team-member

Ryan Scott

Portland, OR

Licensed for 26 years

Law Degree

Awards

Primary Practice Area

Criminal Defense

Language

English

About

I exclusively practice criminal law, both trials and appeals.  Until 2006, I was the chief attorney in the major felony section of Metropolitan Public Defenders.  A frequent speaker on criminal defense issues in Oregon, on topics ranging from the Oregon Constitution to motion-writing, I am a 2009 winner of the OCDLA's President's Award for my "legal acumen and willingness to assist other criminal defense lawyers."    

Practices Areas

Criminal Defense

Language

English

Contact

1549 SE Ladd AvenuePortland, OR, 97214-4700 Office (503) 546-0618 Mobile (971) 235-6189 1549 SE Ladd AvenuePortland, OR, 97214-4700 Office (503) 546-0618(503) 546-0618 Mobile (971) 235-6189(971) 235-6189

Office: (503) 546-0529

Website: N/A

Reviews

sheila
May 23, 2011

Ryan is an outstanding lawyer. When I was charged with a serious, false charge, I knew I had to do what ever I needed to in order to have Ryan as my attorney (I had previously watched him in action on another case). He will fight for justice. He is a dedicated, passionate, brilliant, and compassionate lawyer.The accused needs the best attorney on their case, and you have found the best! My case was dismissed within two weeks of hiring Mr. Scott.

Randy
June 14, 2011

I was arrested for a serious crime that I did not commit. I spent several weeks interviewing attorneys, Ryan being one of them.I was impressed with his straight forward approach, with his knowledge on the crime,and his honesty in answering the questions I asked.I did some research on him by talking with former clients of his and other attorneys I knew. All of the feedback I recieved was positive.I hired him to represent me on my case.Throughout the entire time he worked for me he kept me well informed.Ryan would come see me or call me any time there was new information or developements in my case. Nothing is worse than being in custody ,not knowing what is going on with my case. He never put me off or gave me false hope. He worked hard and fast, leaving no stone unturned.The most important piece for me was that he believed what I said.I trusted him from begining to end.He did an amazing job. I would recommend Ryan to anyone who is in need of an attorney without hesitation. I would not think twice about hiring Ryan, should I ever need an attorney again. I am innocent and he proved that. All of my charges were dropped. If you were to ask me about Ryan I would say,"He's definately one of the best in Portland."

Brittany
January 7, 2022

I write this review during the beginning of my case and totally unsure of what the outcome will be. Regardless, I know Ryan Scott will work as hard as he can to defend me in this case. Without receiving a penny, he met with me twice, spent time emailing and talking on the phone, retrieved legal documents and notified me of a new warrant! He has gone above and beyond to help me understand the legal process and prepare for the next step. I cannot stress enough how relieving it is to know I have him backing me during this confusing and scary time. Ryan clearly devotes all his time and energy to his clients and has shown me that countless times in our short relationship. I look forward to working with him on this case and HIGHLY urge anyone considering, DO IT! You won't regret it. He is extremely affordable and doesn't hide things in fine print like other lawyers I have hired. He set one amount, was very straight forward and flexible on when I could pay, and that was that. I have 100% faith he will do everything he can to help. He is very knowledgeable and I am lucky to have him representing me! Thanks so much Ryan. ***This was copy and pasted from a review I left on another site MONTHS ago. I am adding it here with a resolution as well because truly, Ryan saved my life. THE CASE WAS DISMISSED! I couldn't have done it without him. Ryan is such a down to earth, quick thinker who just simply knows his stuff and is willing to fight till the end for any client. 10/10 I would highly recommend, a million times over. Ryan is someone you definitely want on your team.

Jessie
September 16, 2021

Mr. Scott reduced my sentence and brought me home. He has I believe a very unique way of working and definitely is not scared to go head to head with a DA. In my opinion he is definitely a top level criminal defense lawyer one of the best. If I ever need a lawyer I will 100 percent look him up!

