Ryan J. Regula, Counsel at our Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. law offices
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Ryan J. Regula

Counsel
Biography

Ryan J. Regula is a member of Snell & Wilmer’s special litigation and compliance practice group, where he utilizes his government experience to guide his clients through all aspects of their administrative law needs at both the federal and state level.

Ryan represents publicly and privately held companies, government agencies, and other political offices. Ryan’s practice includes assisting clients with strategic counseling when facing complex regulatory issues, investigations, enforcements, and policy development. Ryan is also an experienced litigator who has tried cases in federal and state court, administrative proceedings, and before state public commissions.

Ryan’s clients include those in government, environmental industries, the energy industry and energy commodity market, transportation, housing, and government contracting.

Ryan’s environmental experience includes the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) program, the Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF) program and the Resource Conversation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Ryan has negotiated matters with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and has advised on rulemakings and the assumption of federally delegated programs. Ryan also represents water districts and water resource management companies before state governing bodies.

Ryan’s energy experience includes litigating matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and state public utilities in tariff disputes and cost allocation rate designs as well as providing strategic counseling (both federal and state) regarding complex regulatory issues involving natural gas pipelines, power plants, and ancillary services. Ryan also provides direction to his energy clients pertaining to the juxtaposition of Federal Communication Commission (FCC) requirements.

Ryan’s transportation experience includes aviation, trucking, and maritime matters. Ryan is experienced representing carriers, brokers, and logistic companies manage risk and navigate the complexities of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Motorist Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC). Ryan also provides regulatory guidance for aircraft safety and manufacturing, compliance initiatives for the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA), the Harter Act, the Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Entity Act, and the Hague Rules, and leads responses to investigation and enforcement initiatives by state and federal agencies.

Ryan’s housing experience centers on litigating Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) matters and advising clients on all aspects of tax credit investment portfolio management. Ryan also assists clients navigate and litigate U.S. Department of Housing and U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, including issues governed by Sections 8 and 515 of the U.S. Code.

Prior to joining Snell & Wilmer, Ryan was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Arizona where he first- and second-chaired many of the State’s highest profile environmental litigation matters. Ryan also has the unique distinction of assisting the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee evaluate the nomination of a current U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

Ryan was a Division I student-athlete at two schools. He played football and ran track at the University of Pittsburgh for a year, where he was a member of the 2002 Insight Bowl Championship football team and a recipient of eight Panther Tooth helmet football stickers. At the University of Notre Dame, Ryan was a member of four Big East Conference Championship track and field teams and was twice named the men’s track and field scholar-athlete of the year.

Ryan is a board member for the Energy Bar Association Western Chapter and, in his free time, has coached track and field at Xavier College Preparatory Roman Catholic High School.

Credentials

Bar Admissions

  • Arizona
  • District of Columbia


Court Admissions

  • District of Columbia Court of Appeals
  • Supreme Court of Arizona
  • United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • United States District Court, District of Arizona
  • United States District Court, District of Columbia


Education

  • Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law (J.D.)
    • Law, Science and Technology Certificate in Intellectual Property
    • Saint Thomas More Society, President
  • University of Notre Dame (B.A., English, magna cum laude)
    • Rhodes Scholar University Nominee
    • Marshall Scholar University Nominee
    • Sigma Tau Delta English National Honor Society
    • Big East Conference Track & Field Team Champion (Indoor & Outdoor)
    • Men’s Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
  • University of Pittsburgh
    • Insight Bowl Football Champion/Final Team Ranking #18 Coaches’ Poll
    • Eight Panther Tooth Helmet Football Stickers
Experience

Awards & Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch, Administrative/Regulatory Law (2021-2025)
  • Attorney General Emerging Star Award for Civil Litigation (2016)
  • Attorney General Team of the Year Award for Civil Litigation (2015)
  • Attorney General Opinion Review Committee (2017-2019)

Previous Professional Experience

  • Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Assistant Attorney General, Environmental Civil Litigation
  • Pennsylvania Trial Court Division, Judicial Law Clerk to the Hon. Patrick T. Kiniry
  • Office of U.S. Senator Jon Kyl, Legal Extern for U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

Professional Memberships and Activities

  • ProVisors
  • Energy Bar Association Western Chapter, Board Member
  • Federalist Society, Phoenix Chapter
  • State Bar of Arizona
    • Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section (Past)
  • Cambria County Pennsylvania Local Rules of Procedure Committee (Past)

Community Involvement

  • Grand Canyon Council, Boy Scouts of America, Legal Committee
  • Energy Bar Association Western Chapter, Board Member
  • Xavier College Preparatory Roman Catholic High School, Assistant Track and Field Coach (Past)
  • Mater Misericordiae Roman Catholic Church, Parish Finance Committee (Past)
  • University of Notre Dame Club of Phoenix

Representative Presentations and Publications