Extranet Access  |  Contact Info  |  866.222.0112
When you're serious about intellectual property... UseBrinks

Roy E. Hofer

Practice Summary

Roy Hofer has more than 45 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; being a mediator, arbitrator, or special master; and rendering opinions on patent validity, infringement and litigation issues. He also tried felony criminal cases and represented the Illinois Pollution Control Board before the Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois Appellate Court and the Clean Air Coordinating Committee before the Environmental Control Appeal Board of the City of Chicago.

Honors/Distinctions
View All
  • The Best Lawyers in America, 2007, 2008, 2010
  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Leading Illinois Intellectual Property Lawyers, 2004-present
  • Illinois Super Lawyers, Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2008-present
    Illinois Super Lawyers, Top 100 Attorneys, 2008
    Illinois Super Lawyers, Intellectual Property Litigation, 2005-2007
  • Leading Intellectual Property Lawyer, Leading Lawyers Network, Law Bulletin Publishing Company, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009
    Leading Lawyer, ADR Law: Commercial Litigation, 2009
  • Who’s Who In America, 1994-present
  • Who’s Who In American Law, 1986-present
  • Who's Who Legal: Illinois, Patents, 2008
  • PLC Which lawyer?, Leading Intellectual Property Lawyer in Chicago, 2006, 2010 
  • Euromoney Guide to the World's Leading Patent Law Experts, 2005, 2009
  • Father Lucey Award, 1st in graduating class, Georgetown University
  • Board of Editors, Law Journal, Georgetown University, 1960-61
  • Tau Beta Pi, Purdue University
  • Phi Eta Sigma, Purdue University
  • Omega Chi Epsilon, Purdue University
  • Gimlet Club, Purdue University
Representative Matters
Exemplary Trials
View All
  • Viskase Corporation v. American National Can Company, 888 F. Supp. 899 (N.D. Ill. 1995); 947 F.Supp. 1200 (N.D. Ill. 1996); 979 F.Supp. 697, 45 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1675 (N.D. Ill. 1997); 18 F. Supp. 2d 873 (N.D. Ill. 1998)
  • Richardson-Vicks, Inc. v. The Upjohn Company, et al., No. 93-556-SLR (D. Del. 1996 U.S. Dist. Lexis 702)
  • W.R. Grace v. Viskase Corporation, 21 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1114, 1121 (N.D. Ill. 1991) and Viskase Corporation v. W.R. Grace, No. 90 C 7515 (N.D. Ill. 1992 U.S. Dist. Lexis 619
  • Aluminum Company of America v. Reynolds Metals Company, 14 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1170 (N.D. Ill. 1989)
  • Lear Siegler, Inc. v. Sealy Mattress Co., et al., (84 CV 5319DT) (E.D. Mich.)
  • Shiley, Inc. v. Bentley Laboratories, Inc., 227 U.S.P.Q. 253 (C.D. Ca. 1985); 115 F.R.D. 169, 2 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1230 (C.D. Cal. 1987)
  • Medtronic, Inc. v. Intermedics, Inc., G-80-295, (S.D. Texas)
  • Novo Industri A/S v. Travenol Laboratories Inc., 211 U.S.P.Q. 371, 378, 379 (N.D. Ill. 1981)
  • Goldberg v. Medtronic, Inc., 209 U.S.P.Q. 259 (N.D. Ill. 1980) and 212 U.S.P.Q. 439 (N.D. Ill. 1981). [Defendant's motion for summary judgment denied, 203 U.S.P.Q. 233 (N.D. Ill. 1978)]
  • Ecodyne Corp. v. Levendusky, C-3843-71 (Super. Ct., Chancery Div., Union County, New Jersey)
  • From 1962-1966, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, handled about 20-30 felony criminal cases for indigent prisoners by court appointment. Approximately five of these cases were tried to juries (one not guilty). Subjects: Capital murder, rape, robbery, burglary and sale and possession of narcotics.
