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CHICAGO – Roy E. Hofer, Gary M. Ropski, James R. Sobieraj and William H. Frankel of Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione have been listed in Managing Intellectual Property magazine’s Guide to the World’s Leading Patent Law Practitioners (9th ed.), to be published in December 2010.

Published since 1993, the Expert Guides recognize attorneys nominated by their clients and professional peers as leading practitioners in their field. For the upcoming edition, more than 4,500 questionnaires were sent to senior in-house counsel, partners at patent law firms and agencies, and other specialists in more than 70 jurisdictions.

Roy E. Hofer has more than 45 years of experience in litigating patent, trade secret, trade dress and related antitrust and contract matters. Still active in district court cases, Mr. Hofer now devotes most of his time to consulting on federal appeal cases, serving as a mediator, arbitrator or special master, and rendering opinions on patent validity, infringement and litigation issues. Mr. Hofer is also a member of the Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County, a 17-member group formed in 2010 to evaluate and provide performance improvement plans to judges facing re-election in Cook County.

Gary M. Ropski, the current president of Brinks, is a trial lawyer with nearly 35 years of intellectual property experience. Mr. Ropski has litigated in every federal judicial circuit in the United States and in almost all of the top 10 districts for patent litigation. He also taught patent and copyright law for 17 years at the Northwestern University School of Law.

James R. Sobieraj is a licensed patent attorney with more than 28 years of experience in procuring, licensing and enforcing intellectual property rights. He has been lead counsel in many cases involving patent infringement, ownership of patent rights, license disputes, misappropriation of trade secrets, trade dress infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, defamation, fraud, antitrust, breach of contract and other commercial litigation. Mr. Sobieraj's litigation experience includes bench and jury trials, temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, Markman hearings, appeals, arbitrations and mediations. Mr. Sobieraj is a past president of the Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada) and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago.

William H. Frankel has more than 30 years of IP experience focused on patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret and unfair competition litigation in jury and non-jury cases. Mr. Frankel has represented multinational clients in federal courts, before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, before the International Trade Commission and in alternative dispute resolution forums in connection with injunction, trial, contempt and appellate proceedings. He also has been asked by disputing parties to mediate IP matters. In addition, Mr. Frankel has taught patent law as an adjunct professor at DePaul University, and has written and presented on a number of IP topics around the world. Mr. Frankel is presently the Chair of Brinks’ Copyright Group.

Managing Intellectual Property magazine is the leading global resource for IP news and analysis, covering all aspects of IP law and practice, with a particular focus on providing business-focused, strategic advice on IP exploitation and enforcement.

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 newest office in Washington D.C. More information is available at www.usebrinks.com.