Ryan C. Smith

Ryan draws on a unique combination of private sector and public service experience to help businesses strategically navigate the evolving landscape of privacy law. Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, he served as counsel for a leading trade association for digital advertising. In this role, he advised member companies on compliance with federal and state-level privacy laws and regulations, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the My Health My Data Act, and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. He has extensive experience in advertising technology, children’s privacy, precise location data and user consent mechanisms.

Ryan also served as a law clerk to the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. In these roles, he worked on high-profile data privacy investigations.

Ryan takes a thoughtful, business-oriented approach to client service. His practice is grounded in the belief that even in a complex regulatory environment, legal strategies should be clear, actionable, and aligned with business growth.

He earned his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and a B.A. from Michigan State University.