Exemplary Appellate Arguments
View All
  • Viskase Corp. v. American National Can Co. (ANC), Appeal Nos. 99-1569-1570 (Fed. Cir. 2000)
  • Richardson-Vicks, Inc. v. The Upjohn Company, et al., 122 F. 3d 1476, 44 U.S.P.Q.2d 1181 (Fed. Cir. 1997)
  • Haworth, Inc. v. Steelcase, Inc., 19 F.3d 39 (Fed. Cir. 1994)
  • Jodee Plastics, Inc. d/b/a Patrician Products v. Tri-Seal International, Inc., 19 F. 3d 40 (Fed. Cir. 1994)
  • Haworth, Inc. v. Steelcase Inc. v. Herman Miller, Inc., 12 F. 3d 1090, 29 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1368 (Fed. Cir. 1993)
  • Haworth, Inc. v. Herman Miller, Inc. v. Allsteel, Inc.,998 F. 2d 975, 27 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1469 (Fed. Cir. 1993)
  • Lear Siegler, Inc. v. Sealy Mattress Co., et al., 873 F. 2d 1422, 10 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1767 (Fed. Cir. 1989)
  • Lear Siegler, Inc. v. Sealy Mattress Co., et al., 846 F. 2d 78 (Fed. Cir. 1988)
  • Medtronic, Inc. v. Intermedics Inc., 799 F. 2d 734, 230 U.S.P.Q. 641 (Fed. Cir. 1986), cert. denied, 107 Ct. 882 (1987)
  • Shiley, Inc. v. Bentley Laboratories, Inc., 782 F. 2d 992, 228 U.S.P.Q. 543 (Fed. Cir. 1986); 794 F. 2d 1561, 230 U.S.P.Q. 112 (Fed. Cir. 1986), cert. denied, 107 S. Ct. 1291 (1987)
  • Goldberg v. Medtronic, Inc., 686 F. 2d 1219, 216 U.S.P.Q. 89 (7th Cir. 1982), affirming 209 U.S.P.Q. 259 (N.D. Ill. 1980) and 212 U.S.P.Q. 439 (N.D. Ill. 1981)
  • Novo Industri A/S v. Travenol Laboratories, Inc., 677 F. 2d 1202, 215 U.S.P.Q. 412 (7th Cir. 1982), affirming 211 U.S.P.Q. 371, 378, 379 (N.D. Ill. 1981)
  • Goldberg v. Medtronic, Inc., 654 F. 2d 727 (7th Cir. 1981)
  • Novo Terapeutisk Laboratorium A/S v. Baxter Travenol Laboratories Inc., 607 F. 2d 186, 201 U.S.P.Q. 642, 206 U.S.P.Q. 769, (7th Cir. 1979), affirming en banc 200 U.S.P.Q. 495 (N.D. Ill. 1977)
  • Goldberg v. Cordis Corp., 567 F. 2d 392 (7th Cir. 1977)
  • Environmental Protection Agency. v Illinois Pollution Control Board, 69 Ill. 2d 394, 372 N.E.2d 50 (S. Ct. 1977)
  • Caterpillar Tractor Co. v. Illinois Pollution Control Board, 48 Ill.App. 3d 655, 363 N.E. 2d 419 (1977)
  • People v. Wade, 62 Ill.App. 2d 481 (1965)
  • People v. Ervine, 64 Ill.App. 2d 82 (1965)
  • McCartney v. United States, 311 F. 2d 475 (7th Cir. 1963)
Experience as ADR Facilitator and Hearing Officer
View All
  • 2008: Mediator in Diomed, Inc. v. Total Vein Solutions, LLC, David S. Centanni and Tyrell L. Schiek (Case No. 04-CV-10686), in the District of Massachusetts, a patent infringement dispute involving a method for treating varicose veins. During the mediation, the parties and Mr. Hofer concluded that a non-attending third-party was needed to settle the dispute.
  • 2008: Mediator in Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska and Monsanto Company v. BASF Corp. and Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. (Case No. 4:04-CV-03356), in the District of Nebraska, an ownership/license dispute over patent rights involving dicambra tolerant crops. The case was not settled during the first mediation because Monsanto and BASF had other matters in dispute not involved in this litigation that they wanted to resolve for a global settlement. In due course those matters were settled and after a second mediation the entire case was settled.