Michael
August 23, 2021

Ryan is a very professional and knowledgeable attorney. He helped our family through a very difficult case. Ryan explained the procedures we would have to go through and kept in constant contact with updates. Ryan always went above and beyond. This man truly cares about his clients and gives his all to make sure justice prevails. Even after the case was over Ryan would check in. I would consider him more than our Attorney, I would consider him our friend.

anonymous
August 9, 2021

Navigating the justice system has been one of the toughest challenges my family has ever faced. We extensively searched for attorneys to bring justice to a M11 case. After a long search, we were fortunate to find Ryan Scott. From the start, his professionalism and extensive knowledge gave us the confidence to know we had the best defense attorney on our side. Though the battle was long and complicated, Ryan kept in touch and readily answered all our questions and concerns. We believe he is among the best in the criminal defense industry, and we were fortunate to have him on our side. Though my sister’s case was incredibly challenging, a major felony was dismissed and her sentence has significantly reduced. My family is forever grateful for his hard work and diligence.

anonymous
July 1, 2021

What if you're guilty? You STILL want to hire the best attorney you can find because the criminal justice system cannot be trusted to treat you fairly. I hired Ryan Scott as a guilty defendant, intending to own my guilt fully from the beginning, and he took my case anyway. Having never been in trouble before, I faced a serious felony (Measure 11) and was ready to throw myself "on the mercy of the court." People who loved me, much wiser than me and who knew about my situation, insisted that I get representation anyway. My second call was to Ryan. My first call was to an attorney who went overboard, even to the point of yelling over the phone, to try to scare me into hiring his firm. However, Ryan's approach, from the beginning all the way to sentencing, was compassionate and understanding. He ultimately protected me from prosecution that could have "heaped on" and got the best possible outcome for me, while respecting my desire to fully own my wrong-doing. He counseled me with wisdom and empathy while holding to my desire to do rightly. I watched his interaction with other lawyers, including prosecutors, and observed how deeply they seemed to respect Ryan as they appeared to be asking for his advice about the law. I got the sense throughout the whole process that Ryan was fully invested in my advocacy. More importantly, I came to understand the level of his competency and his knowledge of the law. He not only sees the trees (the relevant aspects of the law regarding my case), but also the forest (seemingly distant cases or legislative actions that might have real bearing on my case). His intuition seemed to always play out as he thought it would. The criminal justice system is adversarial by nature. Ryan advocated for me in that system with a sincere level of respect for everyone involved, including opposing counsel. While being willing to "set his jaw" against the prosecution when necessary, he always did it professionally with principle above passion. If you're reading this, my guess is that you're in serious trouble and need someone competent and honorable to stand beside you. Simple said: Ryan's your guy. You don't need to look any further.

Keith
May 28, 2021

Ryan Scott is absolutely brilliant in understanding the law on those that are accused of a false sex crimes! He should be the 1st on your list to interview. He doesn't sugar coat anything. He will layout a plan and advise the best way to spend your hard earned money on avoiding doing the serious time that Oregon imposes on it residents. If you have already been convicted he has an excellent record of overturning convictions. Don't be fooled by any other attorney. These things take years to be overturned. Mine took 8.5 years on a 25 year conviction! I'm now home with my wife and my son. Ryan has communicated with me beyond my expectations, cried with me on my win and took my case very personally. The support that he gave my wife via email constantly was a life saver and went beyond what any other professional would have done! Thanks Ryan, your the best!

Jamie
July 22, 2020

Completely innocent. Imprisoned for a twelve and a half year sentence. Wife and three children traumatized beyond words. Family and friends crushed by the injustice of powerful men and women. Hope seemed small. Then Ryan Scott. Ladies and gentlemen, this man...this man saw my case, saw my story, saw my innocence and found justice for me. He saw things we couldn't see. He saw things professional lawyers who have been practicing for many years did not and could not see. But most importantly to me, he saw me. In tears of gratitude, sitting in my home in the presence of my wife and children, I am writing this review. There are no dry eyes among us. Ryan Scott saved my life, our family life. If anyone can save yours, it's him. Brilliant, professional, a straight-shooter, and has the credibility and respect among colleagues that you'd imagine a United States Senator would have. No one knows the law like Ryan. I find it impossible that anyone would regret hiring Ryan Scott for absolutely any legal matter. Although he has already been paid, in large sense I will always be indebted to him. Thank you, Ryan.

