Restoring the lives and dignity of those injured by others
Mr. Ruffo joined the partnership in August 2016 after spending 24 years litigating the most significant Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Mass Tort, and Wrongful Death cases at Dankner, Milstein, & Ruffo P.C, and Sullivan & Liapakis P.C.
Mr. Ruffo’s extraordinary results speak for themselves. He started trying cases within weeks after his admission. He was initially focused on product liability litigation where he litigated substantial matters against:
- Toyota
- Ford
- GM
- Dow Corning
- And many other major manufacturers
He then added medical malpractice to his expertise by learning medicine literally word by word.
Mr. Ruffo recalls, “The time came when our practice started to take on many substantial matters of medical malpractice. I volunteered to handle those cases and had to learn how to read a medical record on a case-by-case basis. This was before GOOGLE so all I had was a medical dictionary. Over time I was able to understand the records, in some cases better than the doctors involved in the case”
Accordingly, Ed went on to obtain numerous medical damage awards including a $12 million settlement for injuries sustained by a child at birth, a $12 million settlement for injuries sustained by an adult after surgery, and a $9 million settlement for injuries sustained by a child following poor emergency care.
Professional Recognition
His excellence within the legal field has not gone without recognition. Mr. Ruffo has been regularly featured in the New York Jury Verdict Reporter for his recoveries on behalf of those lost or injured due to the negligence of others. Accordingly, he has been annually ranked as a Top 10 and Top 100 Trial Lawyer by numerous professional societies including The National Trial Lawyers Association and Super Lawyers.
He has also been distinguished as the Nation’s Top One Percent by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, one of America’s Top 100 Personal Injury Lawyers, a Top 100 SuperLawer, and a Best Lawyer in U.S. News and World Report. His proven track record of success has earned him membership on the Legal Referral Service Panel of the New York City Bar Association where he serves as a member of their Medical Malpractice Committee. In addition, he was awarded the rank of AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell, signifying the highest diction bestowed upon an Attorney for his legal ability and ethical standards.
Giving Back to the Field of Law
Mr. Ruffo’s accomplishments and commitment to law reach far beyond his work at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP. He has been nominated and served on the Board of Directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association for the past several years. Likewise, Mr. Ruffo has lectured to continuing legal education programs on topics surrounding Personal Injury Litigation and authored several articles concerning various aspects of trial advocacy.
Current Work, Inspiration and Personal Life
Mr. Ruffo currently litigates cases at the state and federal levels in New York and New Jersey. He is admitted to practice within New York, New Jersey, the United States District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, as well as the District of New Jersey. Mr. Ruffo also achieved admittance to practice before the United States Supreme Court in 2010.
Mr. Ruffo was inspired to become an Attorney in order to help people who otherwise might be unable to have their day in court and obtain justice. Mr. Ruffo describes his sworn commitment to his clients as: “I will do everything possible to win their case and to obtain the highest measure of compensation allowed by the law. That’s why they chose me or at least the reason they should have chosen me for representation”.
Mr. Ruffo currently resides in Westchester County, NY with his wife Lauren, daughter Victoria, and son Harrison. He is an active member of the local school foundation, community giving fund, and a proud supporter of his local first responders.
Education
Mr. Ruffo attended Columbia College, where he majored in Political Science and was placed on the Dean’s List for his excellent academic record. He then went on to receive his law degree from the St. John’s University School of Law, where he focused his studies on Civil Litigation, Trial Practice, and Injury Law. During his time at St. John’s, Mr. Ruffo was involved in the Moot Court Competition and Civil Trials.
St. John’s University School of Law, Jamaica, New York
- J.D. – 1992
- Honors: Civil Trial and Moot Court Competition
Columbia College
- B.A. – 1989
- Dean’s List
- Major: Political Science
Bar Admissions
- New York, 1992
- New Jersey, 1992
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1993
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1993
- U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 1993
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2010
Professional Associations & Memberships
Edward has been afforded Life Achievement and Charter Membership in several pre-eminent organizations including Distinguished Judicial Advocates, America’s Top 100 Attorneys and Lawyers of Distinction and is a member of the following legal associations:
- American Bar Association, Member
- New York State Bar Association, Member
- New York City Bar Association
- Brooklyn Bar Association
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Former Board of Director
- American Association for Justice
- National Trial Lawyer Association
- New York Academy of Trial Lawyers
- New York County Lawyers Association
- The American Association for Justice
- Million Dollars Advocate Forum
- International Society of Barristers 2018- present
- American Board of Trial Advocates 2015- present
- New York State Trial Lawyers Academy, Board of Directors 2024-2025
Honors & Awards
- America’s Best Lawyers 2024-2025
- Top 100 USA Trial Lawyer, NTLA, 2016 – Present
- Super Lawyer Thomson Reuters, NY Metro Super Lawyer 2008 – present
- Top 100 Attorney, Super Lawyers 2016
- Best Lawyers 2018- present
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum 2009- present
- America’s Top High Stakes Litigation 2020 – present
- Expertise.com Top NY Personal Injury Attorneys 2020- present
- Expertise.com Top Motorcycle Accident Attorneys 2020- present
- Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys, 2015 – Present
- Jury Verdict Hall of Fame, NY Jury Verdict Reporter, 2015 – Present
- Legal Referral Preferred Attorney Panel, Brooklyn Bar Association, 2015 – Present
- Medical Malpractice Committee Association of The Bar of NYC, 2015 – Present
- American Bar Foundation, Fellow, 2015 – Present
- Top 1% National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2015 – Present
- US News Top Tier Law Firm, Best Lawyers, 2013 – Present
- Legal Referral Service Preferred Attorney, New York City Bar Association, 2011 – Present
- AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 2011 – Present
- Tier One Medical Malpractice & Product Liability, US News & World Report, 2010 – Present
- Best In Medical Malpractice Winner, New York Law Journal, 2010 – Present
Recent Results
- $12,000,000 for brain injury after surgery.