  • 2007: Special Discovery Master in Akamai Technologies, Inc. and Massachusetts Institute of Technology v. Limelight Networks, Inc. (Case No. 06-CV-11109 RWZ), in the District of Massachusetts, a patent infringement dispute involving content delivery networks for internet distribution of video, music, games and downloads.
  • 2007: Mediator in Ford Motor Company v. AMP Research (Case No. 2:06-cv-13316), in the Eastern District of Michigan, and a related case, SA CV06-993 DOC (MLGX) in Central District of California, a patent infringement dispute involving bed extenders for pickup trucks. During the mediation, the parties and Mr. Hofer concluded that a non-attending third-party was needed to settle the dispute.
  • 2006: Mediator in Precor Inc. v. Fitness Quest, Inc. (Case No. C05-0993L), a patent infringement case in the Western District of Washington involving a stationary, elliptical exercise device. During the mediation, the parties and Mr. Hofer concluded that a non-attending third-party was needed to settle the dispute.  
  • 2006: Mediator in Molon Motor and Coil Corp. v. Merkle-Korff Industries, Inc. (Case No. 04 C 5134), a patent infringement case in the Northern District of Illinois involving a motor for an in-door ice machine in a refrigerator. The case was settled during the mediation.
  • 2006: Sole arbitrator in a patent infringement dispute involving a hand tool.
  • 2005-2006: Chair of three-arbitrator panel in a dispute conducted under CPR rules between two Fortune 100 companies involving a patent license about DSL technology.
  • 2004: Mediator in three cases between Fresnel Technologies, Inc. and Rokonet Electronics, Ltd. (and its U.S. subsidiary): Two patent infringement cases involving lens for motion detectors for security systems, one pending in the Federal Circuit and the other pending in the Northern District of Texas; and an unfair competition case pending in the Eastern District of New York. These cases were settled during the mediation.
  • 2004-07: Chair of three-arbitrator panel in pending patent infringement/license dispute conducted under the auspices of AAA involving software to manage and monitor a computer network system.
  • 2003: On-going neutral evaluator of defendant's new pharmaceutical products for infringement of patents in plaintiffs' portfolio before market release (this procedure created as part of the parties' settlement of patent litigation).
  • 2002: Mediator in Chou v. University of Chicago (Case No. 99 C 4495), a patent infringement case in the Northern District of Illinois. The case was settled during the mediation.
  • 2002: Early neutral evaluator on certain aspects of a patent infringement case between Fortune 50 and Fortune 500 companies involving medical devices.
  • 2001: Early neutral evaluator and settlement mediator in A.W. Chesterton Co. v. Durametallic Corp. (Case No. 95-11565), a patent infringement case in the District of Massachusetts.
  • 2001: Early neutral evaluator and settlement mediator in H.P. Intellectual Corp. v. Toastmaster, Inc. (Case No. 3:00 CV 70 (RNC), a patent infringement case in the U.S. District Court in Connecticut. One defendant settled during the mediation.
  • 2001: Mediator in Amsted Industries, Inc. v. ABC-NACO Inc. (Case No. 00 C 7119), a patent infringement case in the U.S. District Court in Chicago, Illinois.
  • 2001: Sole arbitrator in binding arbitration of an inventorship dispute involving a Fortune 50 company.
  • 2000: Judge's "expert assistant" for claim interpretation issues and summary judgment motions in HK Systems, Inc. v. Mannesmann Dematic Rapistan Corp. (Case No. 96-C-381), a patent infringement case in the U.S. District Court in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
  • 1997-1998: Early neutral evaluator and settlement mediator in Gas Sweetener Associates, Inc. v. Connolly-GPM Inc. (Case No. 96 C 7018), a patent infringement case in the U.S. District Court in Chicago, Illinois. The mediation lead to a subsequent settlement.
  • 1994-1996: Settlement mediator and special master for discovery disputes in Cistron Corp. v. Immunex Corp., a trade secret/patent case in the U.S. District Court in Seattle, Washington.
