President's Letter

Dear IPLAC Members,

I am sincerely honored to serve as your 134th President.

To begin, please join me in recognizing Paul Kitch (Immediate Past President), Serena Pruitt (outgoing Immediate Past President), the officers, board, and committee leaders who led so many successful events, ranging from Field Day to the Judges Dinner to our fantastic committee-led CLE and social events. These invaluable efforts have set us apart from other bar associations.

At the annual member meeting at the University Club, I discussed our rich history and noted how we have evolved from primarily a patent law organization into now a national intellectual property bar association-one whose talented members assist clients to drive commerce by leveraging and protecting brands and innovation in our present age of digital disruption. Today, our modern practice is impacted by significant technological advances, generational shifts involving Generation X and the Millennials, and grass roots movements created by social media. Plus, we are practicing during a time when the U.S. Supreme Court is deciding more intellectual property cases than at any other period in its history. We are fortunate to be practicing in such exciting times.

Against that background, I shared a bold vision for how we will continue evolving this organization in our modern practice. To transform that vision into reality, we must:

  • Institute more diversity and inclusion initiatives;
  • Establish a formal mentorship program;
  • Expand our understanding of "intellectual property" to include advanced and social media, advertising, Blockchain, data protection, outsourcing, privacy, and Top Level Domain (TLD);
  • Promote positive wellness; and
  • Continue our ground-breaking committee programming and networking events. 
But none of these directives will materialize, unless we utilize the most valuable asset of our organization-your time. Therefore, please pledge ten hours of your time over the next year:

  • Be a mentor;
  • Serve on a panel;
  • Attend our CLE events; or

  • Actively serve on a committee. 

For younger practitioners, devoting time to IPLAC will enable you to build your professional network, gain education on many ethical and legal topics, and invest in your career. Likewise, experienced practitioners will be able to share career experiences, mentor younger practitioners, and meaningfully contribute to our intellectual property community.  Simply put, everyone will benefit from devoting their time to IPLAC.

In closing, I sincerely look forward to leading our continued evolution in 2018-2019. 

Warmest wishes,
Adam Kelly
President  

 

The Benefits of Membership

There are many benefits to IPLAC Membership.  First and foremost, IPLAC provides an unmatched opportunity to network with intellectual property professionals in the Chicago area.  IPLAC also offers intellectual property professionals an opportunity to be an active advocate in the development and protection of intellectual property law.

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What is IPLAC?

IPLAC is the oldest intellectual property law association in the United States, operating since 1884.  It is highly respected by both local and the national judiciary.

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