The Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association invite you to their Twenty-Third Annual Awards for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Ceremony.  The Ceremony will take place on Monday, May 1, 2023 beginning at 2:00 p.m at the James Benton Parsons Memorial Courtroom, Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse, 25th Fl., 219 S. Dearborn St., Chicago.  The Keynote Speaker will be Matthew Moschella, President of the Federal Bar Association. 

Please RSVP by April 21, 2023 to ProBonoAwards@ilnd.uscourts.gov.

The AIA Trials and Litigations Committees of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC) are hosting a March Madness Happy Hour today, March 16, 2023 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Kindling Downtown Cookout & Cocktails, 202 S. Franklin St., Chicago, IL 60606. Join us for an exciting evening of networking and March Madness games.  Appetizers will be provided by the IPLAC and drinks will be available for purchase.

The event is free for Members and $25.00 for Non-Members. Please click here to register.

The Northern District of Illinois is upgrading their CM/ECF system.  Please plan accordingly as the CM/ECF system will be unavailable Saturday, April 1, 2023 from 6:00 a.m. through 5:00 a.m. Monday, April 3, 2023. 

This upgrade will improve security measures and enhanced performance.  Users will not notice any changes to CM/ECF as the modifications will only take place in the background.

The Northern District and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association are seeking nominations – no later than April 7, 2023 – for outstanding pro bono and public interest representation in civil and criminal matters before the Court.

Factors considered include: 

  • dedication to pro bono or public interest work;
  • outstanding achievement resulting from the representation of a large group of indigents, successful representation in a difficult case, outstanding negotiation and settlement skills in achieving a result without trial;
  • extraordinary number of hours committed to pro bono work; or
  • other distinguished performance. 

Nominations must be based upon work in the Northern District on matters that are complete and no longer pending before the Court.

Nominations using this fillable form may be emailed to: ProBonoAwards@ilnd.uscourts.gov.

Awards will be presented at the Court’s twenty-third annual awards ceremony on Monday, May 1, 2023, at 2:00 pm.

On Tuesday, February 28, 2023 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT, the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC) is jointly hosting a virtual event focusing on the impact of bias in the legal profession with the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism.  Julia Roundtree Livingston and Stephanie Villinski, Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, will discuss how to identify and challenge biases and how to develop the skills in order to address difficult topics such as race, gender and identity. 

This virtual event is $15 for members and $45 for non-members.  Please register by clicking here.

On Wednesday, January 25, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT, The Richard Linn American Inn of Court and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (“IPLAC”) are hosting an interactive panel discussion focusing on lessons learned in evaluating whether lawyers are satisfying their responsibilities competently and diligently, and with integrity and satisfaction. 

In advance of the meeting, questions were posed to Inn members relating to issues addressed and lessons learned regarding our responsibilities as lawyers. 

Questions might include:

  • “how do you competently and diligently satisfy the responsibilities that we have as lawyers,”
  • “how can we, as lawyers, be good public citizens having special responsibilities for the quality of justice,”
  • “what do you believe we lawyers should strive for in the legal profession,”
  • “do you have suggestions to others about thinking of these issues,”
  • “do you have suggestions to leaders in the profession about these issues,”
  • “how can we realize personal satisfaction in our responsibilities as lawyers,”
  • “how can our career and life goals be consistent with our responsibilities as lawyers,”
  • “if you had to do it all over again, would you do anything differently to satisfy such responsibilities,” etc.

Survey results will be circulated before the meeting. 

At the meeting: there will be panel discussion followed by interactive discussion with audience members, with all discussion lead by moderators (we will have more than one moderator).  

There will be three phases:

  1. panelists go around and give their perspectives on the above questions and survey results,
  2. moderators pose questions to panelists, and
  3. moderators pose questions to, and invite questions from, audience regarding the above questions and survey results. 

The virtual event is free for IPLAC Members.  Click here to register. 

On Tuesday, January 24, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT, the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (“IPLAC”) is hosting a panel discussion focusing on the complexities and nuances of trade secrets damages.  The panel is moderated by Timothy Oliver, Grogan, Hesse & Uditsky.  Panel members include:

  • John Bone, CPA, Managing Director, Stout; and
  • David Duski, Principal, Charles River Associates

The virtual event is free for IPLAC Members and $15.00 for Non-Members.  Click here to register. 

On Wednesday, January 18, 2023 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. CT, the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC) is hosting a discussion on navigating common sticking points in technology and licensing transactions.  IP licensing and technology transactions attorneys Cole Hardy, Walgreens and Francesca Cardillo, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP will discuss the most common sticking points in transaction involving IP, data, or technology, share negotiation tips and tricks, offer considerations to keep in mind for both licensor and licensee, and provide guidance on how to discuss these issues with your clients.

This virtual event is $15 for members and $45 for non-members.  Please register by clicking here.

The Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC) is presenting a series of speed networking events.  The next, live speed networking event will be Loyola University of Chicago’s School of Law in the 13th floor faculty lounge on Thursday, January 19, 2023 from 5:40 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. CT. 

The event is free for Members and $25.00 for Non-Members.  Please click here to register.

Congratulations to Judge Feinerman who has decided to retire from the federal bench and return to private practice at the end of the year. His thoughtful analysis, kind demeanor and thorough, well-reasoned opinions will be missed.

Judge Feinerman’s move will create a third vacancy on the Northern District of Illinois bench. The others were created when Judge Norgle took inactive senior status in October and when Judge Dow left the bench to become counselor to Chief Justice Roberts.