  • 1993: Sole arbitrator in binding baseball-type arbitration over damages for patent infringement.
  • 1991: Sole arbitrator in binding arbitration on the infringement issue in patent infringement dispute between two Fortune 500 companies.
  • 1970's: Served as the hearing officer in at least three cases pending before the Illinois Pollution Control Board.
Publications
Book Reviews
View All
  • "How Courts Govern America," by Richard Neely, Litigation, Spring 1984
  • "Civil Rights: Rhetoric or Reality?" by Thomas Sowell, University of Detroit Law Review, Vol. 62, No. 1, Fall 1984
  • "Judgment in Berlin," by Herbert J. Stern, Litigation, Spring 1985
  • "Why Courts Don't Work," by Richard Neely, Litigation, Spring 1986
  • "The Federal Courts," by Richard A. Posner, CBA Record, February 1987
  • "Defendant: A Psychiatrist on Trial for Medical Malpractice," by Sara C. Charles and Eugene Kennedy, CBA Record, June 1987
  • "Storm Center-The Supreme Court in American Politics," by David M. O'Brien, Howard Law Journal, Vol. 32, No. 1, 1989
Published Articles
View All
  • “Lawyer Advertising–Bates Revisited,” Experience (ABA Senior Lawyers Division), Volume 20, Number 1, 2010
  • "Supreme Court Reversal Rates: Evaluating the Federal Courts of Appeals," Landslide, January/February 2010
  • “Another Sordid Congressional Story,” Experience (ABA Senior Lawyers Division), Volume 19, Number 2, 2009
  • “The Real Problem: Partisan Judicial Elections,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, September 4, 2009
  • "Lawmakers Can Do a Better Job,” Chicago Tribune Commentary, June 25, 2009
  • “Reflections on the Legal Profession,” Experience (ABA Senior Lawyers Division), Volume 18, Number 2, 2008
  • “A Judge-To-Be ‘Beat Our Flawed Selection System,” Chicago Tribune Perspective, October 5, 2008
  • “Free Speech Trumps Judicial Independence,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, October 31, 2007
  • "Should You Patent Your Idea?" Legal Aspects of Medical Practice, April 1980
  • "Experts in Patent Cases," Litigation (Journal of Section of Litigation ABA), Winter 1982
  • "Business Warfare Over Trade Secrets," Litigation, Summer 1983
  • "The CAFC and Fact/Law Questions in Patent Cases: The Jury's Role Burgeons!" AIPLA Quarterly Journal, Vol. 12, No. 4, 1984
  • "Anatomy of a Misappropriation: Edward M. Goldberg, M.D. v. Medtronic, Inc.," IDEA, Vol. 26, No. 3, 1985
  • "Trade Secrets: Protection and Remedies," The Bureau of National Affairs, Washington, D.C., 1985, 1987, a monograph in the Corporate Practice Series
  • "The Real World of Juries, Damages and Injunctions in Patent Cases," Albany Law Review, Vol. 50, No. 3, Spring 1986
  • "Our Patent System: Catalyst for Technology," CBA Record, February 1987
  • "Creating a Better Mouse: Is it a Trap?" CBA Record, January 1989
  • "Use of Patent Experts in Patent Cases," AIPLA Twelfth Annual Institute, The Art of Litigation Advocacy, 1989
  • "The Obviousness Issue: The Jury Takes Over!" Journal of The Patent and Trademark Office Society, Vol. 71, No. 2, February 1989
  • The chapter "Experts in Patent Cases," Expert Witnesses, American Bar Association, Chicago, IL, 1991
  • "Covenants Not to License: Patent Misuse and Antitrust Considerations," The Journal of Proprietary Rights, Vol. 8, No. 10, October 1996
  • "Covenants Not to License: Patent Misuse and Antitrust Considerations," The Antitrust Counselor, Issue No. 23, November 1996
  • The chapter "Patent Defenses," Patent Litigation Strategies Handbook, American Bar Association, Chicago, IL, 2000
Presentations
View All
  • "Intellectual Property," Practising Law Institute "Legal Problems of Marketing and Distribution," Chicago and Los Angeles, 1973
  • "The Use of an Expert At Trial-A Demonstration," ABA Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1977
  • "Observations on Trying Patent, Trade Secret and Trademark Cases-Bench and Jury Trials," ABA Annual Meeting, New York, 1978
  • "Sorting Out the Ownership Rights in Intellectual Property: A Guide to Practical Counseling and Legal Representation," ABA Annual Meeting, Honolulu, 1980
