Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, on May 21, 1952, Mr. Ruiz received his undergraduate education at the University of California at Berkeley (A.B., 1974) and his legal education at Stanford Law School (J.D., 1977).

Mr. Ruiz is a Fellow in the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates with more than twenty years of experience as a trial lawyer.

In December of 1999, Mr. Ruiz was elected President of the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California. He is also a member of the Association of Defense Trial Lawyers, Defense Research Institute, International Association of Defense Counsel and the American, California and Santa Clara County Bar Associations.

He is a frequent lecturer on trial practice techniques for the California Continuing Education of the Bar, Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California, and serves as a clinical instructor in trial advocacy at Stanford Law School.

Mr. Ruiz' published decisions include: Nicholson v. Fazeli (2003) 113 CA4th 1091; Hinshaw, Winkler, Draa, Marsh & Still v. Superior Court (1996) 51 CA4th 233; McCubbrey v. Veninga (9th Cir., 1994) 39 F.3d 1054; Drew v. Drake (1980) 110 CA3d 555, and; Jamison v. Lindsay (1980) 108 CA3d 223.