President's Letter

July 8, 2019

Dear IPLAC Members, and other readers,

As our new program year moves along, please consider: why should you join or stay with IPLAC? We have many good reasons.

As you’ll see in “banner ads” running across the IPLAC website, above, IPLAC includes these among many benefits: (1) unique open admission, (2) one-of-a-kind local networking, (3) social and CLE events without equal, (4) incomparable local opportunities to serve and lead our IP bar, and (5) dues as little as half other bar groups. How do we know? We’ve done the research. Here’s the case we make.

(1)   unique open admission
Our membership is significantly Chicago-local, and all-IP. There are other IP bar groups or IP group-within-groups you can join in or from Chicago, but among them, IPLAC is uniquely Chicago-local, all-IP, and open admission. There are no limits to our membership such that you must wait because of something such as a group size limit, and no qualifications that are directed to measures of your success, longevity in IP, or race, sex, or anything of the kind. You are welcome—you are asked, you are invited—to join us and stay with us all of your career, with your interest in IP. See information here. 

(2)   one-of-a-kind local networking
Our membership openness results in one-of-a-kind local networking. You can’t find us, in our openness and focus, anywhere else. We’re here, not there.

(3)   social and CLE events without equal
Asked of you before, did you know? Did you go? We had 45 great and even amazing events for members in the program year just concluded. We know of no bar group that has come close to our number and quality of social and CLE events in the Chicago area in past years.

The value IPLAC brings to its membership is remarkable, and especially true for this program year we are just concluding. We stand head and shoulders above other groups in value. We have had the bountiful opportunities of scads of local IPLAC social and IP CLE events for the whole of our IP community—most events having aspects of both the social and CLE, with events throughout the year. We have had one of our best-ever groups of annual meetings, judges’ dinners, symposiums, field days, and their associated luminary speakers, officials, guests, awards, wisdom, insights, fun, activity, and professional development for all of us who are IPLAC-aware. For example, to see one of our past events, go here and see USPTO Director Iancu in Chicago with IPLAC.

For the coming year, watch for new event announcements at this website and in your inbox, and make plans to be on IPLAC committees, and in IPLAC events, early and often!

(4)   Incomparable local opportunities to serve and lead our IP bar
IPLAC changes leadership every year! Our presidential officers advance such that we have a new president, new president-elect, new vice president, and new past president every year. We are diverse, and open to your leadership, through rapid rise to president, and we change half our board members every year too. Join us in officer and board leadership, or in committee leadership. Committees—we have 30 or so committees for you to engage with, and lead.

(5)   Dues as little as half other bar groups
This one is big, by dues being small. We have compared our dues to those of many other bar associations, and find our dues to be as little as half other bar groups. At 2+ years of practice, you reach our maximum annual dues, and they stay the same thereafter throughout your career.

Conclusion
So we urge you, consider the benefits, and ratchet up your involvement in IPLAC! Enjoy IPLAC benefits; make your membership count for you.

And contact your new officers and board with your ideas for IPLAC. See the website pages that give contact information. And you can e-mail me at [email protected], or call me at 312.463.5441, my direct line.

Yours,

Charles Shifley
Your 2019-20 President


May 7, 2019
Dear IPLAC Members, and other readers,

As our new program year begins, ratchet up your involvement in IPLAC! Enjoy IPLAC benefits. Make your membership count for you.

Did you know? Did you go? We had 45 events for members in the program year just concluded. Watch for new event announcements at this website and in your inbox, and make plans to be on IPLAC committees, and in IPLAC events, early and often! (To see one of our past events, go here and see USPTO Director Iancu.)

With 45 events, what a year we’ve had with Adam Kelly as our President! Thank you! The value IPLAC brings to its membership is remarkable, and especially true for this program year we are just concluding. We stand head and shoulders above other groups in value. We have had the bountiful opportunities of scads of local IPLAC social and IP CLE events for the whole of our IP community—most events having aspects of both the social and CLE, with events throughout the year. We have had one of our best-ever groups of annual meetings, judges’ dinners, symposiums, field days, and their associated luminary speakers, officials, guests, awards, wisdom, insights, fun, activity, and professional development for all of us who are IPLAC-aware. Adam has led and motivated our committees—thank you all committee chairs and members!—to a level of opportunities for our members that expresses that IPLAC today is vibrant, and exceeding the goals set at its 1884 (that’s right) founding and by Adam as he began his presidential year.

And thank you at the same level of enthusiasm for jobs well done to our officers and board members who are concluding present assignments: Paul Kitch, Immediate Past President, Clinton Hallman, Vice President, Tammy Miller, Treasurer, Jessic Bahr, Board Member, Van Economou, Board Member, Ellen Gutiontov, Board Member, and Joe Janas, Board Member. We look for you to be back in IPLAC roles and continuing in IPLAC activities. How could we also not thank our continuing officers and board members for their ongoing dedication, Tiffany Gehrke, Secretary, Erin Fox Board Member, Anna King Board Member, Tanya Miari Board Member, and Kevin Noonan Board Member.

In coming years, our returning IPLAC officers and board members will be joined and led by an excellent, enthusiastic new group of engaged Chicago area IP professionals. They will include Marc Richards President Elect, Erin Lothson Vice President, Peter Prommer Treasurer, Clinton Hallman again Board Member, Jared Hedman Board Member, RiKaleigh Johnson Board Member, and Daryl Lim Board Member. We are especially pleased that Clinton is actively launching our new mentorship program.

Beyond mentorship and the same old (hardly same, hardly old, hardly drab), what do we have to anticipate in the coming year? Let’s get to that in a next letter. In the meantime, contact your new officers and board with your ideas. See the website pages that give contact information. And you can e-mail me at [email protected], or call me at 312.463.5441, my direct line. 

Yours,

Charles Shifley
Your 2019-20 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.

Join Today

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.

Continue Reading