  • "Jury Selection-Who Will Not Sit in the Jury Box," AIPLA Institute on Patent Jury Litigation, Miami 1981; PLI "Patent Litigation," New York, 1983
  • "Use of Experts in Patent Infringement Cases," ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 1982
  • "Use of Expert Witnesses in Patent Litigation–Demonstrations," ABA Section of Litigation Fall Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1982
  • "Litigation & Trade Secret Theft as Elements of Business Warfare," PLI "Trade Secrets," New York, 1983
  • "Jury Trials and the CAFC: Some Critical Insights into Special Problems in Patent Jury Cases and Their Appellate Future," 100 F.R.D. 653 (Judicial Conference of U.S. Court of Appeals For The Federal Circuit, Washington, D.C., 1983
  • "Damages in Patent Infringement Cases," ABA Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1984
  • Faculty member, ABA Patent Trial Advocacy Institute, Washington, D.C., 1984
  • "Presenting the Trade Secret Owner's Case," Praticising Law Institute, Trade Secrets, New York, 1985
  • "Some Significant Changes in the U.S. Patent Laws Made by the New Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit," Society of Danish Industrial Property Executives, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1985
  • "Use of Jury Trials, Damages and Injunctive Relief," Information, Engineering, Science and the Law of Intellectual Property, Albany, New York, 1986
  • "A Trial Demonstration: The Patent Owner's Damages Case," ABA Annual Meeting, New York, 1986
  • "Jury Selection in a Patent Case: Who Will Sit in the Jury Box," ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 1987
  • "Preparing for Trade Secret Litigation," ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 1987
  • "New Trends in the Patent, Trademark and Trade Secret Areas," 26th Annual Corporate Counsel Institute, Northwestern School of Law, Chicago, 1987
  • "The Obviousness Issue: The Jury Takes Over," John Marshall Law School Center of Intellectual Property Law Annual Symposium, Chicago, 1988
  • Accused Infringer's Counsel, Mock Patent Jury Trial, AIPLA Mid-Winter Meeting, Marco Island, Florida, 1989
  • Appellant's Counsel, Mock Oral Argument Before Panel of Federal Circuit Judges, AIPLA 1990 Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., 1990
  • "The Art of Taking and Defending Depositions," National Council of Intellectual Property Law Associations, Akron, Ohio, 1991
  • "Jury Trials and Mock Jury Trials," Practising Law Institute, Patent Litigation, Chicago, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
  • "Preliminary Injunctions in Patent Infringement Cases," John Marshall Law School Center of Intellectual Property Law, Chicago, 1992
  • Appellant's Counsel, Mock Oral Argument Before Panel of Federal Circuit Judges, Federal Circuit Bar Association Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., 1992
  • "Have the Objectives for Creating the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit been Accomplished Insofar as Patent Law is Concerned?" (moderator, panel discussion), Judicial Conference of Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Washington, D.C., 1992
  • "The Best Mode Defense After the Federal Circuit's First Decade," ALI/ABA Course on Patent Law and Litigation, Washington, D.C., 1992
  • "Alternative Dispute Resolution Gets an Impetus from the Federal Government and the Federal Courts," AIPLA Mid-Winter Meeting, Marco Island, Florida, 1993
  • "Recent Developments in Patent Law," ABA IP Section Summer Conference, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1995
  • "Patent Misuse," Practising Law Institute, Intellectual Property Antitrust, Chicago, 1995, 1996
  • "Best Mode," National Council of Intellectual Property Law Associations, Akron, Ohio, 1995
  • "Tactical and Practical Considerations for Jury Instructions in a Patent Case," American Conference Institute, Chicago, 1996
  • "Ethical Considerations in the Examination of a Witness," Advanced Intellectual Property Litigation Techniques, ABA Section of IP Law, Washington, D.C., 1996
