News

Hanley Flight & Zimmerman is pleased to announce Eric Ha has joined its intellectual property law practice as a Patent Agent.

Eric brings extensive experience in engineering, research, and higher education. Most recently, he served as a tenured Associate Professor at Eastern Illinois University. Prior to that, he conducted research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Maryland and worked as an engineer for SK Hynix Semiconductor.

Eric holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland and recently passed the USPTO Registration Examination. At HFZ, he will leverage his technical background and research experience to assist clients in preparing and prosecuting patent applications across a wide range of technologies.

HFZ Capital Member Marianne Buckley recently attended the 6th Annual Women Leaders in IP Law Summit in Washington, D.C., an event that brings together law firm practitioners, in-house counsel, government officials, and industry leaders to discuss emerging issues shaping the intellectual property landscape.

“I enjoyed hearing the perspectives of law firm practitioners and in-house counsel on topics such as inventorship in the age of AI and protection of IP in different global jurisdictions,” Marianne said. “I also found the insights of former government officials with respect to developments at the Patent Office to be valuable. The keynote address from the Honorable Pauline Newman was also a highlight.”

The summit is designed to provide practical tools that help intellectual property professionals enhance their legal knowledge, strengthen leadership skills, and expand their business acumen. Marianne’s participation reflects HFZ’s commitment to staying informed on the latest developments affecting innovators, patent owners, and technology-focused businesses.

Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, as well as firm co-founders Mark Hanley, James Flight, and Mark Zimmerman, are ranked for the fourth straight year in the IAM Patent 1000, an annual guide to the world’s leading patent law firms and individuals.

Along with the co-founders, IAM once again lists HFZ as “recommended” for patent prosecution in Illinois. IAM’s review describes HFZ as a trusted supporter of leading innovators that offers “top-tier services” from consulting to patent prosecution. The publication also notes the firm’s “ability to embed itself within clients’ innovation teams as a trusted, strategic extension of their IP function.”

IAM highlights Mark Hanley, James Flight, and Mark Zimmerman as key practitioners, recognizing their close work with inventors and their longstanding support of clients across a range of technology sectors.

HFZ’s complete Patent 1000 profile is available here.

The Patent 1000, published by Law Business Research, uses qualitative research, including interviews and written submissions, to identify leading firms and individuals in patent law. More information about the methodology is available here.

Hanley Flight & Zimmerman is pleased to announce Charlie McCormick has joined its intellectual property law practice as a Patent Engineer.

Prior to joining HFZ, Charlie gained experience in corporate and manufacturing-based engineering roles for a medical-surgical product and supply chain provider. He brings experience drafting comprehensive technical specifications for Class I & II medical devices as well as his contributions that led to a patent for a medical device.

Charlie says his participation in the patent process as an inventor fueled his desire to explore the world of intellectual property law. At HFZ, Charlie will leverage his engineering background by assisting in preparing and prosecuting patent applications as he pursues his aspiration of becoming a patent attorney.

Chris George, capital member at Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, recently participated in the 2026 LEAD Symposium hosted by GE Aerospace Research in Niskayuna, New York. The symposium brought together GE engineers, technical leaders, and external collaborators to discuss innovation in digital and electrical systems shaping the future of flight. The event was successful in encouraging collaboration between GE Aerospace and its partners across industry, academia, and government.

Chris participated alongside other technical and industry professionals contributing to conversations around advanced aerospace systems, applied AI, manufacturing innovation, and the evolving future of aviation technology.

Jim Flight and Mark Zimmerman, founding members of Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, will attend the INTA Annual Meeting 2026, taking place May 2–6 in London, England.

The annual meeting, hosted by the International Trademark Association, brings together more than 8,500 intellectual property professionals from around the world. The event offers a full week of educational programming, including sessions on enforcement, valuation, transactions, and artificial intelligence, as well as opportunities for meaningful networking across the global IP community.

Jim and Mark look forward to connecting with colleagues, clients, and industry leaders throughout the week and engaging in conversations shaping the future of intellectual property.

Hanley Flight & Zimmerman provides trademark procurement services and manages clients’ global portfolios. In addition, HFZ continues to support clients across a wide range of technologies, delivering high-quality patent consulting and prosecution services to companies around the world.

Marianne Buckley and Jim Flight, Capital Members of Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, recently delivered a continuing legal education presentation titled “Riding the AI Wave: How AI Tools and the USPTO’s Newest AI Policies Can Lift Your Technology Portfolio,” sponsored by the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Austin chapter. Marianne covered how recent USPTO policy shifts impact patent prosecution, and Jim spoke to leveraging AI to safely build patent portfolios.

Marianne discussed decisions and statements from the USPTO in late 2025 that indicated a policy change on subject-matter eligibility, including updates to the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure that remind examiners to avoid overgeneralizing or dismissing elements as mere “generic” computer components. While questions remain in view of how the courts will handle Section 101 attacks on patents, particularly in the AI space, Marianne explained that USPTO policies are favoring applicants who take a mindful, strategic approach to patenting.

The 2026 Patent 300 report published by Harrity Patent Analytics lists five Hanley Flight & Zimmerman clients among the Top 20 U.S. patent earning entities in 2025. HFZ’s representation of 25% of the top U.S. patenting entities demonstrates once again that HFZ is trusted by the best.

Congratulations to all of HFZ’s great clients. We are proud to assist you in protecting your outstanding inventions.

Marianne Buckley, a Capital Member of Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, will be a featured speaker at a continuing legal education presentation sponsored by the Association of Corporate Counsel, titled: “Riding the AI Wave: How AI Tools and the USPTO’s Newest AI Policies Can Lift Your Technology Portfolio.”

Marianne, along with HFZ and co-founder Jim Flight, will discuss how recent USPTO decisions involving AI inventions can be leveraged with respect to obtaining patents. They will also cover how the USPTO is increasingly using AI in the patent examination process, and how inventors can use AI to strengthen their patent portfolios.

The CLE is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Central time February 18 in Austin, Texas and is hosted by the ACC’s Austin chapter. For more information and to register, click here.

James (Jim) Flight, a founding member of Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, is featured in IAM’s Strategy 300 Global Leaders 2026, a publication that showcases intellectual property professionals whose “approach to intellectual property is regarded by peers as truly strategic in nature.”

Jim was chosen through an editorial process that included peer nominations, research and source interviews. From that group, IAM selected its Global Leaders, acknowledging IP professionals from across in-house, private practice, and service provider roles who merit special attention for their expertise and experience in creating, protecting, managing, transacting, and enforcing critical patent rights.

This is the fourth straight year Jim has been chosen to the Global Leaders list. Also this year, Jim, fellow HFZ founders Mark Hanley and Mark Zimmerman, and the firm were ranked in this year’s IAM Patent 1000, an annual guide to the world’s leading patent law firms and individuals.