Known for two decades as Professor Ryan at Baylor Law, Rory resigned his tenured post in 2023 and he now handles appeals and complex legal issues at Ryan Law. Rory also consults widely with other firms on complex legal issues and as a hired gun to write and edit briefs.

Rory graduated summa cum laude from Baylor Law School in 2003, earning the highest GPA in Baylor Law School history. As a student, he earned the “High A” award in 21 classes, served as Senior Executive Editor of the Baylor Law Review, and won awards for top student publication, top first-year student, and top overall student. He then completed a clerkship with the Honorable C. Arlen Beam on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Before law school, Rory grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska and is a member of the sports Hall of Fame at Lincoln Pius X H.S. He then attended Morningside College, where he played football and baseball, while dealing blackjack on a riverboat casino in his spare time.

Rory was invited back to teach at Baylor immediately after his judicial clerkship. Although he specialized at Baylor in forum selection, appellate issues, and federal courts, he taught courses in Contracts, Oil and Gas, Civil Procedure, Appellate Procedure, Legal Writing, Constitutional Law, Federal Courts, Advocacy, and Legislation. As a faculty member, Professor Ryan earned tenure and honors, but he is most proud of the fact that he served as faculty advisor for both the Federalist Society and the American Constitution Society, the two leading advocacy groups on opposite sides of the political spectrum. He developed and maintained an active consulting practice during his time at Baylor.

Selected appellate Cases

Corsicana Industrial Foundation v. City of Corsicana, 685 S.W.3d 171. Rory served as appellate counsel for the City in the Waco Court of Appeals, which affirmed the trial court’s ruling that taxpayers did not have to pay millions of dollars pursuant to a contract that lacked constitutional safeguards. As of 2024, the Foundation is seeking review in the Texas Supreme Court. Rory is representing the City and taxpayers there as well. https://t.ly/Nn2YW

In re Benysl, 2024 WL 2061671 (2024). Obtained an emergency state and ultimately a writ of mandamus from the Austin Court of Appeals to compel a venue transfer in a family-law case.

Hoppenstein Properties v. McLennan County Appraisal District, 341 S.W.3d 16 and 2014 WL 2152010. Served as appellate counsel for Hoppenstein Properties, first to overturn an immunity ruling in the Waco Court of Appeals and then to protect a verdict in the Amarillo Court of Appeals.

In re Robertson, 2009 WL 1025390, 383 S.W.3d 170. Served as appellate counsel in the Waco Court of Appeals and opposing review in the Texas Supreme Court. The case involved a trial court’s ability to modify an appellate mandate.

Cole v. Generations Adoptions, 407 S.W.2d 904 (Dallas). Rory served as pro bono counsel trying to obtain review in the Texas Supreme Court and then the United States Supreme Court (2015 WL 738559).

In re Crystal Power, Inc., 641 F.3d 82. Designed and crafted the amicus brief, ultimately convincing the Fifth Circuit to overturn its own decision about the availability of mandamus.

Selected Publications

Uncertifiable: The Current Status of Nationwide State-Law Class Actions, 54 BAYLOR L. REV. 467

No Welcome Mat, No Problem: Federal Question Jurisdiction after Grable, 80 ST. JOHN’S L. REV. 621

It’s Just Not Worth Searching for Welcome Mats with a Kaleidoscope and a Broken Compass [The problem with arising-under jurisdiction] 75 TENNESSEE LAW REVIEW 659

Interlocutory Review of Orders Denying Remand Motions, 63 BAYLOR L. REV. 734

Consistent Deeming: A Cohesive Construction of 28 U.S.C. § 1332 in Cases Involving International Corporations and Permanent-Resident Aliens, 3 SETON HALL CIR. REV. 73

What Happens in State Court Stays in State Court: Comity and the Relitigation Exception to the Anti-Injunction Act FIU Law Review https://ecollections.law.fiu.edu/lawreview/vol15/iss2/5/

The Validity of Restraints on Alienation in an Oil and Gas Lease, 64 BUFF. L. REV. 305

Navigating the Bylaw Maze in NCAA Major-Infractions Cases, 37 SETON HALL LAW REVIEW 749

Aggregate Alienability, 60 VILL. L. REV. 1013 (with Luke Meier)

Amicus Brief for Interested Law Professors, Gunn v. Minton (U.S. Supreme Court) https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2181397

Amicus Brief for Interested Law Professors, In re Crystal Power (5th Circuit) https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1923676

Selected Presentations

Investigating Impeachment, panel discussion with (then) Professor Ryan and Congressional Representatives Alan Steelman and Chet Edwards. https://www.facebook.com/baylorlibraries/videos/290542591922781/

Gunn v. Minton post-argument panel at American University in Washington D.C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=DILXwCJE_gk

Panel Discussion on Supreme Court Nominations, with Judge Ken Starr and Professor David Guinn (April 12, 2016).

Presentation to the National Conference of Court Staff Attorneys for the Federal Judicial Center (2016).

Law Day Presentation and Fort Hood Military Base (May 2017).