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| INFORMATION | | Click on the icons below to print, view the employer questionnaire and add to your list. Click on FAQ at left for definitions of terms. |
 EMPLOYER INFO |
| Employer Name: |
BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE |
| Address: |
NBC TOWER, SUITE 3600 |
| |
455 N. CITYFRONT PLAZA DRIVE |
| City: |
CHICAGO |
| State, Zip: |
Illinois, 60611 |
| Country: |
United States |
| Phone: |
(312) 321-4200 |
| Fax: |
(312) 321-4299 |
| Web: |
www.usebrinks.com |
|
| Hiring Attorney: |
By Committee |
|
| Recruiting Contact: |
Ms. Mary Kate Driscoll |
| Title: |
Director of Recruitment and Diversity |
| Employer Name: |
BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE |
| Address: |
NBC Tower, Suite 3600 |
| |
455 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive |
| City: |
Chicago |
| State, Zip: |
Illinois, 60611 |
| Country: |
United States |
| Phone: |
(312) 321-4200 |
| Fax: |
(312) 321-4299 |
| Email: |
mkdriscoll@usebrinks.com |
| OFFICE/ORGANIZATION SIZE |
| Multi Office Form: |
Y |
| Multi Office Form Reporting For: |
All Offices |
| Specify: |
Chicago, IL
Ann Arbor, MI
Indianapolis, IN
Research Triangle Park, NC
Salt Lake City, UT
Washington D.C.
|
| # Offices On Form: |
6 |
| Total # Offices: |
6 |
| Employer Size Range: |
101-250 |
| Office Size Range: |
101-250 |
| Total Attorneys In This Office: |
163 |
| DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION |
| 69 |
57 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| 8 |
18 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 77 |
75 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| 2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 64 |
45 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| 8 |
14 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 3 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| 2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| PRIMARY PRACTICE AREAS |
|
| Intellectual Property | 77 | 88 | | Appellate | 23 | 15 | | Biotech/Pharmaceutical | 19 | 31 | | Chemical | 19 | 30 | | Copyright | 29 | 32 | | Electrical/Computer | 34 | 40 | | Intellectual Asset Management | 29 | 21 | | Intellectual Property Litigation | 65 | 64 | | International Trade Commission (ITC) | 15 | 14 | | Licensing | 33 | 36 | | Mechanical | 38 | 36 | | Nanotechnology | 23 | 31 | | Patent Prosecution | 57 | 84 | | Trademarks & Unfair Competition | 22 | 31 |
| COMPENSATION & EMPLOYMENT DATA |
| 8 |
(0) |
3 |
(0) |
TBD |
| 0 |
(0) |
0 |
(0) |
TBD |
| TDB |
$/yr |
12 |
(10) |
6 |
(6) |
TBD |
|
() |
|
() |
|
|
() |
|
() |
|
|
$/wk |
|
() |
|
() |
0 |
| TBD |
$/wk |
7 |
(0) |
12 |
(2) |
1 |
| TBD |
$/wk |
2 |
|
0 |
|
2-3 |
| STUDENT EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION |
| # 2009 entry-level attorneys who were former interns: |
|
| # 2009 Summer 2Ls considered for associate offers: |
12 |
| # offers made: |
9 |
| Hire school term clerks? |
CBC |
| Prefer significant prior experience in area? |
|
| 1Ls hired? |
Y |
| For attorney hires, require: Bar admission? |
|
| For attorney hires, require: Prior practice experience? |
|
| If yes, # of years? |
|
| U.S. citizenship required? |
|
| When after 12/1 should 1Ls apply? |
Immediately |
| Split summers allowed? |
Y |
| If yes, minimum weeks: |
6 |
| 1Ls considered for interns? |
|
| Comments: |
|
|
Accept applications for the 2011 Summer Program from: |
| Joint degree students graduating in 2013 or later? |
Y |
| Evening students graduating in 2013? |
Y |
| Judicial Clerks? |
Y |
| Students at non-US law schools? |
N |
What % of legal staff has been with the organization: |
| less than 2 years? |
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| 2-5 years? |
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| 6-10 years? |
|
| more than 10 years? |
|
Application Process: |
| Date applications first accepted for summer interns: |
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| Date applications first accepted for attorneys: |
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| Deadline for applications from summer interns: |
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| Deadline for applications from attorneys: |
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| Date offers are made to summer interns: |
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| Date offers are made to attorneys: |
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| Average length of hiring process (months) for summer interns: |
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| Average length of hiring process (months) for attorneys: |
|
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| Do you hire domestic LL.M.s? |
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| In what practice areas: |
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| Do you hire foreign LL.M.s? |
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| In what practice areas: |
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| When should LL.M.s submit applications? |
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| Preferred application materials: |
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| Hiring Criteria: |
|
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione is seeking law students interested in practicing intellectual property law with one of the most prominent firms of this specialty in the country. Successful applicants for summer associate and associate positions will have excellent academic performance in both undergraduate and law school (usually top 25% of class), and demonstrate outstanding oral and written communication skills. Participation in extra-curricular activities (law review, other law journals, moot court, and other organizations) is highly desirable. Litigation-related coursework and other forms of recognition and awards are also relevant.