  • "When Should Your Client Seriously Consider Mediation and/or Binding Arbitration or a Mini-Trial to Settle Intellectual Property and Other Complex Disputes?" Alternative Dispute Resolution and Patent, Copyright and Trademark Committees of the Chicago Bar Association and the John Marshall Law School, Chicago, 1996
  • "Patent Misuse and Antitrust Defenses, Dead or Alive? What Does it Take to be Successful Under Walker Process and Handgards?" National Council of Intellectual Property Law Associations, Akron, Ohio, 1996
  • Plaintiff's Counsel, Mock Opening Statement in Patent Infringement Case, Practising Law Institute, Patent Litigation, Chicago, 1996
  • 41st Annual Conference on Developments in Intellectual Property Law (moderator), The John Marshall Law School, February 1997
  • "The Practical Effects of Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc. on Discovery, Trial, and Appeal in Patent Cases" (moderator, panel discussion), Chicago Regional Conference of The Federal Circuit Bar Association & The Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, Chicago, 1997
  • "Federal Circuits Standard of Review" (moderator, panel discussion) Chicago Regional Conference of The Federal Circuit Bar Association & The Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, Chicago, 1997
  • "A New Day for Patent Cases: The Impact of Markman and Potential Impact of Hilton-Davis," Panelist, Chicago Chapter of The Federal Bar Association, Chicago, 1997
  • "Patent Infringement and Jury Trial Issues in the Wake of Warner-Jenkinson and Markman Decisions," Panelist, Intellectual Property Owners Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., 1997
  • "Maximizing Patent Infringement Damages," "New Developments in Patent Law," Chicago Bar Association/Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, Chicago, 1997
  • "How to Conduct Markman Hearings," Moderator, Panel Discussion, "New Developments in Patent Law," Chicago Bar Association/Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, Chicago, 1997
  • Plaintiff's Counsel, Mock Opening Statement in Patent Infringement Case, Practising Law Institute, Patent Litigation, Atlanta, 1997
  • "Intellectual Property Litigation Perspectives and Expectations: Does Trying an IP Case Have to be so Trying?" Panelist, 42nd Annual Conference on Developments in Intellectual Property Law, The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, 1998
  • "Patent Misuse," Practising Law Institute, Patent Litigation, Atlanta, 1998
  • "Pfaff v. Wells Electronics, Inc.: Reduction to Practice as a Prerequisite to the On-Sale Bar," Intellectual Property Law Practice Legal Conference, Akron, Ohio, 1998
  • "The Willfulness Issue, Including Bifurcation Motion Practice," Practising Law Institute, Patent Litigation, Atlanta, 1999
  • "Markman Hearings: Substantive and Procedural Treatment by the U.S. District Courts, Panelist, DePaul Law School, Chicago, 2001
Memberships & Affiliations
View All
  • Chicago Bar Association, 1961-Present 
    President, 1988-1989 
    1st Vice President, 1987-1988 
    2nd Vice President, 1986-1987 – Board of Managers, 1979-1981, 1989-1990 
    Charter Member of Sustaining Member Program 
    Chicago Bar Foundation Life Fellow 
    Circuit Court Liaison Committee, 1993-1994 (Executive Committee 1993-1994) 
    Board of Editors, CBA Record, 1986-1988 
    Judicial Appointive System Drafting Committee, 1986 (Chairman) 
    Nominating Committee, 1982, 1991 (Chairman) 
    Long Range Planning Committee, 1982-1984 (Vice-Chairman 1982-83) 
    Committee on Committees, 1981-1986 
    Membership Committee, 1983-1986 
    Association Meetings Committee, 1978, 1981-1986 (Vice-Chairman 1984-85, Chairman 1985 1986) 
    Federal Civil Procedure Committee, 1977-1978 
    Environmental Law Committee, 1971-1978 (Chairman 1975-1976) 
    Science, Technology and the Law Committee, 1968-1971 
    Patents, Trademarks & Copyrights Committee, 1966-1968 
    Defense of Prisoners Committee, 1961-1966 (handled 20-30 felony cases, including capital cases, at the trial level and several appeals)
