CHICAGO – Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States, is pleased to announce its newly-named Board of Directors for 2008. The new Board members are:
Meredith Martin Addy – Ms. Addy, chair of the Appellate Group at Brinks, focuses on intellectual property litigation, including appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In 2007, she represented clients in three of IPO Daily NEWS™ List of the Top 13 Patent Cases of 2007. Ms. Addy is active at the Federal Circuit both as counsel and as a member of the Federal Circuit Advisory Council. She also serves as President of the Richard Linn American Inn of Court and as Chair of the AIPLA Amicus Committee. Ms. Addy is an editor of Claim Construction in the Federal Circuit, published by West Legalworks and a co-author of United States Patent Law, soon to be published by Oxford University Press. She is named as a leading Illinois IP Lawyer by Chambers USA for 2006 and 2007 and in The Best Lawyers in America for 2007 and 2008. In 2004, Ms. Addy was named to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s “Forty Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch.” She is a former law clerk to the Honorable Paul R. Michel, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. She received her B.S. in electrical engineering and her B.A. in fine arts from Rice University, her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law and her LL.M., in intellectual property, with honors, from The John Marshall Law School.
Thomas J. Filarski – Mr. Filarski, chair of the Chemical Group, litigates and counsels in generic pharmaceutical, medical device and chemical and other patent matters in federal court and the International Trade Commission. His courtroom experience has led him to be named an “Illinois Super Lawyer” in Intellectual Property Litigation for three consecutive years and a “Leading Intellectual Property Lawyer” by the Leading Lawyers Network. He speaks regularly on patent and litigation topics at numerous forums, including the International Intellectual Property Law Symposia at Oxford University and is the author of the chapter “Patent Defenses” in BNA Books’ 2005 Patent Litigation Series Handbook, now in its second edition. He is a charter member of the newly-formed Richard Linn American Inn of Court chapter in Chicago and he serves on the Board of
Trustees for the Licensing Executives Society, where he holds the office of secretary. Mr. Filarski holds a B.A. in chemistry from Loyola University of Chicago, a M.S. in chemical engineering from Michigan Technological University and a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
David S. Fleming – Mr. Fleming is chair of the Internet/E-commerce Group and concentrates his practice in trademark law, focusing on litigation in federal courts and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, counseling and prosecution in the Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Fleming has represented a wide variety of trademark clients in services and manufacturing industries. These clients have included worldwide companies engaged in the following activities: Internet search engine services; franchising in areas such as real estate brokerage and hotel services; car rental services; mortgage lending services; asset-based and other business lending services; title insurance and related services; a joint venture of credit card associations providing international standards for security in electronic payment transactions; retailing services; cellular and other communications equipment manufacturing and marketing; truck manufacturing; automobile parts manufacturing; tobacco products; and motion picture services. He received his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law and his B.A. from Northwestern University.
Charles M. McMahon – Mr. McMahon counsels clients and litigates in the areas of patent, trademark, copyright and unfair competition law. He has represented domestic and multinational clients in federal courts and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the International Trade Commission, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He also prepares and prosecutes patent applications and assists clients in the negotiation and preparation of licensing agreements. Mr. McMahon’s work has involved a variety of technical areas, including vehicular transmission systems, hearing systems, wireless communications, solid-state electronics, encryption systems, digital imaging systems, electronic measurement devices, software applications and online business-to-business exchange systems. He received his B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School. Prior to joining Brinks, Mr. McMahon was a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Randall R. Rader of the Federal Circuit.
Steven P. Oberholtzer – Mr. Oberholtzer is managing partner of Brinks’ Ann Arbor office and focuses on patent and trademark counseling, corporate intellectual property policy development, technology licensing, joint development and joint venture relationship agreements, United States Patent and Trademark Office administrative proceedings, including interferences, re-examinations, re-issues, trademark oppositions, patent application preparation and prosecution, providing opinions regarding infringement risks, design-around projects and patentability and administration of corporate intellectual property portfolios. He has extensive experience in the mechanical and electro-mechanical disciplines with particular emphasis on automotive industry issues and has additional significant experience in technology areas, including medical devices, lasers, fiber optics, optical devices and heavy industrial equipment. Mr. Oberholtzer received his J.D. from the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University and his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Kettering University, formerly known as the General Motors Institute.
Gary M. Ropski – Mr. Ropski is president of Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione and has practiced intellectual property law exclusively since joining the firm in 1976. His practice now focuses on litigation, but has included patent prosecution and litigation; trademark prosecution, including oppositions and litigation; trade dress litigation; copyright registration and litigation; trade secret litigation; right of publicity counseling and litigation; and related unfair competition and antitrust matters in federal and state courts. Mr. Ropski has received numerous awards, including being named as a Leading Illinois Intellectual Property Lawyer by Chambers USA for four consecutive years and one of the Top 10 Leading Lawyers for Business in Illinois by the Leading Lawyers Network. Mr. Ropski has also been recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyer in Intellectual Property Litigation and was named one of the Top 10 Super Lawyers in Illinois in 2006 and 2007. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law and his B.S. in physics from Carnegie-Mellon University.
Andrew Stover – Mr. Stover’s practice includes litigation, counseling and patent prosecution. He has extensive experience preparing and prosecuting U.S., foreign and international patent applications, advising and counseling clients about all aspects of patent law and preparing non-infringement, patentability and invalidity opinions. His patent prosecution experience has been primarily concentrated in the mechanical and electro-mechanical arts, including medical devices, scanning and detecting equipment, textile machinery and products, agricultural machinery and products, packaging machinery and products and office furniture products. Mr. Stover received his J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law, his M.S. and his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Washington University.
Founded in 1917, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is based in Chicago with four additional offices across the country serving the intellectual property needs of clients from around the world. The firm is one of the largest IP law firms in the country, with more than 170 attorneys, scientific advisors and patent agents specializing in intellectual property litigation and all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, unfair competition, intellectual asset management, and technology and licensing agreements. Brinks routinely handles assignments in fields as diverse as electrical, chemical, mechanical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, nanotechnology, Internet and computer technology, as well as in trademarks and brand names for a wide variety of products and services. For more information, visit www.usebrinks.com.
