CHICAGO – Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States, is pleased to announce that six attorneys have been elected shareholders of the firm.
The new shareholders are:
James K. Cleland – Mr. Cleland focuses his practice in patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition litigation in a broad range of technologies, including the chemical, materials science, mechanical and medical device arts, as well as in client counseling, opinion and licensing work. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Indiana University School of Law, and his B.S. in chemical engineering, cum laude, from the University of Michigan. Mr. Cleland is based in the Ann Arbor, Michigan office of Brinks and is licensed to practice in Michigan and Illinois.
Kelly J. Eberspecher – Mr. Eberspecher’s practice focuses on the litigation of intellectual property matters. His litigation experience extends to a wide variety of technical areas and he has first-chair experience in both jury and bench trials. He has served as lead counsel in multi-count patent infringement actions and in both binding and non-binding alternative dispute resolution proceedings. Mr. Eberspecher received his J.D. from Indiana University School of Law and his B.S. in biology, with a minor in chemistry, from the University of Wyoming.
Anastasia Heffner – Ms. Heffner’s practice includes all aspects of patent, copyright, and trade secret litigation. Her practice also includes patent prosecution, opinion and licensing work in the mechanical, electromechanical and Internet fields and counseling clients regarding product portfolio management. She received her J.D., with honors, from DePaul University College of Law and her B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Justin B. Rand – Mr. Rand’s intellectual property practice focuses on all aspects of patent prosecution and litigation in the mechanical and biological fields as well as in the preparation of opinion letters. Mr. Rand also counsels clients on contractual and licensing issues as well as product portfolio analysis and management. He received his J.D. from Boston University School of Law and his B.S. in biology, with a minor in psychology from Indiana University.
Michael N. Spink – Mr. Spink’s intellectual property practice focuses on all aspects of client counseling, including procurement, licensing and opinions on patents, trademarks and copyrights. His patent practice includes portfolio management, prosecution, licensing and enforcement in numerous industries including the automotive, medical device, and software industries. His trademark practice comprises registration, management, licensing and enforcement in federal district court and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Mr. Spink’s copyright practice includes registration and licensing, and he is currently a contributing author on copyright law in a quarterly publication of the American Bar Association. He received his J.D., cum laude, from The John Marshall Law School and his B.S. in mechanical engineering, cum laude, from the University of Michigan. Mr. Spink is based in the Ann Arbor, Michigan office of Brinks and is licensed to practice in Michigan and Illinois.
Mary M. Squyres – Ms. Squyres is the chair of firm’s International Trademark Group and manages eight staff and more than 20,000 active trademark files. Her practice includes international trademark litigation, licensing and prosecution, including determination of international filing strategies, negotiating worldwide mutual co-existence agreements and effective enforcement strategies to defend marks and prevent infringements. Prior to joining Brinks, Ms. Squyres was in-house counsel at Sears, Roebuck and Co. in corporate and international trademark law for an international trademark portfolio of over 2,800 active trademarks and service marks in over 100 countries. She received her LL.M. in intellectual property from The John Marshall Law School, her J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law, her M.A. in American history from The University of Chicago and her B.A. from Manhattanville College.
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.