anonymous
March 9, 2020

I hired Ryan when false allegations of sexual assault were levied against me and I couldn't be happier for making that decision. Ryan responded immediately and walked me through exactly what the process would be like. Just one month later the investigation was suspended and a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. He and his private investigator couldn't have been more professional throughout the entire process. I highly recommend choosing Ryan as your defense lawyer if you find yourself in need of one!

sheila
May 23, 2011

Ryan is an outstanding lawyer. When I was charged with a serious, false charge, I knew I had to do what ever I needed to in order to have Ryan as my attorney (I had previously watched him in action on another case). He will fight for justice. He is a dedicated, passionate, brilliant, and compassionate lawyer.The accused needs the best attorney on their case, and you have found the best! My case was dismissed within two weeks of hiring Mr. Scott.

Randy
June 14, 2011

I was arrested for a serious crime that I did not commit. I spent several weeks interviewing attorneys, Ryan being one of them.I was impressed with his straight forward approach, with his knowledge on the crime,and his honesty in answering the questions I asked.I did some research on him by talking with former clients of his and other attorneys I knew. All of the feedback I recieved was positive.I hired him to represent me on my case.Throughout the entire time he worked for me he kept me well informed.Ryan would come see me or call me any time there was new information or developements in my case. Nothing is worse than being in custody ,not knowing what is going on with my case. He never put me off or gave me false hope. He worked hard and fast, leaving no stone unturned.The most important piece for me was that he believed what I said.I trusted him from begining to end.He did an amazing job. I would recommend Ryan to anyone who is in need of an attorney without hesitation. I would not think twice about hiring Ryan, should I ever need an attorney again. I am innocent and he proved that. All of my charges were dropped. If you were to ask me about Ryan I would say,"He's definately one of the best in Portland."

Brittany
January 7, 2022

I write this review during the beginning of my case and totally unsure of what the outcome will be. Regardless, I know Ryan Scott will work as hard as he can to defend me in this case. Without receiving a penny, he met with me twice, spent time emailing and talking on the phone, retrieved legal documents and notified me of a new warrant! He has gone above and beyond to help me understand the legal process and prepare for the next step. I cannot stress enough how relieving it is to know I have him backing me during this confusing and scary time. Ryan clearly devotes all his time and energy to his clients and has shown me that countless times in our short relationship. I look forward to working with him on this case and HIGHLY urge anyone considering, DO IT! You won't regret it. He is extremely affordable and doesn't hide things in fine print like other lawyers I have hired. He set one amount, was very straight forward and flexible on when I could pay, and that was that. I have 100% faith he will do everything he can to help. He is very knowledgeable and I am lucky to have him representing me! Thanks so much Ryan. ***This was copy and pasted from a review I left on another site MONTHS ago. I am adding it here with a resolution as well because truly, Ryan saved my life. THE CASE WAS DISMISSED! I couldn't have done it without him. Ryan is such a down to earth, quick thinker who just simply knows his stuff and is willing to fight till the end for any client. 10/10 I would highly recommend, a million times over. Ryan is someone you definitely want on your team.

Jessie
September 16, 2021

Mr. Scott reduced my sentence and brought me home. He has I believe a very unique way of working and definitely is not scared to go head to head with a DA. In my opinion he is definitely a top level criminal defense lawyer one of the best. If I ever need a lawyer I will 100 percent look him up!

