Chicago, IL -- Janet A. Pioli, an intellectual property attorney and shareholder at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, has been named president of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC) for 2012-2013, becoming the 10th Brinks shareholder to assume the role.

“Janet Pioli continues Brinks' tradition of holding leadership positions in IPLAC, the nation’s first intellectual property law association and currently one of its largest,” said James R. Sobieraj, president of Brinks and himself a past president of IPLAC. “Janet will be an excellent president, as she has demonstrated her leadership abilities at IPLAC and other professional organizations, as well as during her distinguished career at Brinks.”

Ms Pioli was named president at the association's annual meeting on May 1, 2012, at the University Club of Chicago, after having been voted president-elect for 2011-2012 the previous year. She has long been an active member of IPLAC and she served as its vice president for 2010-2011. Previously, she was a board member and chair of the IPLAC dinner committee.

“I am pleased to pass the baton of the presidency to Janet Pioli,” said IPLAC immediate past-president Janet M. Garetto, managing partner of Nixon Peabody LLP’s Chicago office. “She has been instrumental in furthering IPLAC’s mission and has been extraordinarily generous in contributing her time to leadership service and sharing her legal expertise with fellow IPLAC members.”

The oldest society of intellectual property attorneys in the United States, IPLAC is a not-for-profit organization with more than 1,000 members, including lawyers and other professionals practicing in the intellectual property field, covering the areas of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and unfair competition and related practices. More information is available at www.IPLAC.org.

Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione

Brinks has more than 140 attorneys, scientific advisors and patent agents who specialize in intellectual property, making it one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the U.S. Clients around the world use Brinks to help them identify, protect, manage and enforce their intellectual property. Brinks lawyers provide expertise in all aspects of patent, trademark, unfair competition, trade secret and copyright law. The Brinks team includes lawyers with bachelors and advanced degrees in all fields of technology and science. Brinks has offices in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Research Triangle Park, Salt Lake City, Ann Arbor and Indianapolis. More information is available at www.usebrinks.com.