Southfield, Mich. – Brooks Kushman attorneys Jonathan D. Nikkila and Rachel A. Smith have been appointed as Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association (MIPLA) officers for the 2016-2017 term. Nikkila will serve as President and Smith will serve as Second Vice-President.
As President, Nikkila will be responsible for acting as the official representative of the association. In he will provide leadership and strategic vision to the organization to aid in its growth and importance, offer guidance to the organization’s standing committees and preside over all meetings of the membership, as well as the Board.
As Second Vice-President, Smith will plan the annual judge’s golf outing of over 150 attendees which entails organizing invitations and selecting a charitable organization to partner with as recipient of the event’s proceeds. This role is also considered for future leadership positions as part of the organization’s succession planning model.
Together as MIPLA leaders, Smith and Nikkila will oversee programs that promote the organization’s mission and core values such as law school outreach programs and liaisons, community outreach, coordinating networking events, organizing CLE credit luncheons and other on-going educational opportunities for members.
The Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association (MIPLA) is an organization of intellectual property attorneys, patent agents, and law students from across the State of Michigan who are interested in intellectual property issues. Founded in 1915, the association promotes the advancement of industry through intellectual property rights, fosters fellowship and communication within the intellectual property community, and helps enforce and maintain high ethical standards amongst practitioners in the field.
About Brooks Kushman P.C.
Brooks Kushman P.C. is a leading intellectual property (IP) and technology law firm with offices across the nation, and represents clients nationally and internationally with respect to protection, enforcement and monetization of IP, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. The firm has more than 90 intellectual property professionals specializing in various technical disciplines, and has a reputation for providing leading IP counseling with a focus on the business objectives of their clients.
Brooks Kushman counts a number of Fortune 100 companies across a variety of industries among its clients. The firm is also recognized by leading legal publications and rankings, including Corporate Counsel magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Law360, Intellectual Asset Management, Managing Intellectual Property, World Trademark Review, and Intellectual Property Today. For more information, please visit www.BrooksKushman.com.
