Thomas David "T. D." Ruth
Thomas David "T. D." Ruth joined Lassiter Tidwell as an associate in 2005, bringing with him nearly ten years of experience in the entertainment industry as well as a diverse background in entrepreneurship and new venture creation.
T. D.’s background in the music business includes six years of artist management, talent buying, and concert production and promotion. In 2003 he founded one of the first legitimate digital distribution companies, which focused on offering high quality, "lossless" digital audio and consisted of a library of over 30,000 live and studio recordings. As a frontrunner in the industry, T. D. developed innovative consumer licenses that eliminated the need for digital rights management mechanisms. He also established relationships with major mechanical rights licensors that enabled artists to release recordings of live performances within minutes of a show.
Since joining the firm, T. D. has represented recording artists, songwriters, producers, independent record labels and publishers in all facets of the music industry. He most frequently represents the interests of producers in negotiations with recording artists, recording artists in negotiations with major record labels, and songwriters in negotiations with major publishers. On behalf of producer clients, he recently has negotiated with Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Lopez, Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis, Kelly Clarkson, The Pussycat Dolls and Paul Oakenfold.
Due to the high profile of many of Lassiter Tidwell’s clients, T. D. also focuses a significant portion of his practice on trademarks as well as rights of publicity and privacy. He has successfully represented numerous clients before the United States Patent and Trademark Office in pursuing trademark applications and overcoming office actions, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in prosecuting and defending oppositions to registration and petitions to cancel, and has pursued many ICANN claims for the return of domain names.