CHICAGO – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States, is pleased to announce that Gary M. Ropski, 53, has taken office as president of the firm. Elected by shareholder vote, Ropski will serve a four-year term. Ropski joined Brinks as an associate in 1976 and became a shareholder in 1981. He has been a member of the firm’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee several times, as well as chaired many of the committees in the firm.
“Brinks has an outstanding reputation as one of the leading intellectual property law firms,” said Ropski. “As president of the firm, I am committed to maintaining and focusing on client service, expanding the firm and promoting diversity by recruiting talent from a wide range of backgrounds and technical disciplines and championing a healthy working environment throughout our firm. With the support of a strong management team behind me, I will continue my active litigation practice.”
Ropski focuses his practice on complex intellectual property litigation for Fortune 500 corporations. His legal experience cuts across the entire spectrum of IP law, with more than 100 disputes litigated before the International Trade Commission and in every federal circuit in the U.S., including a recent landmark victory on behalf of clients, ZF Friedrichshafen AG and ArvinMeritor, Inc., respondents in a Section 337 patent infringement matter.
Ropski served as an Adjunct Professor of Patents and Copyrights at the Northwestern University School of Law for 17 years. He has published numerous articles and frequently speaks at venues worldwide. He is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), Federal Circuit Bar Association (FCBA), Fédération Internationale des Conseils en Propriété Industrielle (FICPI), Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC), Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), International Bar Association (IBA), International Trade Commission Trial Lawyers Association (ITCTLA), International Trademark Association (INTA), the Licensing Executives Society (LES) and the Patent and Trademark Institute of Canada (PTIC).
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 1972 with a degree in physics, he completed manufacturing management training in the Transportation Systems Business Division of the General Electric Corporation. While at GE, he learned how to draft patents and decided to pursue a career in intellectual property law. He earned his J.D. cum laude from Northwestern University School of Law in 1976 and joined Brinks shortly thereafter.
Founded in 1917, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is based in Chicago with three other 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 150 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 or brand names for a wide variety of products and services. For more information, visit www.usebrinks.com.
