Transition

The Chicago-based intellectual property law firm of Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione celebrated its 90th anniversary on Nov. 1 by opening a state-of-the-art, high-tech conference center on the 36th floor of the NBC Tower.

The center has more than 380 electronic connections in a network of rooms to serve the technology needs of the firm’s 170 attorneys, including 80 individual audio-microphone systems with direct video linkage to Web conferencing in all its offices.

Brinks Hofer was founded in 1917 as Wilkinson & Huxley in the former First National Bank Building. Other offices are located in Indianapolis, Salt Lake City, Ann Arbor, Mich., and Arlington, Va.

The firm recently announced the election of three attorneys as shareholders in various intellectual property practices. They are James K. Cleland, Kelly J. Eberspecher, Anastasia Heffner, Justin B. Rand, Michael N. Spink and Mary M. Squyres, who chairs the International Trademark Group.

• • •

Mark E. Rust has been re-elected managing partner of the Chicago office of Barnes & Thornburg. He serves on the Midwest firm’s management committee, along with William McErlean and Melissa Vallone of the Chicago office.

• • •

Robert J. McNish has joined David Friedman Zavett Kane MacRae Marcus Rubens, Chicago, as a partner. Michael P. Alvarado is a new associate with the firm.

• • •

Eight new associates have joined the Chicago office of Dykema. Their names and practice areas follow.

Elizabeth A. Anderson (taxation and estate planning); Stephen R. Goler (real estate); Elizabeth A. Graham, Elizabeth C. Osborne and Molly E. Thompson (litigation); Alyan Z. Hyder and Jennifer M. Shivers (corporate); Timothy K. Sendek (intellectual property).

• • •

The eight-year-old Brussels office of Foley & Lardner has been relocated to the city’s IT Tower, where it shares space with Vlaemminck & Partners. The two firms were honored Nov. 14 during a reception at the U.S. Embassy.

• • •

Ryan S. Higgins and Daniel Soldato have joined the Chicago office of McGuireWoods as associates in the Health Care Department. Higgins was a summer associate with a Washington, D.C., firm. Soldato was a summer associate with McGuireWoods.

Stephanie A. Zabela, formerly with Greenberg Traurig in New York City, has joined as an associate in the Capital Markets Department.

Former summer associates Jeannil Boji and Sarah K. Wake are new associates in the firm’s Labor and Employment Department.

Christopher R. Clark has been named senior staff attorney in the Midwest regional office of Lambda Legal in Chicago. Previously a partner in Reed, Smith, Sachnoff & Weaver, he also practiced with Goldberg Kohn.

• • •

Kristin G. Bagull has joined Levin & Shreder, Chicago, as an associate in income tax, estate planning and representation in U.S. Tax Court controversy matters. She was with Chuhak & Tecson.

• • •

Traci Nally, a past president of the Champaign County Bar Association, has been named vice president of human resources for The News-Gazette Inc. in Champaign. She will continue a limited practice with Nally, Bauer, Feinen & Mann.

Nally began representing the News-Gazette in 1982 and was its general counsel from 1991 until 1996, when she established her own practice.

• • •

The promotion of Charles E. Harper Jr. and Monica Maria Tynan to partners in the Chicago office of Quarles & Brady was announced Nov. 7.

Harper concentrates in commercial transactions and litigation, and Tynan practices in product liability, toxic tort and personal injury litigation.

John Collen has joined the firm’s Chicago office as a partner in its Commercial Bankruptcy, Restructuring and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group. A former partner in Duane Morris, he is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy.

• • •

Six new associates have joined the Chicago office of Stellato & Schwartz, including Ryan A. Erickson, formerly with Hennessy & Roach. Others are recent admittees Christopher J. Nadeau, Benjamin R. Burnham, Conor J. Heaton, Elise D. Allen and Joshua M. Wolkomir.

• • •

Chicago attorney Richard J. Rettberg has relocated to Nashville, Tenn., as corporate counsel to the General Council on Finance and Administration of the United Methodist Church.

A partner in McKenna Storer for several years, Rettberg has been admitted to the Tennessee bar but will maintain his registration in Illinois.