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CHICAGO - James R. Sobieraj, a patent attorney with the law firm of Brinks, Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the U.S., has been elected Vice President of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC) for 2005-2006, at its annual meeting held on May 3, 2005, at the University Club, Chicago.

With more than 20 years of experience in the procurement, licensing and enforcement of intellectual property rights, Jim is a litigator and has been lead counsel in cases involving patent infringement, ownership of patent rights, license disputes, misappropriation of trade secrets, trade dress infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, defamation, fraud, RICO and antitrust. Jim received both his B.S. degree, magna cum laude, and his law degree at the University of Michigan. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation; was the President and sat on the Board of Trustees of the Licensing Executives Society and is currently a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, The Lawyers Club of Chicago, the Federal Circuit Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association. Recently, Jim was named an "Illinois Super Lawyer" in the area of intellectual property litigation in a survey conducted by Law & Politics magazine.

Originally founded in 1884 as “The Patent Law Association,” IPLAC is a not-for-profit organization whose more than 850 members include lawyers practicing in the intellectual property field, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition and related areas. IPLAC offers educational and professional programs of interest to those practicing in the field as well as to the public at large. For further information regarding IPLAC’s calendar of events, visit the association’s Web site at www.IPLAC.org. 

Founded in 1917, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione provides intellectual property legal services worldwide. The firm is one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the country, with approximately 150 attorneys who specialize in intellectual property litigation and all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, Internet, unfair competition, related licensing matters and intellectual asset management.