Michael
August 23, 2021

Ryan is a very professional and knowledgeable attorney. He helped our family through a very difficult case. Ryan explained the procedures we would have to go through and kept in constant contact with updates. Ryan always went above and beyond. This man truly cares about his clients and gives his all to make sure justice prevails. Even after the case was over Ryan would check in. I would consider him more than our Attorney, I would consider him our friend.

anonymous
August 9, 2021

Navigating the justice system has been one of the toughest challenges my family has ever faced. We extensively searched for attorneys to bring justice to a M11 case. After a long search, we were fortunate to find Ryan Scott. From the start, his professionalism and extensive knowledge gave us the confidence to know we had the best defense attorney on our side. Though the battle was long and complicated, Ryan kept in touch and readily answered all our questions and concerns. We believe he is among the best in the criminal defense industry, and we were fortunate to have him on our side. Though my sister’s case was incredibly challenging, a major felony was dismissed and her sentence has significantly reduced. My family is forever grateful for his hard work and diligence.

anonymous
July 1, 2021

What if you're guilty? You STILL want to hire the best attorney you can find because the criminal justice system cannot be trusted to treat you fairly. I hired Ryan Scott as a guilty defendant, intending to own my guilt fully from the beginning, and he took my case anyway. Having never been in trouble before, I faced a serious felony (Measure 11) and was ready to throw myself "on the mercy of the court." People who loved me, much wiser than me and who knew about my situation, insisted that I get representation anyway. My second call was to Ryan. My first call was to an attorney who went overboard, even to the point of yelling over the phone, to try to scare me into hiring his firm. However, Ryan's approach, from the beginning all the way to sentencing, was compassionate and understanding. He ultimately protected me from prosecution that could have "heaped on" and got the best possible outcome for me, while respecting my desire to fully own my wrong-doing. He counseled me with wisdom and empathy while holding to my desire to do rightly. I watched his interaction with other lawyers, including prosecutors, and observed how deeply they seemed to respect Ryan as they appeared to be asking for his advice about the law. I got the sense throughout the whole process that Ryan was fully invested in my advocacy. More importantly, I came to understand the level of his competency and his knowledge of the law. He not only sees the trees (the relevant aspects of the law regarding my case), but also the forest (seemingly distant cases or legislative actions that might have real bearing on my case). His intuition seemed to always play out as he thought it would. The criminal justice system is adversarial by nature. Ryan advocated for me in that system with a sincere level of respect for everyone involved, including opposing counsel. While being willing to "set his jaw" against the prosecution when necessary, he always did it professionally with principle above passion. If you're reading this, my guess is that you're in serious trouble and need someone competent and honorable to stand beside you. Simple said: Ryan's your guy. You don't need to look any further.

Keith
May 28, 2021

Ryan Scott is absolutely brilliant in understanding the law on those that are accused of a false sex crimes! He should be the 1st on your list to interview. He doesn't sugar coat anything. He will layout a plan and advise the best way to spend your hard earned money on avoiding doing the serious time that Oregon imposes on it residents. If you have already been convicted he has an excellent record of overturning convictions. Don't be fooled by any other attorney. These things take years to be overturned. Mine took 8.5 years on a 25 year conviction! I'm now home with my wife and my son. Ryan has communicated with me beyond my expectations, cried with me on my win and took my case very personally. The support that he gave my wife via email constantly was a life saver and went beyond what any other professional would have done! Thanks Ryan, your the best!

Jamie
July 22, 2020

Completely innocent. Imprisoned for a twelve and a half year sentence. Wife and three children traumatized beyond words. Family and friends crushed by the injustice of powerful men and women. Hope seemed small. Then Ryan Scott. Ladies and gentlemen, this man...this man saw my case, saw my story, saw my innocence and found justice for me. He saw things we couldn't see. He saw things professional lawyers who have been practicing for many years did not and could not see. But most importantly to me, he saw me. In tears of gratitude, sitting in my home in the presence of my wife and children, I am writing this review. There are no dry eyes among us. Ryan Scott saved my life, our family life. If anyone can save yours, it's him. Brilliant, professional, a straight-shooter, and has the credibility and respect among colleagues that you'd imagine a United States Senator would have. No one knows the law like Ryan. I find it impossible that anyone would regret hiring Ryan Scott for absolutely any legal matter. Although he has already been paid, in large sense I will always be indebted to him. Thank you, Ryan.

