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Samuel J. Ruggio

Partner
Chicago
T.
312.624.6379
liamE

Samuel focuses his practice on complex patent litigation primarily in the pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechnology fields.

Sam has worked on a wide variety of patent and intellectual property related cases in numerous venues across the United States. From District Courts to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and the Federal Circuit––Sam has experience throughout. 

Sam understands that every case presents a unique and individualized scenario. He diligently works to understand the client’s goals and carefully crafts litigation and pre-litigation strategies to exceed expectations. Whether the strategy is to litigate, license, settle, redesign or some other creative outside-the-box approach, Sam never loses sight of the big picture and the client’s goals.

His representative cases involve both patent owners and accused infringers, corporations (large and small) and individual inventors. As a battle-tested patent litigation attorney, Sam has far reaching experience at every stage of a case. From discovery to taking and defending depositions, as well as expert selection and preparation, pre-trial and trial, Sam is keenly aware of what it takes to go the distance to reach the desired outcome.

Sam was previously a Federal judicial intern for the Honorable Judge Thomas Durkin at the Northern District of Illinois. He also worked at the John Marshall Law School Patent Clinic, where he helped small-time inventors protect their ideas.

Sam graduated with honors and received a JD Certificate in Intellectual Property with an emphasis on Patents. He received his law degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, cum laude, where he served as a staff member of the John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law (RIPL). He earned a B.S. in Biology from Northern Illinois University.

Representative Experience

  • Defended leading medical device manufacturer in a six-year long litigation concerning a medical device patent with both apparatus and method claims. Obtained summary judgment of non-infringement as to the method claims, which was affirmed on appeal by the Federal Circuit. The remaining claims were dismissed with prejudice following the appeal.
  • Defended one of the most well-known image sensor companies in a patent litigation involving three image sensor patents in the Central District of California. Obtained a complete judgment of non-infringement as to all claims across all patents.
  • Defended software company against claims of patent infringement in Delaware District Court. Initiated an Inter Partes review at the Patent Trial & Appeal Board. Following oral argument, the Board invalidated all the claims asserted in the underlying litigation.
  • Represented Feit Electric, a global leader in first-to-market lighting innovations, against claims of patent infringement by a Japanese conglomerate. After years of contentious discovery, the matter proceeded to a nearly two-week jury trial. Ultimately obtained a full defense verdict in favor of Feit Electric.

  • Intellectual Property
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Pharmaceutical
  • University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, 2015, J.D., Intellectual Property Certificate with emphasis in Patent Law
    • cum laude
    • Staff Member and Writer, The John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law
    • Peking University, Beijing, China 2013 Comparative Intellectual Property Summer Abroad Program
  • Northern Illinois University, 2011, B.S., Biology, Minor in Chemistry
  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
  • Listed, The Best Lawyers in America Ones to Watch, Litigation - Patent, 2024-2025
  • Listed, Illinois Super Lawyers: Rising Stars, IP Lit, 2025
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Chicago Bar Association
  • Member, Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago

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