Arnold & Porter is pleased to announce that Christopher Renk, Michael Harris, and Helen Minsker have joined the firm's Intellectual Property practice, resident in Chicago. Messrs. Renk and Harris have joined as partners and Ms. Minsker has joined as senior counsel. With their arrival, the firm's Chicago office now has 28 attorneys.
Arnold & Porter Chairman Richard M. Alexander said: ""Our new colleagues bolster the firm's IP litigation capabilities with their demonstrated track record of success in handling sophisticated IP matters. Their industry expertise will be extraordinarily valuable to our clients in solving their most complex intellectual property challenges.""
A first-chair trial lawyer, Christopher Renk has successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants as lead and co-counsel in jury trials, bench trials, and appeals. His cases have involved diverse matters including computer software, consumer electronics, product designs, electrical controls, internet content delivery, medical and surgical devices, heat transfer, distilled spirits, contact lenses, fuel injection systems, athletic footwear, and textiles processing. Mr. Renk focuses his practice on litigating patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, false advertising and unfair competition cases. He earned his JD from the University of Minnesota Law School and received his BS in engineering from Iowa State University. Prior to attending law school, he was an engineer at General Dynamics Corporation.
Michael Harris is an experienced litigator who has played a lead role in hundreds of complex matters for industry-leading clients, including high-stakes utility patent, design patent, trademark, trade dress, copyright, trade secret, and unfair competition lawsuits. He has tried cases before juries and judges in federal district courts and at the International Trade Commission, and has appeared before numerous federal appellate courts. He has served as in-house IP counsel for a Fortune 150 company and is currently serving as Virtual IP Counsel for a global, diversified industrial organization that includes more than 185 independent manufacturing and service businesses. He earned his JD, cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law, where he served as the Internet Editor for The University of Illinois Journal of Law Technology & Policy. Mr. Harris received his BS in Electrical Engineering, summa cum laude, from Valparaiso University. Prior to attending law school, he was an electrical engineer for the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Helen Minsker advises clients on a broad range of issues arising under trademark and unfair competition laws, as well as copyright law. Her experience in these fields of law includes counseling, prosecution and registration of applications before the US Patent and Trademark Office and the US Copyright Office, internet, licensing, enforcement, oppositions and cancellations, and litigation in the courts. Ms. Minsker also counsels clients on protecting their trademark portfolios internationally. She earned her JD from George Washington University and received her AB in political science from Vassar College.
In joining Arnold & Porter, Messrs. Renk and Harris and Ms. Minsker commented:""We are excited to join Arnold & Porter's Chicago office and the firm's Intellectual Property practice. We were drawn to Arnold & Porter because of the firm's excellent reputation, diversified practice offerings and strong culture.""