation conferences and has also presented on topics such as the Texas Tort Claims Act, practicing before the Supreme Court of Texas, and governmental entity disputes.
With a passion for rescuing animals and serving others, Ryan and his wife volunteer at the Austin animal shelter, Austin Pets Alive, for which Ryan has served as pro bono legal counsel.
Experience
Supreme Court of Texas
Experience prior to joining Hunton:
- Roxo Energy Company, LLC v. Baxsto, LLC, No. 23-0564 in the Supreme Court of Texas (opinion issued May 5, 2025) (represented Petitioner)
- Posse Energy, Ltd. v. Parsley Energy, LP, No. 21-0754 in the Supreme Court of Texas (petition for review denied Feb. 18, 2022) (represented Respondent)
- Nettye Engler Energy, L.P. v. BlueStone Natural Resources II, LLC, No. 20-0639 in the Supreme Court of Texas (opinion issued Feb. 4, 2022) (represented Respondent)
- Energen Resources Corp. v. Wallace, No. 20-0451 in the Supreme Court of Texas (opinion issued Mar. 11, 2022) (represented Petitioner)
- Evans Resources, L.P. v. Diamondback E&P, LLC, No. 20-0648 in the Supreme Court of Texas (petition for review denied Mar. 5, 2021) (represented Respondent)
- Concho Resources, Inc. v. Marsha Ellison, No. 19-0233 in the Supreme Court of Texas (filed amicus brief for Ganador Operating, LLC on June 24, 2019)
- Double Eagle Development, LLC v. Apache Deepwater, No. 17-0756 in the Supreme Court of Texas (petition for review denied Dec. 14, 2018) (represented Respondent)
- XOG Operating, LLC v. Chesapeake Exploration Ltd. P’ship, No. 15-0935 in the Supreme Court of Texas (opinion issued Apr. 13, 2018) (represented Respondent)
- Endeavor Energy Resources, L.P. v. Discovery Operating, Inc., No. 15-0155 in the Supreme Court of Texas (opinion issued Apr. 13, 2018) (represented Respondent)
Texas Appellate Courts
Experience prior to joining Hunton:
- In re Bexar Appraisal District, No. 04-24-00158-CV in the Fourth Court of Appeals at San Antonio (petition for writ of mandamus denied Sept. 25, 2024) (represented real party in interest)
- Herman Lindley Trust v. CCATT, 13-22-00025-CV in the Thirteenth Court of Appeals at Corpus Christi (dismissed due to settlement Dec. 15, 2022) (represented Appellant)
- Ogle v. O’Gan, 03-21-00270-CV in the Third Court of Appeals at Austin (opinion issued Aug. 10, 2022) (represented Appellee)
- Trinh v. Central River Healthcare Group, P.L.L.C., No. 03-19-00393-CV in the Third Court of Appeals at Austin (opinion issued June 9, 2021) (represented Appellee)
US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Experience prior to joining Hunton:
- MIECO, L.L.C. v. Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc., No. 23-10575 in the US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (opinion issued July 16, 2024) (filed amicus brief on behalf of Permian Basin Petroleum Association)
- In re Lothian Oil, Inc., No. 12-50462 in the US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (opinion issued Jan. 7, 2014) (represented Appellee)
- Breen v. Tex. A&M Univ., No. 04-40712 in the US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (opinion issued April 24, 2007) (represented Appellee)
US Supreme Court
Experience prior to joining Hunton:
- Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas v. State of Texas, No. 07-1109 in the Supreme Court of the United States (petition denied Oct. 6, 2008) (represented Respondent)
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- Recognized as a Leader in Oil & Gas Litigation, Nationwide, Chambers USA, 2024-2025
- Recognized as a Best Lawyer for Appellate Law, The Best Lawyers in America, 2021-2025
- Recognized as a Top Rated Appellate Attorney (2015-2025) and Rising Star (2004-2005, 2007-2014), Texas Super Lawyers
- Recognized as a Legal Leader on the Rise, Texas Lawyer, 2013
- Named a Finalist, Austin Under 40 Awards, 2009
- Recognized as AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated in Martindale-Hubbell
Affiliations
Professional
- Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- Member, Texas Bar College
- Member, State Bar of Texas and State Bar of Texas Appellate Section
- Member, Austin Bar Association and Austin Bar Association Civil Appellate Section
- Former Member, Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court
Insights
Events & Speaking Engagements
Publications
News
Education
JD, University of Virginia School of Law, Order of the Coif, 2000
BA, Political Science and Public Policy Studies, Duke University, cum laude, 1997
Admissions
Texas
Courts
Supreme Court of the United States
US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Government Service
Assistant Solicitor General, Texas, 2002-2008
