R. Ryan Wilber has over a decade of experience practicing criminal law in Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Mendocino, and neighboring counties. Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, Ryan considers himself a Sonoma County native; he is well-known and respected by local judges, prosecutors, and fellow defense attorneys. He has handled all varieties of criminal cases, from the smallest misdemeanor to the highest felony, and is well-versed in the value of a case and how to achieve justice for every individual client. His track record speaks for itself. Being a criminal defense attorney is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Ryan, and he takes pride in making sure each client’s rights are protected as they navigate the complexities of the criminal justice system. His pursuit of this area of the law comes from his own experiences growing up.
Ryan graduated from San Francisco State University in 2005 with a double major in Political Science and Criminal Justice. During his studies there, he was passionate about civil rights and criminal justice. He externed for the Honorable Adrienne Miller in San Francisco Juvenile Court, and he also interned at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, taking complaints of police abuse. This experience furthered his interest in standing up for those facing prosecution or other forms of governmental interference.
Studying at Empire College School of Law allowed Ryan to work his way through law school. He was a law clerk for several well-known criminal defense and civil litigation attorneys, as well as for the Mendocino County Public Defender’s Office. When he graduated in 2010, he had established a network for himself and gained valuable experience in the field, having worked on cases in juvenile court, domestic violence, sex crimes, drug crimes, assaults, gang crimes and DUI cases.
After graduation and briefly working for a family law attorney, Ryan quickly pivoted back to criminal defense. His passion for the courtroom and for representing the underserved in our community drove him to open his own practice. Ryan’s passion and work-ethic over the past several years has resulted in him becoming one of the most aggressive and well-respected DUI defense attorneys in Northern California. To date, he has handled upwards of 2,000 DUI cases. He has received numerous awards, including being named a Rising Star by SuperLawyers.com 5 years in a row. He is a member in good standing of the National College of DUI Defense, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the California DUI Lawyers Association. Ryan is frequently consulted by colleagues from all over California and Washington on tactical DUI defense issues and has been sought after for commentary on various cases and legislative issues by local and national news outlets.
Currently, Ryan splits his time between California and Washington State, where he has opened a boutique law practice focusing specifically on aviation pilots facing DUI charges with resulting FAA administrative complications. He is currently licensed in California State courts, Federal Court, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and Washington State and Federal courts.
When not in the courtroom or his offices, Ryan can be found running trails, on an open-water swim in the Puget Sound or San Francisco Bay, training as a pilot, spending time with his wife and law partner, Rachel, their two children, and two Great Danes, or occasionally revisiting his years as a house music dj of the nineties San Francisco rave scene.
