Press Releases
Sydney Iglitzen
siglitzen@brinkshofer.com
312.840.3163
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| Pictured from left to right: Marcus Thymian, Derek Minihane, Michael Gannon, Michael Pophal and co-skippers, Leif Sigmond and Gary Ropski. |
CHICAGO - Co-skippers and patent attorneys, Gary M. Ropski, president of Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, and Leif R. Sigmond, Jr., a partner at McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP, brought in a third place victory for their U.S.A. team when they crossed the finish line in the Patent Cup Regatta held in Venice, Italy, off of Lido Island in the Adriatic Sea.
"This event is a wonderful opportunity for patent attorneys to develop contacts and friendships among various law firms across the world and the European Patent Office as well," said Mr. Ropski. "Interestingly, the top four finishers this year are the teams that have won the cup for the past four years. So, the competition was tough. We were glad to place among a field of excellent competitors."
Participating for the second time in this event, Ropski, Sigmond and their crew sailed a Giro 34, also known as a G34, manufactured by the French yacht design company, Groupe Finot. None of the boats were individually named except for a letter designation. The U.S.A. boat was boat "L." All of the boats were identically rigged.
In 2006, the Ropski-Sigmond team earned the first-ever first place U.S.A. victory in the Patent Cup race which was held at the Chicago Yacht Club in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to Ropski and Sigmond, members of this year's third-place winning U.S. team included Marcus Thymian and Michael Gannon, both attorneys at McDonnell Boehnen, Derek Minihane, in-house counsel at Intermolecular, San Jose, CA and Michael Pophal, in-house counsel at Energizer, Cleveland, OH.
"Representing the United States in this international regatta was an honor for our whole team," said Mr. Sigmond.
Fifteen teams representing the U.S. and other countries, including France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada and Brazil, as well as several teams from the European Patent Office, competed in this competitive, but friendly, sailing race. Established in 1989 by two friends, a German patent attorney, Peter Franck, and a French patent attorney, Frederic Benech, the Patent Cup, unique to the field of intellectual property law, was created to foster camaraderie and help cultivate strong relations among patent attorneys from around the world as well as provide opportunities for new and exciting sailing venues.
According to the Patent Cup charter, each sailing boat must have a crew consisting primarily of patent attorneys. Every year the race is held in a different country with the host country responsible for the organization, terms and conditions of the race, the boats chosen and all other arrangements for the event. Next year's race will be held in Brazil.
Mr. Ropski is the president of Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione and has practiced intellectual property law exclusively since joining Brinks in 1976. His practice now focuses on litigation, but has included patent prosecution and litigation, trademark prosecution, including oppositions, and litigation, trade dress litigation, copyright registration and litigation, trade secret litigation, right of publicity counseling and litigation and related unfair competition and antitrust matters in federal and state courts. He races a Shields one-design sailboat in Chicago during the summer months and has consistently been second in the fleet championship series.
Founded in 1917, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is based in Chicago with four additional 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 170 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.
