Press Releases

CHICAGO – Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States, is co-sponsoring the second annual banquet of the Indian-American Bar Association (IABA), to be held on September 25, 2010, at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago.

This year’s banquet, “Embracing a Decade of Change,” marks the organization’s 10-year anniversary. The Public Interest Fellowship and Community Service Award recipients will be recognized, and a video montage reflecting on the past 10 years of the organization will be featured.

“We are thrilled to be celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the IABA," said Manish K. Mehta, an associate at Brinks and President of the IABA. "The organization’s commitment has made a significant impact on the advancement of the South-Asian legal community in Chicago.”

The keynote speaker is the Honorable Judge Amul Thapar, the first Indian-American judge named to the federal judiciary and currently the youngest U.S. District Judge. Judge Thapar is active in both the National South Asian Law Students Association and the National South Asian Bar Association. He received the Distinguished Legal Professional Award from the South Asian Bar Association of Connecticut, and was recognized as one of the Best Lawyers under 40 by the National Asian Pacific Bar Association.

ABC Channel 7’s Ravi Baichwal, an Emmy Award-winning Chicago news anchor who is actively involved in the Indian-American community and in community service in the Chicagoland area, will be the master of ceremonies for the program.

Sufyan Sohel, who worked at the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) this past summer, is the winner of this year’s Public Interest Fellowship from the IABA. The fellowship grant is awarded to a law student who works in an unpaid or low-paid summer position benefiting the public interest. Sohel is completing his final year at DePaul University College of Law where he is a coordinator for DePaul’s Pro Bono and Service Community Initiatives, sits on the Committee for Public Interest and University Ministry Advisory Board, is the Editor-in-Chief of the DePaul Rule of Law Journal and serves as volunteer tutor at Pritzker Elementary School.

The IABA of Chicago was established in 2000 to promote professional development and interaction in the South-Asian legal community. The organization provides a mentoring and career-counseling program for law students, and created the Cyriac D. Kappil Pro Bono Clinic to provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford it.

Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States and serves the intellectual property needs of clients around the world. Brinks has 150 attorneys, scientific advisors and patent agents who specialize in intellectual property litigation and all aspects of patent, trademark and copyright law. The firm also advises on issues relating to intellectual asset management, trade secret, unfair competition, and technology and licensing agreements. Brinks routinely handles assignments for companies in the electrical, chemical, and mechanical engineering sectors; the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and nanotechnology industries; and for companies whose work relates to Internet and computer technology law. The firm’s trademark practice works on behalf of clients who deal in a wide variety of products and services. Founded in 1917, Brinks is based in Chicago and has five additional offices across the country, including its new office in Washington D.C. More information is available at www.usebrinks.com.