Committee

Focus

Chair

Vice Chair

Liaison

Advertising and Internet

Plans presentations on legal issues relating to advertising and hot topics in the internet arena.

Liz Brodzinski
Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. 
[email protected]

Kerianne Strachan
Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery LLP
[email protected]

Anisha A. Mehta
K&L Gates LLP
[email protected]

Agents

Plans presentations and meetings on topics of interest to patent agents.

Jagriti Ritu Chander
Helix Patent Services LLC

[email protected]

Natasha Sansone
[email protected]

Jagriti Ritu Chander
Helix Patent Services LLC

[email protected]

AIA Trials Committee

Issues related to PTAB AIA trials.

George "Trey" Lyons, III
MBHB
[email protected]

Joshua James
Crowell & Moring LLP
[email protected]

Wasim K. Bleibel
Locke Lord LLP
[email protected]

Appointments

Assists IPLAC in promoting IP attorneys for judicial and other governmental openings.

Dr. E. Kate Berezutskaya
Greer, Burns & Crain, Ltd.
[email protected]

Marc V. Richards
Crowell & Moring LLP
[email protected]

Marc V. Richards
Crowell & Moring LLP
[email protected]

Biotechnology

Plans meetings on biotechnology topics of interest.

Stephanie Nelson
Baker Hostetler
[email protected]


 

Michael Patrick Ellenberger
McNeill Baur PLLC
[email protected]

Wasim K. Bleibel
Locke Lord LLP

[email protected]

CLE

Assists IPLAC in tracking CLE credit awarded for IPLAC programs.

Matthew Marrone
McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd.

[email protected]

 

Jaimin Shah
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
[email protected]

Anisha A. Mehta
K&L Gates LLP

[email protected]

Copyright

Plans meetings on copyright topics of interest.

Adam Wolek
Fox Rothschild LLP
[email protected]

Brittany Kaplan
K&L Gates

[email protected]

William (Bill) Beckman
Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company
[email protected]

Corporate

Plans meetings and presentations on topics of interest to IP attorneys working in corporate law departments. Members of this committee are limited to corporate practitioners.

Kara DeAngelis
McDonald’s Corporation
[email protected]

Jasmine Davis
ConAgra

 

Libby O'Neill
Loeb & Loeb
[email protected]

Creator of the Year

Solicits nominations for an award presented to a person or organization for a significant or unique creating in any aspect of IP.

Rathna Koka
JP Morgan Chase & Co
[email protected]

Vangelis Economou
Director, Patent Clinic
Economou IP Law
[email protected]

Dunstan Barnes
McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd
[email protected]
 

Dinner (Judges and Annual)

Plans the IPLAC Annual Dinner in May and the Annual Dinner Honoring the Federal Judiciary.

Alisa Simmons
Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery LLP

[email protected]
 

Madalyn Phillips
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association 
[email protected]

Tiffany D. Gehrke
Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP

[email protected]

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion within IPLAC itself and the Chicago IP Community at-large through programming,  outreach, opportunities for mentorship and sponsorship, assessing opportunities for improving diversity, and formulating diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.

Cynthia Assam 
[email protected]

Caleb Norris
IpHorgan LTD.
[email protected]

Ted Mahan
Irwin IP LLC
[email protected]

Atanu Das
Guntin & Gust
[email protected]

Ethics and Grievances

Conducts IPLAC ethics and grievance hearings.

Per the by-laws, this committee consists of the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

 

N/A

Field Day

Plans the golf tournament and other events for IPLAC’s Annual Field Day.

Evan Kline-Wedeen
Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery LLP
[email protected]  

Michael Patrick Ellenberger
McNeill Baur PLLC
[email protected]

Brian A. Verbus
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
[email protected]

 

Foundation Liaison

Liaises between IPLAC Educational Foundation and IPLAC leadership and Board.

Tanya Miari
McDonald's Corporation
[email protected]

 

Matthew Kelly

International Relations 
Committee

Focuses on IPLAC’s international presence. Seeks, addresses, and facilitates opportunities for members to liaise concerning IP with representatives of bar associations and governmental offices outside the U.S.

Patrick G. Burns
Greer, Burns & Crain, Ltd.
[email protected]

Tron Fu
Steptoe & Johnson LLP
[email protected]

Ryan Phelan
Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP
[email protected]

Matthew Kelly
 

Law School Outreach

Plans programming for the local law school students. Promotes camaraderie with the law schools.

Professor Cynthia Ho
Loyola University School of Law
[email protected]

Professor David L. Schwartz
Northwestern University School of Law
[email protected]

Atanu Das
Guntin & Gust
[email protected]

Litigation

Plans seminars on issues relating to IP litigation.

Leif Sigmond
Baker Hostetler
[email protected]

R. David Donoghue
Holland & Knight LLP
[email protected]

 

Laura Miller

Litigation: Amicus Committee

Tracks and identifies amicus opportunities and proposes and prepares amicus briefs to be submitted by IPLAC.

