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CHICAGO — Four attorneys from Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States, are listed in the 2005 Guide to the World's Leading Patent Law Experts from Euromoney's Legal Media Group. 

Firm partners Henry L. Brinks, Roy E. Hofer, Gary M. Ropski and James R. Sobieraj received nods in the guide, which is compiled through extensive questionnaires and interviews of senior practitioners and in-house counsel in more than 75 countries. 

Henry L. Brinks focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation and counseling. He has lectured extensively on litigation and patent law, and is a regularly participant as a panelist at key industry conferences and symposia. He received his B.A. from Wheaton College and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School. 

Roy E. Hofer has more than 40 years of experience in the litigation of patent, trade secret, trade dress and related antitrust and contract matters. Although continuing to be involved in district court cases, he now devotes most of his time to Federal Circuit cases as a mediator, arbitrator or special master, and to rendering opinions on patent validity, infringement and litigation issues. Mr. Hofer holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from Purdue University and received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. 

Gary M. Ropski focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation, but also handles matters relating to patent prosecution, trademark prosecution and oppositions, trade dress, trade secrets, copyright registration, right of publicity counseling, unfair competition, and antitrust matters. He has extensive experience in presenting and rebutting damage claims in intellectual property litigation. He received his B.S. in physics from Carnegie-Mellon University and holds a J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law. 

James R. Sobieraj is a licensed patent attorney with more than 20 years of experience in the procurement, licensing and enforcement of intellectual property rights. He 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. He holds a B.S., magna cum laude, in engineering from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from the University of Michigan School of Law. 

Euromoney’s Legal Media Group was the first to publish international guides to individual lawyers in 1994 and the 2005 Guide to the World’s Leading Patent Law Experts contains only individuals nominated by clients and peers as leading advisors in the field. To ensure the credibility of this publication, Legal Media Group commissioned its research department to carry out an in-depth study of experts in the field of patent law. The initial stage of the research process involved distributing 4,000 questionnaires to senior practitioners or in-house counsel involved in the practice area in 75 jurisdictions. The questionnaires asked leading figures to nominate those practitioners they considered to be among the most capable for patent work. 

Founded in 1917, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is based in Chicago with three other offices across the country and serves 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 who specialize in all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition, licensing agreements, technology, nanotechnology and bio-pharma work, intellectual asset management and intellectual property litigation.