W. Ryan Snow

Ryan is the 2024 President of the Virginia Bar Association and was Managing Partner of CWM from 2012 to 2020. He handles high-stakes litigation with a focus on complex business disputes, construction law, and maritime law. He also serves as local counsel in Virginia state and federal litigation. In 2022, Inside Business named him one of four “People to Watch” in its annual Power List edition. In 2024, he was included in the “Virginia 500 Power List” by Virginia Business magazine.

Ryan’s experience includes business conspiracies, technology disputes, government contracts, construction cases, maritime cases, railroad cases, mediation, arbitration, indemnity claims, and others. He successfully argued one of the seminal financial tracing cases in the Virginia Supreme Court and was co-counsel in one of the largest patent cases tried to jury verdict in Norfolk federal court.

Ryan is listed in Best Lawyers in America® and has been selected a Virginia Business Legal Elite in four categories. He is a past Chair of the Construction & Public Contracts Law Section of the VBA, a member of the IP Section of the Virginia State Bar, and a former President of the I’Anson-Hoffman American Inn of Court. In 2022, 2023 and 2025, he was named “Lawyer of the Year - Construction” for his area by Best Lawyers in America®.
Education
Washington & Lee University, J.D., 2001
Franklin & Marshall College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1998
Bar/Court Admissions
Virginia State Bar
Virginia Supreme Court
United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
United States Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit
United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
United States District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia
United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia
Community Involvement
I-Anson-Hoffman American Inn of Court (President, 2019-2020)
Norfolk Botanical Garden (Chairman, 2017-2020; Board of Trustees, 2012-2020)
Norfolk Botanical Garden Foundation (Board of Directors, 2013-2020, 2023-2024)
NPBA Middle School Mock Trial Program (Instructor, 2006-2015)
The Civil Rights Institute (Board, 2024)
Representative Experience
  • Represents businesses in complex contract cases, business conspiracy cases, business interference cases, intellectual property cases, technology disputes, commercial lease disputes, antitrust actions, declaratory judgment actions, injunctions, mediations, arbitrations, and others.
  • Represents construction clients, owners, and sureties in contract negotiations, teaming agreements, installation and design defects, mechanic’s liens, payment and performance bond claims, change order disputes, differing site condition claims, indemnity actions, and others.
  • Represents government contractors in contract drafting, business structures, teaming agreements, protests, change orders, equitable adjustments, litigation, appeals, cybersecurity, and others.
  • Represents maritime clients and railroad interests in marine construction cases, cargo cases, limitation actions, vessel arrests, MARPOL investigations, riparian rights disputes, property disputes, preemption cases, FELA cases, ICCTA challenges, and others.
News and Updates
Virginia Business Announces 25th Edition “Legal Elite”
Posted on December 12, 2024
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CWM Attorneys Recognized by Virginia Super Lawyers®
Posted on April 29, 2024
Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C. is pleased to announce that five of its lawyers have been selected for inclusion in the 2024 list of Virginia Super Lawyers® and Virginia Rising…...
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Virginia Business Announces 24th Edition “Legal Elite”
Posted on December 5, 2023
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CWM Attorneys Recognized by Virginia Super Lawyers®
Posted on April 28, 2023
Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C. is pleased to announce that four of its lawyers have been selected for inclusion in the 2023 list of Virginia Super Lawyers®. Through a selection…...
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CWM Attorneys Serve as Guest Judges for the Annual William Spong Moot Court Tournament
Posted on February 22, 2023
Final (championship) round of the contest Ryan Snow and Butch Bracknell served as guest judges on February 17 for the annual William Spong Moot Court Tournament at Marshall-Wythe School of Law…...
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CWM Attorneys Recognized by Coastal Virginia Magazine’s Top Lawyers of Coastal Virginia 2023
Posted on January 27, 2023
James L. Chapman, IV. Darius K. Davenport, Sr. Donald C. Schultz W. Ryan Snow Douglas E. Penner We are pleased to announce that five CWM attorneys, James L. Chapman, IV, Darius K. Davenport, Sr., Donald…...
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Virginia Business Announces 23rd Edition “Legal Elite”
Posted on December 1, 2022
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CWM Attorney Recognized by Inside Business Power List People to Watch
Posted on June 3, 2022
W. Ryan Snow Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C. is pleased to announce our very own W. Ryan Snow has been selected for inclusion in the 2022 Inside Business Power List People…...
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CWM Attorneys Recognized by Virginia Super Lawyers®
Posted on May 6, 2022
Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C. is pleased to announce that seven of its lawyers have been selected for inclusion in the 2022 list of Virginia Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars. …...
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CWM Attorneys Recognized by CoVa Biz Magazine’s Top Lawyers of Coastal Virginia 2022
Posted on January 20, 2022
James L. Chapman, IV.Darius K. Davenport, Sr.Donald C. SchultzW. Ryan Snow We are pleased to announce that four CWM attorneys, James L. Chapman, IV, Darius K. Davenport, Sr., Donald C. Schultz…...
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