For our patent practice, which comprises the majority of our hiring, we require a technical undergraduate degree in, for example, engineering, chemistry, physics, computer science, or biotechnology. We are interviewing second and third-year students with technical backgrounds in one or more of these areas.
For our trademark practice, we are seeking second and third-year students with liberal arts or business degrees who have a strong interest in specializing in this area of law.
|
| ATTORNEY HOURS |
| Average annual associate hours worked: |
(2008) |
2,149 (2009) |
| Average annual associate billable hours: |
(2008) |
1,885 (2009) |
| Is there a minimum billable hour expectation? |
Y |
|
| If "Yes", number: |
1950 |
|
| Hours policy details: |
|
|
|
| Is billable hour credit given for pro bono work? |
N |
|
| Is there a maximum that will be credited? |
Y |
|
| If yes, what? |
50 |
|
| For bonus consideration, is a pro bono hour equivalent to a billable hour? |
Y |
|
CLERKSHIP/CREDIT/SUPPLEMENTAL
COMPENSATION |
| Do you have a Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)? |
|
| If yes, describe: |
|
| Judicial Clerkship Bonus: |
CBC |
| Compensation/progression credit for judicial clerkship? |
CBC |
| Compensation/progression credit for other advanced degrees? |
N |
| Other Compensation: |
|
|
| BENEFITS |
| Benefits: |
401(k)/IRA/Other Retirement Plan
Business Casual Dress Code
CLE
Dental Insurance
Domestic Partner Benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Flexible Spending Account/pre-tax Option
Life/AD&D
Long-term Disability Insurance
Medical Insurance
Parental Leave
Profit Sharing
Relocation Expenses
Short-term Disability Insurance
Technology (Laptop, PDA, etc.)
Vision Insurance |
| Benefit Package Comments: |
|
| Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Supplemental Life, Long-Term & Short Term Disability & Malpractice Insurance; Maternity Leave; Profit Sharing; 401K Plan; Domestic Partner Benefits, Back-up Childcare, Flexible Spending Accounts; Professional Expense Account; Moving Expenses up to $4,000; House Hunting Trip; State Bar & PTO Exam & Review fees; Business Casual Dress Code; Employee Assistance Program; Fitness Center (Chicago). |
| WORK/LIFE INFORMATION |
| Average weekly hours per attorney: |
|
| Usual scheduled working day: |
|
| Part-time allowed? |
Y |
| Part-time available to entry-level? |
CBC |
| # of part-time associates: |
0 (m) 2 (w) |
| # of part-time partners/members: |
7 (m) 1 (w) |
| # of part-time other lawyers: |
1 (m) 0 (w) |
| Do you have a written part-time policy for associates? |
Y |
| Do you have a written part-time policy for partners? |
Y |
| What is the impact of working part-time as an associate, if any, on an associate's progression toward partner? |
|
| Can an associate be promoted to partner while s/he is working on a part-time schedule? |
Y |
| Can a partner work on a part-time schedule? |
Y |
| Eligibility for alternative work schedules determined by: |
Board of Directors |
| Paid non-medical parental leave? |
|
| Comments: |
|
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| TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT |
| Coaching/mentoring program? |
Y |
| Evaluations: |
Annual |
| Upward reviews: |
N |
| Professional development staff: |
Y |
| Billable hours credit for training time: |
|
| Rotation for junior associates between departments/practice groups? |
NA |
| Is rotation mandatory? |
|
| Comments: |
|
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| PARTNERSHIP DATA |
| Does the firm have two or more tiers of partner? |
N |
| If no, how many years is the partnership track? |
8.00 |
| If yes, how many years is the non-equity track? |
|
| How many years is the equity track? |
|
| Additional partnership progression information: |
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| Consideration given at year-end following eight years of full-time employment. |
DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT & RETENTION
EFFORTS |
| Activities to increase the presence and retention of under-represented groups: |
| Minority job fairs: |
 |
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Bar sponsored Programs: |
|
| Outreach to law student groups: |
|
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Firm Diversity Committee: |
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| Directed Mentoring Effors: |
|
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Rec. at schools w/ large min. pop.: |
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| Comments: |
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Brinks is recognized as a premier intellectual property firm throughout the world. We have developed one of the most diversified, experienced, and widely respected practices in the world. We recognize that the firm’s attorneys should be no less diverse. We highly value diversity and are deeply committed to a firm culture where different people, with different perspectives, unite for the common purpose of pursuing excellence in serving our clients’ legal needs.
