Press Releases

CHICAGO - Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the United States, is pleased to announce that four new attorneys, John Lagowski, Robert D. Summers, Jr., Hermine Valizadeh and Matthew T. Ridsdale, have joined the firm's Electrical & Computer Group.

"We are pleased to have John, Robert, Hermine and Matt join the firm," said Gustavo Siller, Jr., chair of the Electrical & Computer Group. "The complex nature of our work demands that we have attorneys with real-world engineering experience and we are thrilled to provide those capabilities to our clients."

John R. Lagowski has over nine years of experience writing and prosecuting patent applications. He has provided service and advice for clients in the electrical and computer arts, including the telecommunications, signal processing, memory, semiconductor, and software industries. Mr. Lagowski received his J.D. from Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

Matthew T. Ridsdale's practice focuses on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications and opinion drafting, specifically in the electrical, electro-mechanical and networking arts. Mr. Ridsdale has domestic and international experience in preparing and prosecuting patent applications relating to medical devices, virtual reality systems, computer implemented business methods and networking solutions. Mr. Ridsdale received his J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology, his M.B.A. from the Keller Graduate School of Management in Illinois, and his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Robert D. Summers focuses his practice on patent prosecution, particularly in the electrical and computer arts. Mr. Summers is a certified Project Management Professional and Six Sigma Black Belt with experience in information technology consulting and engineering management, related to the development and implementation of integrated information systems. He received his J.D. from the George Washington University National Law Center in Washington D.C., his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, and his B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland.

Hermine Valizadeh's practice focuses on patent prosecution and litigation in the computer, Internet, and electrical arts. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Valizadeh worked as an information technology consultant where she provided high-level technical consulting, designed and developed automated secure transfers of highly sensitive data and managed more than 30 databases and software applications. Ms. Valizadeh received her J.D. degree from the New England School of Law in Boston and her B.S. from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts.

All four attorneys join Brinks as associates.

For more information about Brinks Electrical and Computer Group, contact Gustavo Siller, Jr. at gsiller@brinkshofer.com or (312) 321-4249.

Founded in 1917, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is based in Chicago with four other offices across the country serving 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 specializing in intellectual property litigation and all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, unfair competition, intellectual asset management, and technology and licensing agreements. Brinks routinely handles assignments in fields as diverse as electrical, chemical, mechanical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, nanotechnology, Internet and computer technology, as well as in trademarks or brand names for a wide variety of products and services.