Trial Lawyer, Stalwart Law Group LLP
Dylan Ruga is a trial lawyer focused on intellectual property, professional liability, and commercial litigation. Ruga has earned a reputation among his clients and colleagues as a dedicated advocate who obtains results by outworking and outmaneuvering his opponents.
Ruga left an international law firm to open his own firm, Stalwart Law Group. One of his firm’s first clients was a tech startup called Reserve Media, Inc., which launched restaurant reservation software under the RESERVE trademark. Unbeknownst to Reserve Media at the time it launched, another company also sold restaurant reservation software under other “Reserve” -related marks. That company demanded $50 million from Reserve Media and threatened to sue. Reserve Media hired Ruga to develop a litigation defense strategy. In the end, Ruga’s strategy worked; the court dismissed all of the counterclaims and concluded that Reserve Media’s use of the RESERVE trademark did not infringe on the other company’s marks. Ruga is now working with investors and others in the startup community to identify new ways for startups to avoid and, if necessary, defend against similar trademark-related claims.