We recognize that the road to achieving optimum diversity may be difficult at times, but this does not deter us. We also recognize that diversity in the workplace requires constant vigilance, and this does not deter us. To help fully achieve, maintain, and nurture our firm’s diversity, Brinks has adopted the following principles and initiatives:
Our Management, Recruiting, Hiring, and Diversity Committees will work together to establish and implement programs that actively promote the Firm’s diversity initiatives. Our goal is to identify and eliminate any barriers to the success of diverse attorneys.
The Firm’s Diversity Committee will report directly to the President and Board of Directors. The Diversity Committee will be responsible for improving our diverse culture, developing initiatives to enhance the leadership roles of women, racially diverse, and other diverse attorneys at the firm, monitoring the firm’s diversity programs, and ensuring that the various diversity initiatives are met. The Diversity Committee will provide a forum for diverse attorneys to convey feedback and a channel of communication with senior management.
Our recruiting plan promotes the hiring of highly accomplished, diverse law students and lateral attorneys. The Recruiting and Hiring Committees will actively participate in achieving the firm’s diversity goals and will take these goals into consideration in making hiring decisions. We will participate in minority job fairs, and we will recruit on-campus at historically diverse law schools. Our goal is to achieve a level of diversity that reflects the diversity of graduating law students. We will review our recruiting programs annually to measure our success and modify our programs as needed to accomplish this goal.
We will seek to achieve a level of retention and promotion for diverse attorneys throughout an entry-level class's progression toward partnership that is at least as great as when the class first arrived at the firm. We will strive to achieve this goal as soon as possible. Toward this end, we will establish and support initiatives that ensure that diverse attorneys are provided: (1) meaningful mentoring opportunities for career development and promotion within the firm; (2) meaningful opportunities to perform significant work for important clients; (3) meaningful training, guidance, and feedback; and (4) meaningful opportunities to participate in work-related social and professional activities with clients and other lawyers. We will review our retention and training programs annually to measure our success and modify our programs as need to accomplish these goals and initiatives.
We will work to support and enable diverse attorneys to achieve leadership positions throughout our firm and the legal community. Leadership positions within the firm include membership on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors; committee and practice group chairs; and committee membership.
We recognize the value of serving the community. We will encourage our attorneys to participate in programs designed to support people of diverse backgrounds. To this end, we will continue to encourage our attorneys to participate in pro bono work. We will continue to work actively with community programs that promote education of racially diverse high school and college students, and to seek additional opportunities to do so.
We will participate in at least one diversity awareness training program annually. Our plan is to provide such training initially for senior management, followed soon after by mandatory participation at all levels.
|
| CAMPUS INTERVIEWS |
| Selected Campuses: |
Howard University School of Law
Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington
Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis
University of Michigan Law School |
| Job Fair/Corsortia Attended: |
CLEO Minority Job Fair
Cook County Bar Association Minority Job Fair
Lavender Law Fair
Patent Law Interview Program
Vault & MCCA Legal Diversity Fair |
|
| CAMPUS INTERVIEWS FOR PRIOR YEAR |
| # of Schools Visited in 2009: |
4 |
| # of Job Fairs / Consortia Attended in 2009: |
5 |
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| PRO BONO INFORMATION |
| Pro Bono Contact Information |
| Pro Bono Contact: |
Vincent Gnoffo |
| Title: |
Chair, Pro Bono Committee |
| Phone: |
(312)321-4200 |
| Fax: |
(312)321-4299 |
| Email: |
vgnoffo@usebrinks.com |
| |
| The information indicated here is: |
| Firm-wide: |
 |
Office Specific: |
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| |
| %Firm Billable Hours last year: |
|
|
| |
| Average Hours per Attorney Last Year: |
Associates
Partners/Members
Other Lawyers
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| Participation last year: |
% Associates
% Partners/Members
% Other Lawyers
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| What percentage of attorneys performed more than 20 hours? |
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| What was the number of actual pro bono hours contributed by the organization in the prior calendar year?
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| Does the organization maintain a formal pro bono policy that sets forth the organization's commitment to pro bono? |
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How does the organization define what constitutes pro bono legal work?