anonymous
March 9, 2020

I hired Ryan when false allegations of sexual assault were levied against me and I couldn't be happier for making that decision. Ryan responded immediately and walked me through exactly what the process would be like. Just one month later the investigation was suspended and a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. He and his private investigator couldn't have been more professional throughout the entire process. I highly recommend choosing Ryan as your defense lawyer if you find yourself in need of one!

sheila
May 23, 2011

Ryan is an outstanding lawyer. When I was charged with a serious, false charge, I knew I had to do what ever I needed to in order to have Ryan as my attorney (I had previously watched him in action on another case). He will fight for justice. He is a dedicated, passionate, brilliant, and compassionate lawyer.The accused needs the best attorney on their case, and you have found the best! My case was dismissed within two weeks of hiring Mr. Scott.

Randy
June 14, 2011

I was arrested for a serious crime that I did not commit. I spent several weeks interviewing attorneys, Ryan being one of them.I was impressed with his straight forward approach, with his knowledge on the crime,and his honesty in answering the questions I asked.I did some research on him by talking with former clients of his and other attorneys I knew. All of the feedback I recieved was positive.I hired him to represent me on my case.Throughout the entire time he worked for me he kept me well informed.Ryan would come see me or call me any time there was new information or developements in my case. Nothing is worse than being in custody ,not knowing what is going on with my case. He never put me off or gave me false hope. He worked hard and fast, leaving no stone unturned.The most important piece for me was that he believed what I said.I trusted him from begining to end.He did an amazing job. I would recommend Ryan to anyone who is in need of an attorney without hesitation. I would not think twice about hiring Ryan, should I ever need an attorney again. I am innocent and he proved that. All of my charges were dropped. If you were to ask me about Ryan I would say,"He's definately one of the best in Portland."

Brittany
January 7, 2022

I write this review during the beginning of my case and totally unsure of what the outcome will be. Regardless, I know Ryan Scott will work as hard as he can to defend me in this case. Without receiving a penny, he met with me twice, spent time emailing and talking on the phone, retrieved legal documents and notified me of a new warrant! He has gone above and beyond to help me understand the legal process and prepare for the next step. I cannot stress enough how relieving it is to know I have him backing me during this confusing and scary time. Ryan clearly devotes all his time and energy to his clients and has shown me that countless times in our short relationship. I look forward to working with him on this case and HIGHLY urge anyone considering, DO IT! You won't regret it. He is extremely affordable and doesn't hide things in fine print like other lawyers I have hired. He set one amount, was very straight forward and flexible on when I could pay, and that was that. I have 100% faith he will do everything he can to help. He is very knowledgeable and I am lucky to have him representing me! Thanks so much Ryan. ***This was copy and pasted from a review I left on another site MONTHS ago. I am adding it here with a resolution as well because truly, Ryan saved my life. THE CASE WAS DISMISSED! I couldn't have done it without him. Ryan is such a down to earth, quick thinker who just simply knows his stuff and is willing to fight till the end for any client. 10/10 I would highly recommend, a million times over. Ryan is someone you definitely want on your team.

Jessie
September 16, 2021

Mr. Scott reduced my sentence and brought me home. He has I believe a very unique way of working and definitely is not scared to go head to head with a DA. In my opinion he is definitely a top level criminal defense lawyer one of the best. If I ever need a lawyer I will 100 percent look him up!

Michael
August 23, 2021

Ryan is a very professional and knowledgeable attorney. He helped our family through a very difficult case. Ryan explained the procedures we would have to go through and kept in constant contact with updates. Ryan always went above and beyond. This man truly cares about his clients and gives his all to make sure justice prevails. Even after the case was over Ryan would check in. I would consider him more than our Attorney, I would consider him our friend.

anonymous
August 9, 2021

Navigating the justice system has been one of the toughest challenges my family has ever faced. We extensively searched for attorneys to bring justice to a M11 case. After a long search, we were fortunate to find Ryan Scott. From the start, his professionalism and extensive knowledge gave us the confidence to know we had the best defense attorney on our side. Though the battle was long and complicated, Ryan kept in touch and readily answered all our questions and concerns. We believe he is among the best in the criminal defense industry, and we were fortunate to have him on our side. Though my sister’s case was incredibly challenging, a major felony was dismissed and her sentence has significantly reduced. My family is forever grateful for his hard work and diligence.

