Richard T. Ruzich is the Chair of the firm’s ANDA and Biologics Practice Group. Richard focuses his practice on complex patent litigation, representing generic pharmaceutical companies in Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) and launches-at-risk litigation. An accomplished trial and appellate advocate, registered patent attorney, and frequent lecturer and author, Richard is nationally known for his legal work on behalf of the generic pharmaceuticals industry.
In addition, Richard has broad experience managing patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secrets matters for clients in the computer hardware and software, medical device, chemical, and drug industries. He counsels clients on IP portfolio management and protection strategies, files and prosecutes IP asset applications, and negotiates major IP transactions such as licensing, joint venture, and government research and development agreements. In private litigation, Richard has led trials involving widely varying technologies from injectable cancer drugs and high blood pressure medications to radio transmission systems and microprocessors. He has experience first-chairing cases from the from the trial level through the appellate process, including to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Prior to entering private practice, Richard was a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., defending the United States and its agencies against patent infringement suits brought by the private sector. Richard successfully represented the Department of Energy, Department of Defense (Army, Navy, and Air Force), National Security Agency, CIA, FBI, and the White House in high-stakes patent infringement suits. He is also member of the U.S. Navy Reserves (lieutenant commander) and holds a top-secret/SCI security clearance.
Richard has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology from Bradley University and worked as an electrical engineer in Chicago and New York for several years before going to law school. He graduated cum laude from Southern Illinois University School of Law and earned his LL.M.in intellectual property law from The John Marshall Law School with honors. He also sits on the firm's Board of Directors.