Chicago-based Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione now has an office in Washington. The intellectual property firm told The National Law Journal that it has set up a three-lawyer shop at 1850 K Street N.W.
Thomas Holt, who had been a partner in Chicago, will serve as managing partner of the new office. Holt handles a full range of IP work, including trademark, trade dress, copyright, patent and unfair competition issues.
Joining him in the office are associates Scott Brim, who focuses on patent prosecution work, and Michelle Miller, who advises clients on domestic and international trademarks, trade dress, copyright and unfair competition law. Both Brim and Miller were also previously based in Chicago.
Meredith Martin Addy, chair of the firm’s appellate group; Laura Beth Miller, chair of the International Trade Commission group; and G. Peter Nichols, chair of the patent prosecution group; will also occasionally work out of the new office.
Holt said the firm has been looking to expand into Washington for a while, but “the pieces didn’t fall into place until now.” The firm had a small office in Arlington, Va., with three paralegals, but didn’t have any lawyers based in the Washington area before now. The Arlington office has been closed and the paralegals have joined the new office on K Street.
“Washington is a significant market for the intellectual property world, and until now we didn’t have a physical presence here,” Holt said. “We finally decided that by moving some of our lawyers from Chicago out here, we would be able to grow a Washington office organically and in a way that allows us to have the same culture we have in our other offices.”
Despite the firm’s desire to grow organically, Holt said Brinks Hofer is also looking to make lateral hires in Washington. “We’ve got some plans in the works right now on that front,” Holt said.
Comments