Press Releases

Michael P. Chu, a shareholder at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione and an honorary director of AABA (left) and Gustavo Siller, Jr., a shareholder at Brinks and chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee (center), accept an award on behalf of the firm for a decade of support of AABA, which was presented by Jessica Arong O’Brien, outgoing president of AABA (right).

CHICAGO - Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the U.S., is pleased to announce that the firm has received a "Special Recognition for a Decade of Support Award" from the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (AABA) for the firm's long-time support of the organization. The award, a multi-colored glass sculpture designed by artist Colleen Ott, was presented to Michael P. Chu, a shareholder at Brinks, past-president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and currently an honorary director of AABA, and Gustavo Siller, Jr., also a shareholder at Brinks and chair of the firm's Diversity Committee, at the 22nd Annual Installation Ceremony and Awards Reception held on July 16 at the Trump International Hotel & Tower. Newscaster Nesita Kwan of NBC5 Chicago was the emcee of the program.

The installation ceremony was conducted by the Hon. James F. Holderman, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, with Judicial Evaluation recognition by the Hon. Timothy C. Evans, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. In addition, Hon. Maria Kuriakos Ciesil, Hon. Israel A. Desierto, Hon. Lynn Kawamoto, Hon. Young Kim, Hon. Sanjay T. Tailor, Hon. Rena M. Van Tine and Hon. Neera Walsh participated in a special swearing-in of new AABA officers.

The 2009-2010 AABA Officers and Directors are: Sharon A. Hwang, President; Diana Lin, 1st Vice President; Mehpara A. Suleman, 2nd Vice President; Pamela Leeming, Secretary; and Anshuman Vaidya, Treasurer. The incoming Board of Directors is comprised of Marion Cruz, Sang-yul Lee, Junko Minami, Sarah Alipourian Poulimas, Sangeeta Relan, Shital Thakkar and Jacqueline Vidmar. The Honorary Directors are Michael P. Chu, Prabha Parameswaran, Sailesh Patel, Jean M. Pechette, Hon. Jesse G. Reyes, Nancy Sasamoto and Jessica Arong O'Brien, Ex-Officio.

The evening also included a special tribute to the late Judge Sandra R. Otaka, the first Asian American judge to be elected in Cook County, who recently passed away.

In 1987, the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area (AABA), was formed on the belief that a professional bar association could serve not only the interests of its members, but also the community from which many of its members came. AABA has grown to more than 400 members and associates and is one of the founding affiliates of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). From increasing awareness among elected officials on issues of importance to the Asian American community, to documenting the need for increased representation in all areas of the profession including the judiciary, to serving the legal needs of the community by supporting non-for-profit organizations, AABA has strived to serve Chicagoland's Asian American attorneys and the Asian American community. For more information, visit www.aabachicago.com.

Founded in 1917, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is based in Chicago with five 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 and brand names for a wide variety of products and services.