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| Does the organization set annual goals regarding the minimum number of pro bono hours to be contributed by the organization? |
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| If yes, what is that annual goal? |
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| Does the organization set individual attorney goals regarding the minimum number of pro bono hours to be contributed? |
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| If yes, what is that annual goal? |
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| Is an attorney's commitment to pro bono activity considered a favorable factor in advancement and compensation decisions? |
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If yes, to what extent?
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| Are full-time support services (word processing, online research Lexis/Westlaw, out of pocket costs) available for pro bono representation? |
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If so, are there any limitations?
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| Are associates provided written evaluations of their work on pro bono matters? |
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| Does the organization employ one or more of the following structures to manage its pro bono program and to provide training and guidance to participating attorneys? |
| Full-time attorney in a dedicated pro bono coordination/oversight role |
| An attorney who coordinates pro bono projects as an ancillary duty to other work |
| Pro Bono Committee |
| Non-attorney administrator |
| Other: |
|
How is pro bono work assigned/distributed?
|
| If an attorney is permitted to bring a pro bono case
for possible consideration by the firm, who makes decisions about
whether the firm will handle the matter?
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| Pro Bono Coordinator |
| Pro Bono Committee |
| Department Chair |
| Other: |
| N/A |
| Does the organization provide any of the following to enable its attorneys to participate in pro bono activities or work in a public interest setting? (Check all that apply) |
| Externships |
| Sabbaticals |
| Fellowships |
| Part-time pro bono programs |
| Other |
| If so, please describe: |
| |
| Are pro bono opportunities available for summer associates? |
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| Additional comments (Please use this space to provide any additional information about your organization's pro bono program including any special recognition or awards the organization has received for its pro bono work.): |
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| What are some of the areas in which your firm has performed pro bono work in the past year? |
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| PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIPS |
| Do you sponsor split public interest summer and/or post-graduate fellowships? |
Y |
| Public Interest Fellowship Comments: |
|
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| NON - DISCRIMINATION POLICY |
| Non-Discrimination: |
| The Firm is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity. Firm practices and employment decisions regarding employment, hiring, assignment, promotion, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment shall not be based on an employee’s race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, mental or physical disability, ancestry, military discharge status, sexual orientation, marital status, source of income, parental status, housing status, or other protected status, in accordance with applicable law. |
| NARRATIVE |
We seek associates and law students interested in practicing intellectual property law with one of the most prominent firms of this specialty in the country. We represent major corporate clients in a wide range of intellectual property matters concerning patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition, licensing, and related antitrust issues. Our specialty is one of today's most progressive and exciting areas of law, involving our attorneys in a variety of complex issues and state-of-the-art technologies. Our strength lies in the quality of the individuals, past and present, who have built and maintained our national reputation as leaders in intellectual property law. For over 85 years, our attorneys have had prominent roles in the legal profession and in various civic, pro bono and community activities. We have participated in the development of intellectual property law, having litigated landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, regional courts of appeal, and in the Federal Circuit. Our attorneys assume leadership roles in professional organizations, regularly participate in seminars, speak before professional groups, and serve as adjunct professors in intellectual property law. Upon joining the Firm, associates assume significant responsibility for litigation activities, including discovery and motion practice, as well as trial and appellate advocacy. Associates develop proficiency in client counseling, licensing, patent prosecution, and obtaining trademark registrations. The Firm pays for associate training courses, such as those offered by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. We also conduct in-house training seminars for all our attorneys on a continuing basis. We encourage associates to participate in the ABA, local bar, intellectual property law organizations, and other professional development activities. To this end, after their first anniversary with the Firm, we provide a professional expense account that may be used to attend meetings and seminars relating to our practice. Our summer associate program offers students the opportunity to learn first-hand the rewards and challenges of an intellectual property law practice. Participants work with a number of attorneys throughout the summer on a variety of client-related matters that help develop analytical and writing skills required in litigation and prosecution. Our Hiring Committee implements mentor programs to assist summer associates in their transition into the Firm, closely monitors work performance, and provides substantive feedback throughout the summer. Our attorneys conduct weekly educational seminars for the summer associates to enhance their knowledge of our Firm and our practice.
Successful applicants for summer and associate positions will have outstanding academic performance in both undergraduate and law school, plus excellent oral and written communication skills. For our patent practice, which comprises the majority of our hiring, we require a technical undergraduate degree in, for example, engineering, computer science, chemistry, physics, or biotechnology. For trademark and related areas, we seek applicants with liberal arts or business degrees who have a strong interest in specializing in these areas of law. Interested first, second, and third year students are encouraged to send their resumes, and undergraduate and law school transcripts, to Mary Kate Driscoll, Director of Recruitment, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, NBC Tower, Suite 3600, 455 North Cityfront Plaza Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60611.
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