James A. Ruggieri
Rhode Island
Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney, LLP
10 Dorrance Street
Suite 400
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401.272.3500
Email:
jruggieri@hcc-law.com
Web:
www.hcc-law.com
Jim Ruggieri has devoted a substantial part of his broad-based litigation practice to the defense of product liability claims, including automotive/trucking product liability, manufacturing machinery and equipment, electrical components, building products, pharmaceuticals and other products.
Jim is also actively involved in the defense of asbestos product liability claims on behalf of manufacturers of heating and cooling equipment, valves, pumps, compressors, building products manufacturers, and aircraft manufacturers throughout New England.
He is a sustaining member of the Product Liability Advisory Council, an association of more than 100 leading product manufacturers and 350 of the foremost product liability defense counsel in the United States and abroad. He has also been recognized on multiple occasions by both The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel for his outstanding achievement in the fields of product liability and insurance law.
Jim has tried more than 30 cases to conclusion in the state and federal courts and has represented clients in numerous appellate proceedings in both state and federal courts. He was named “Lawyer of the Year” in The Best Lawyers in America. A single “Lawyer of the Year” is only recognized in any given location and in the area of product liability litigation defense. In the same publication he was also honored as a Best Lawyer® in the area of employment law. He has also been recognized by Super Lawyers®, the highly regarded peer review organization. Jim was inducted into the Rhode Island Lawyers’ Weeekly ® Hall of Fame in June of 2024.
Jim began his legal career as a law clerk to the Justices of the Rhode Island Superior Court during the 1982-1983 term. He served as law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Florence K. Murray during the 1983-1984 term. Among other duties, Jim assisted Justice Murray with her opinion in State v von Bulow.
He joined Higgins Cavanagh & Cooney in 1984 and became a partner in 1990. He is admitted to practice in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in both the state and federal courts. Jim is a graduate of Brown University and Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, Ohio.
Jim is a member of the Rhode Island, Massachusetts and American Bar Association’s. He is also a member of the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), ALFA International, the Defense Research Institute and the Defense Counsel of Rhode Island. Jim is a past president of the Brown Club of Rhode Island and serves as a member of the board of directors of the Roger Williams University School of Law.
Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney has skillfully represented product manufacturers and sellers throughout our firm’s history. Our Product Liability Practice Group’s clients range from some of the world’s largest corporations to family owned businesses.
The law of product liability holds manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers, and others of unreasonably dangerous products strictly liable for the injuries those products cause. It’s a tough legal standard, much harsher than mere negligence.
In state and federal courts throughout the region, we successfully represent manufacturers and sellers of trucks, automobiles, material handling equipment as well as consumer, recreational, and medical products. A substantial part of this sophisticated practice is devoted to the defense of specific product liability claims involving:
- Automotive product liability
- Manufacturing machinery and equipment
- Supplemental parts
- Electrical components
- Building products
Our attorneys are also actively involved in the defense of asbestos product liability claims on behalf of manufacturers of heating and cooling equipment, valves, pumps, compressors, building products manufacturers, and aircraft manufacturers throughout New England. As a result, advocates in this group are highly skilled in both individual and mass tort claims. This experience also provides our lawyers with exceptional access to the top expert and technological resources available.
In addition to defending suits alleging product defect, we assist our clients in preventing such claims through the performance of product safety audits.
The range and depth of our experience in product liability defense allows our lawyers to bring unmatched institutional knowledge to this complex area of legal practice and to guide our clients to the best possible result in the most efficient manner.
The attorneys at Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney approach every challenge confronting our clients with the single-minded determination of gaining the advantage at every level of the adversarial process. The cumulative effect of this focused resolve is consistently outstanding results achieved at reasonable cost.
HCC’s more than seventy years of experience provides it with an unparalleled depth of knowledge and breadth of resources which result in the highest levels of practice and professionalism. This depth of knowledge and experience allows HCC to provide its clients with common sense, cost-effective solutions to many of the individual and business challenges that confront them on a daily basis.