anonymous
July 1, 2021

What if you're guilty? You STILL want to hire the best attorney you can find because the criminal justice system cannot be trusted to treat you fairly. I hired Ryan Scott as a guilty defendant, intending to own my guilt fully from the beginning, and he took my case anyway. Having never been in trouble before, I faced a serious felony (Measure 11) and was ready to throw myself "on the mercy of the court." People who loved me, much wiser than me and who knew about my situation, insisted that I get representation anyway. My second call was to Ryan. My first call was to an attorney who went overboard, even to the point of yelling over the phone, to try to scare me into hiring his firm. However, Ryan's approach, from the beginning all the way to sentencing, was compassionate and understanding. He ultimately protected me from prosecution that could have "heaped on" and got the best possible outcome for me, while respecting my desire to fully own my wrong-doing. He counseled me with wisdom and empathy while holding to my desire to do rightly. I watched his interaction with other lawyers, including prosecutors, and observed how deeply they seemed to respect Ryan as they appeared to be asking for his advice about the law. I got the sense throughout the whole process that Ryan was fully invested in my advocacy. More importantly, I came to understand the level of his competency and his knowledge of the law. He not only sees the trees (the relevant aspects of the law regarding my case), but also the forest (seemingly distant cases or legislative actions that might have real bearing on my case). His intuition seemed to always play out as he thought it would. The criminal justice system is adversarial by nature. Ryan advocated for me in that system with a sincere level of respect for everyone involved, including opposing counsel. While being willing to "set his jaw" against the prosecution when necessary, he always did it professionally with principle above passion. If you're reading this, my guess is that you're in serious trouble and need someone competent and honorable to stand beside you. Simple said: Ryan's your guy. You don't need to look any further.

Keith
May 28, 2021

Ryan Scott is absolutely brilliant in understanding the law on those that are accused of a false sex crimes! He should be the 1st on your list to interview. He doesn't sugar coat anything. He will layout a plan and advise the best way to spend your hard earned money on avoiding doing the serious time that Oregon imposes on it residents. If you have already been convicted he has an excellent record of overturning convictions. Don't be fooled by any other attorney. These things take years to be overturned. Mine took 8.5 years on a 25 year conviction! I'm now home with my wife and my son. Ryan has communicated with me beyond my expectations, cried with me on my win and took my case very personally. The support that he gave my wife via email constantly was a life saver and went beyond what any other professional would have done! Thanks Ryan, your the best!

Jamie
July 22, 2020

Completely innocent. Imprisoned for a twelve and a half year sentence. Wife and three children traumatized beyond words. Family and friends crushed by the injustice of powerful men and women. Hope seemed small. Then Ryan Scott. Ladies and gentlemen, this man...this man saw my case, saw my story, saw my innocence and found justice for me. He saw things we couldn't see. He saw things professional lawyers who have been practicing for many years did not and could not see. But most importantly to me, he saw me. In tears of gratitude, sitting in my home in the presence of my wife and children, I am writing this review. There are no dry eyes among us. Ryan Scott saved my life, our family life. If anyone can save yours, it's him. Brilliant, professional, a straight-shooter, and has the credibility and respect among colleagues that you'd imagine a United States Senator would have. No one knows the law like Ryan. I find it impossible that anyone would regret hiring Ryan Scott for absolutely any legal matter. Although he has already been paid, in large sense I will always be indebted to him. Thank you, Ryan.

anonymous
March 9, 2020

I hired Ryan when false allegations of sexual assault were levied against me and I couldn't be happier for making that decision. Ryan responded immediately and walked me through exactly what the process would be like. Just one month later the investigation was suspended and a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. He and his private investigator couldn't have been more professional throughout the entire process. I highly recommend choosing Ryan as your defense lawyer if you find yourself in need of one!