- $9,000,000 after structured settlement for a child with a hand injury after an improperly treated fracture.
- $6,000,000 for lack of security.
- $5,000,000 for a child with neurological impairment after an undiagnosed viral illness.
- $3,500,000 for failure to diagnose and treat post-operative bleeding.
- $3,000,000 for leg dysfunction after hernia surgery.
- $3,000,000 for a lady with partial leg amputation after failure to diagnose a blood clot.
- $2,750,000 for a survivor of an automobile accident.
- $2,200,000 for a lady sustaining a cardiovascular injury during heart surgery.
- $2,000,000 for workers burned as a result of improperly labeled floor polish.
- $1,500,000 for a gentleman sustaining visual disturbance after gland surgery.
- $1,175,000 for the estate of an elderly man who lost his battle to untimely diagnosed prostate cancer.
- $1,050,000 for an elderly lady with complications after carotid artery surgery.
Client Testimonials
“I am so pleased with the legal services and representation afforded to me by Mr. Ruffo and all the legal professionals at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP. They obtained a great result for me. I am proud to highly recommend their legal services to anyone who might have a personal injury or medical practice claim they wish to pursue”
– Mary M., June 6, 2020
“Mr. Ruffo is a master trial attorney. He is professional, personable, and dedicated to fighting for your rights. Mr. Ruffo kept me informed during each step of the process. I highly recommend him to anyone in need of a medical malpractice attorney.”
– Anonymous, March 29, 2017
“In July 2012 my mother was diagnosed with rare cancer. After consultations with a surgeon, she decided to go ahead with a noninvasive surgery to prolong her life and to ensure her quality of life. January 2013, after the surgery, my mother was left paralyzed from the waist down and had to be in a diaper. Although my mom’s cancer was rare, she was a young, vibrant woman of 62, able to drive and be self-sufficient. As a family, we consulted & hired Mr. Ruffo. My mother was left unable to care for herself and he was prepared to fight for what she needed. Because of the errors that went wrong during her procedure, she was unable to continue her regular course of cancer treatment. She passed away a month later. Mr. Ruffo continued to fight for my mother. From the time my family hired Mr. Ruffo until the settlement, he treated this case with kindness and the utmost compassion. We are very grateful for the settlement we received. The monies will go towards all her grandchildren’s education, just how she would have wanted.”
– Jennifer, July 10, 2017
“I’d spoken to several lawyers who weren’t interested in my case before Mr. Ruffo was recommended to me. He is the pinnacle of professionalism in his field. In the past, I had heard people talk about lawyers who didn’t return their communication and who couldn’t remember the details of their case. Mr. Ruffo is exactly the opposite. He was meticulous in responding immediately to my many, many emails, and was astounding in his ability to recall even the most minute details of my case. Under the very upsetting situation of a malpractice case, his demeanor was always calming and empathetic. When the circumstances of the case seemed unlikely to warrant a positive outcome, he was able to negotiate a great settlement. I was very satisfied with the result and would highly recommend Mr. Ruffo without hesitation.”
– Rita, October 24, 2015
“Mr. Ruffo is a knowledgeable attorney, with years of experience. You can be assured that he always has your best interest in mind; he takes the time to discuss all options with his client. I can personally attest to the fact he is attentive and sympathetic to your needs, but more importantly, understands without a shadow of a doubt all the complexities that go into a medical malpractice case. He will get you the results you need! He is honest about the process, timeline, trial, settlement, etc. Do not hesitate to hire this attorney. I will forever be grateful to him and his firm for their hard work and dedication to myself and my family; after an ordeal that could only be described as a nightmare.”
– Elizabeth, September 2015
“Edward Ruffo represented my mother in a medical malpractice case. Thankfully we found him. We were told by other Lawyers that our case was very hard to prove and very time-consuming! Well, Mr. Ruffo did it, he proved all the others wrong. He kept my mom updated constantly and never gave up, even when we began to think the hospital would prevail. He worked diligently to prove them wrong and gave my mother the peace of mind she had been searching for. He is an amazing lawyer. A true seeker of truth & fairness.”
– Anne T., June 29, 2015
“In 2012 I was recommended to Mr. Ruffo. It turned out to be an excellent piece of advice. At the time, I was very nervous since I had never been involved in a lawsuit. From the very start of my case, Ed was clear of our objective, confident of the outcome, and caring of my needs. I knew he was only a phone call away should I have any questions. He always returned my calls. The case was settled, and I received a generous settlement beyond my expectations. I am certain that this result was due to his excellent negotiation skills. I would not hesitate to recommend him.”
– Debora, May 1, 2014
