August 18, 2014, Chicago – Reed Smith today announced the addition of two partners and a counsel to its Intellectual Property Practice in Chicago. Robert E. “Bob” Browne, John A. Cullis and Lawrence E. “Lee” James, Jr. were formerly partners at Neal Gerber & Eisenberg, Chicago.
Browne and Cullis will be partners at Reed Smith; James will be of counsel.
“This team has deep roots in Chicago, and strong backgrounds in trademark law and other elements of intellectual property law,” said James T. Hultquist, firmwide Leader of Reed Smith’s IP Practice. “Together they have been a very strong force in this field for many years. We have shared several clients and have long admired their work and are delighted to welcome them to our team.”
Browne represents clients in all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright and unfair competition law and related litigation in federal district and appellate courts and before the International Trade Commission, including obtaining temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions.
A recognized leader in Chambers USA recommended in Intellectual Property since 2006, Browne negotiates and drafts patent, trademark, and merchandise licenses, computer software licenses and development agreements, publishing agreements, technology transfer and development agreements, and video and motion picture distribution agreements, as well as provides expert testimony on patent and copyright issues.
“Reed Smith provides us with a global platform upon which to expand and develop our practices, as well as providing strong support for our clients’ many other legal needs,” said Browne. “John, Lee and I are very enthusiastic about the new opportunities we will have as part of the firm’s global intellectual property practice.”
Browne is a member of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, the International Trademark Association, and the American and Chicago Bar Associations. He has also been included in The Best Lawyers in America within Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law and Trademark Law since 2006, and in Illinois Super Lawyers. He is a 1970 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Cullis focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation, counseling and procurement. He has first chaired trademark, trade dress, trade secret, copyright and unfair competition matters before numerous U.S. federal courts, throughout the country, and the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. In addition, Cullis routinely counsels clients on the clearance, registration, enforcement, licensing and acquisition/disposition of intellectual property rights.
Cullis has established a reputation among his peers as a preeminent litigator in the field of intellectual property. He was named among “the most talented young attorneys in Illinois” by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, which included him in its annual “40 Under 40” list in 2011. He has also been recognized as a leading global trademark practitioner by The World Trademark Review 1000 in 2014 for Enforcement and Litigation. Cullis has also been recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyer for Intellectual Property Litigation.
In addition to his focus on intellectual property matters, Cullis leverages his dual Canadian-U.S. law licenses to counsel and advise many foreign based clients on a wide range of U.S. legal issues, including U.S. acquisitions and dispositions; corporate formations; cross-border tax issues; licensing and transactional agreements; commercial real estate matters; and corporate/commercial disputes.
Cullis is a 2000 graduate of the University of Windsor Faculty of Law and University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law. He is a member of the International Trademark Association’s Opposition and Cancellation Standards and Procedures Sub-Committee and is the President of the Board of the Canada-U.S. Business Council.
James litigates patent, trademark, trade dress, copyright and unfair competition matters in courts at every level. In addition, he obtains patents and clears new products for mechanical, electromechanical, Internet and e-commerce applications; counsels clients in domain name disputes; and handles licensing and acquisitions, publicity rights and right to privacy matters. He is a 2006 graduate of DePaul University College of Law.
“Bob, John and Lee bring additional IP muscle which will help us stay abreast of the burgeoning commercial activity in this region, much of which involves intellectual property, technology transfer and competition issues,” said Reed Smith Chicago Managing Partner Michael LoVallo. “The three of them work together seamlessly, and will provide significant support for resolving our clients’ thorniest IP issues, whether transactional or litigation expertise is required.”
Reed Smith’s extensive and respected global Intellectual Property Practice fosters collaboration among nearly 100 IP lawyers across its 25 offices worldwide. It is frequently recognized for its experience and consistently positive client results.
For example, BTI Litigation Outlook 2013 ranked the firm’s IP Practice a “Powerhouse,” describing it as among the best in the area of litigation based on extensive interviews with more than 350 general counsel and chief legal officers of large companies. U.S. News & Best Law Firms 2013 ranked it in Tier 2 for “Litigation – Intellectual Property,” “Patent Law” and “Trademark Law”; and The Legal Intelligencer named the practice a 2012 Pennsylvania “Litigation Department of the Year.”
The firm’s Intellectual Property lawyers are consistently recognized as leading lawyers in the field by the World Trademark Review 1000, Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America and as “Leading IP Strategists” by Intellectual Asset Management Magazine.