Bob Resis
Banner & Witcoff
[email protected]

Margaret M. Duncan
Adjunct Professor, Patent Law
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
[email protected]

Dunstan Barnes
McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd
[email protected]

Litigation: Claim Construction Committee

Prepares annual book and update on recent cases involving claim construction issues.

Kevin E. Noonan, Ph.D.
McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert &
Berghoff LLP
[email protected]

Adam G. Kelly
Loeb & Loeb LLP
[email protected]

 

Erin W. Lothson
Uber Technologies, Inc.
[email protected]

Membership

Develops plans for recruiting and retaining IPLAC members, evaluates applications for membership in IPLAC, and plans a reception for new members and committee chairs.

Kenneth Matuszewski
Goldberg Segalla
[email protected]

Judy He
Haynes and Boone, LLP
[email protected]

Vivian Sandoval
Nixon Peabody LLP
[email protected]

Peter J. Prommer
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
[email protected]

Mentoring

Manages IPLAC’s mentoring program.

Rachel Miller
Latimer LeVay Fyock LLC
[email protected]

Margot Wilson
MBHB
[email protected]

Kyle Gerstner
NIU Law

Jagriti Ritu Chander
Helix Patent Services LLC
[email protected]

Moot Court Competition Liaison - Saul Lefkowitz Coordinates with Midwest Regional planning committee to host moot court competition and recruit volunteer bailiffs.

Tanya Miari
McDonald's Corporation

[email protected]

 

Libby O'Neill
Loeb & Loeb
[email protected]

 

Moot Court Competition Liaison - Richard Giles

 

Andrew Wood
Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP
[email protected]

   

Newsletter

Prepares the IPLAC newsletter for distribution to all members. Assists the organization in promoting IPLAC programs, events & activities.

Adam Sussman
Crowell & Moring LLP
[email protected]

Arvin Hosseini
IIT Chicago Kent Law
[email protected]

Brian A. Verbus
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
[email protected]

Paralegal

Plans presentations and meetings on topics of interest to paralegals. Plans networking and social events for members.

Cindi Schermerhorn
LMH IP Services

[email protected]

Regina Blaskie
Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery
mailto:[email protected]

 

Abby Pierce
Neal & McDevitt
[email protected]

Peter J. Prommer
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
[email protected]

Patents - U.S.

Sponsors presentations on changes in U.S. patent law and procedures and regulations at USPTO. Also recommends to IPLAC leadership and board on whether IPLAC should take action on proposed legislation and regulation.

Yoni Torchman
Torchman IP
[email protected]

Joshua Smith
Crowell & Moring LLP
[email protected]

Joe Janas
Wells Fargo
[email protected]

Symposium

Plans and sponsors annual patent seminar on developments in patent law.

James Muraff
McDonald Hopkins
[email protected]

Matthew Marrone
McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd.
[email protected]

Viren Soni
Accenture
[email protected]

Margot Wilson
MBHB
[email protected]

Kwanwoo Lee
Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP
[email protected]

Laura MIller

Trade Secrets & Unfair Competition

Sponsors an annual in-depth seminar on new developments in trade secret and unfair competition.

Debbie Berman
Jenner & Block LLP
[email protected]

Brad Lane
Crowell & Moring LLP
[email protected]

William (Bill) Beckman
Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company
[email protected]

Trademarks & Anti-Counterfeiting

Plans and hosts presentations on changes in U.S. trademark law and procedures and regulations at USPTO. Also recommends to IPLAC leadership and board on whether IPLAC should take action on proposed legislation and regulation.

Janet Lee
Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. 
[email protected]



Donielle Robinson
McDonald Hopkins

[email protected]

Karen S. Hwang
KSH Law Group
[email protected]

Website

 

Assists the organization in maintaining the IPLAC website (www.IPLAC.org), emailing communications to membership, and planning website improvements.

Mary F. Fetsco
von Briesen & Roper, s.c.
[email protected]

Rachel Miller
Greer, Burns & Crain, LTD. 
[email protected]

Abby Neu
Greer, Burns & Crain, LTD.
[email protected]

 

Tiffany D. Gehrke
Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP
[email protected]

 

Women in IP

Plans and hosts programs and meetings of interest to women IP practitioners. Hosts annual judicial panel and progressive networking dinner.

Laura M. Schaefer
Leydig Voit & Mayer
[email protected]

Jacquelyn Prom
Pattishall McAuliffee
[email protected]

Mary LaFleur
Crowell & Moring LLP
[email protected]

Karen S. Hwang
KSH Law Group
[email protected]

Young Members

Plans networking and social events targeted to younger (and young at heart) members.

Prateek Reedy
Michael Best
[email protected]

 

Joseph Ambrose
Quarles and Brady LLP

[email protected]

George Jonas
[email protected]