  • Illinois Institute For Continuing Legal Education 
    Board of Directors, 1986-1988
  • American Bar Association (ABA), 1962-Present 
    Litigation Section: Member since 1974 (Division Director, 1982-1987; Chairman, Task Force on Judicial Delay In Decision-Making In Civil Cases In The Federal Courts, 1981-1984; Chairman, Intellectual Properties Litigation Committee, 1979-1982) 
    Patent, Trademark & Copyright Section, 1964-Present (Chairman, Special Committee on Publications Projects, 1979-1982; Chairman, Small Business Committee, 1978-1979;
    Chairman, Membership Committee, 1977-1978) 
    Antitrust Section, 1964-Present
  • Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, 1961-Present 
    Board of Managers: 1974-76
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), 1970-Present 
    Chairman, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, 1990-1993
  • Federal Circuit Bar Association, 1983-Present 
    President, 1993-1994 
    President-Elect, 1992-1993 
    Board of Governors, 1989-1992, 1994-1995
  • Life Fellow, Illinois Bar Foundation
  • Bar Association for the Seventh Judicial Circuit.
  • Advisory Group of the Civil Justice Reform Act of 1990 for the Northern District of Illinois, (by appointment of the Chief Judge of the Northern District), 1991-1994.
  • Merit Selection Panel for magistrate judges for the Northern District of Illinois, (by appointment of the Chief Judge of the Northern District), 1996-1998.
  • Center for Public Resources' Intellectual Property Panel of Distinguished Neutrals, 1988-1996.
  • Lawyers Club of Chicago, 1976-Present
  • Union League Club of Chicago, 1966-Present 
    Board of Directors, 1982-1986 
    Chairman, Athletic Department Committee, 1979-1981, 1982-1984 
    Chairman, House Committee, 1984-1986 
    Nominating Committee, 1987
Civic Activities
View All
  • Union League Club of Chicago, 1966-present
    Board of Directors, 1982-86
    Chairman, Athletic Department Committee, 1979-81, 1982-84
    Chairman, House Committee, 1984-86
    Nominating Committee, 1987
  • Chicago Lung Association
    Board of Directors, 1982-83
  • Center for Conflict Resolution
    Board of Directors, 1983-88, 1990-91, 1997-99
    President, 1991-1997
  • Union League Boys and Girls Clubs
    Board of Trustees, 1984-94
  • Member (by appointment of the Chief Judge of the Northern District), Advisory Group of the Civil Justice Reform Act of 1990 for the Northern District of Illinois, 1991-94.
  • Independent Committee to Inquire into the Practices, Processes and Proceedings in the Juvenile Court as they Relate to the Joseph Wallace Cases: This three-person Committee was appointed by Harry G. Comerford, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, on April 26, 1993, and submitted its report to the Chief Judge on October 1, 1993.
  • Citizens Committee on The Juvenile Court of Cook County (appointed by Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County)
    Chairman, 1994-95
  • Member (by appointment of the Chief Judge of the Northern District), Merit Selection Panel for magistrate judges for the Northern District of Illinois, 1996-98.
  • Beta Phi Foundation (Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity at Purdue University)
    Board of Directors, 2001-present
  • Burr Ridge Club Trust (homeowners of Burr Ridge Club, Burr Ridge, IL)
    Board of Trustees, 2002-08
  • Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Illinois Carol Fisher Chapter
    Board of Trustees, 2003-07
  • Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission
    Oversight Committee, 2009-present
    Client Protection Review Panel, 2009-present
  • Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County
    Commission Member, 2010
Legal Experience
  • Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, Chicago, Illinois
    1961-present; Partner since 1964; President 1995-1999
  • Exxon Corporation, Washington, D.C.
    Patent Agent, 1959-1961
  • U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
    Patent Examiner, 1957-1959