Four Lawyers from Brooks Kushman Named to Intellectual Property Owners Association Committees

John M. Halan, John S. LeRoy, Hope V. Shovein and Brian S. Tobin of Brooks Kushman P.C. – a locally based national leader in intellectual property (IP) law – were recently appointed to various committees within the Intellectual Property Owners (IPO) Association, a national trade association advocating cost effective and reliable patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret protection.

The IPO Association was established to broaden public understanding of IP rights and consists of more than 100 corporate members. In 2007, the IPO Association has 29 committees in six divisions addressing IP law and practice issues. All committee members are appointed by IPO President Marc S. Adler.

“As a specialist in intellectual property law, our firm understands and values the importance of contributing to and shaping the evolution of intellectual property trends, especially pertaining to electronic data,” said Ernie L. Brooks, president and managing partner, Brooks Kushman. “These appointments provide Brooks Kushman the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of this continually changing field and also allow us to share best practices and other insights we have gained through our work in this specialty.”

John M. Halan, shareholder, and John S. LeRoy, associate, for Brooks Kushman, have been appointed to the Discovery Committee within the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Division of the IPO Association. Halan and LeRoy will assist in the development of recommended discovery methods, which can save time and money for IP owners. Included in the committee`s purview is e-discovery, an emerging area of special focus at Brooks Kushman.

Hope V. Shovein, associate at Brooks Kushman, was named to the Trademark Office Practice (U.S.) Committee of the Trademark Division of the IPO Association. In this appointed role, Shovein will assist the committee`s effort of studying and reporting on issues relating to the quality, timeliness, budget and efficiency of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Brian S. Tobin, associate at Brooks Kushman, was appointed to the Trade Secrets Committee of the Business Issues Division of the IPO Association. As a member of the committee, Tobin will study and report on issues relating to the balance between employees` rights to seek other employment and employers` rights to protect IP.