Category: News

Chris George and Michael Lenisa, HFZ capital members, recently returned from the IPO Annual Meeting in San Diego, where both attorneys made connections, shared their IP knowledge, and gained valuable insights.

On the first day of the conference, Chris helped lead a joint session of the AI and the Software-Related Inventions Committees. Chris is vice chair of the IPO’s Software-Related Inventions Committee, which focuses on judicial decisions, proposed legislation, and regulatory practices in the United States, Europe and other countries and geographies as well as recommends changes to the laws governing software.

Throughout the event, Chris and Mickey connected with other IP professionals to discuss AI innovation protection, usage of AI, international IP comparisons, and next steps in protecting quantum and other emerging technologies.

Hanley Flight & Zimmerman has been recognized as one of the top intellectual property law firms in Chicago in the 2026 Chambers Spotlight Guide for Illinois released today.

Chambers Spotlight, published by Chambers USA, an independent legal research organization, is an honor awarded to small and medium-sized law firms “that have demonstrated strong expertise in their respective practice areas.” According to Chambers, the firms ranked in the guide were selected based on independent and in-depth market analysis, coupled with an assessment of their experience, expertise and caliber of talent. More information is available here.

The Chambers Spotlight ranking is the latest honor for HFZ and its patent attorneys.

Recently, HFZ and firm co-founders Mark Hanley, James Flight, and Mark Zimmerman were ranked for the third straight year in the IAM Patent 1000, an annual guide to the world’s leading patent law firms and individuals. Mark Hanley and Mark Zimmerman were for the third straight year honored as “Patent Stars” in the annual IP STARS guide to the top intellectual property attorneys in Illinois and nationwide in the United States. And Jim Flight was selected for the fourth straight year to the IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists and was also honored in the Strategy 300 Global Leaders 2025 publication.

Four Hanley Flight & Zimmerman attorneys are included in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.

James Flight and Michael Zimmerman were honored as Best Lawyers for patent law, placing them among the top lawyers with more than a decade of experience in the Chicago area. In addition, Justin Lizalek and Mary Vollmar were honored as “Ones to Watch” for intellectual property law. “Ones to Watch” are recognized attorneys with less than 10 years of private practice experience.

Every year Best Lawyers analyzes more than 13 million lawyer evaluations to compile its rankings, which are based on peer review and feedback. More information about Best Lawyers’ methodology is available here.

James (Jim) Flight, a founding member of Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, was selected for the fourth straight year to the IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists.

The 2025 IAM Strategy 300 identifies “individuals who are leading the way in the development of strategies that maximize the value of IP portfolios.” The list includes leaders from a variety of arenas, including service providers, corporations, research institutions and universities.

The roster of honorees was compiled through an editorial process based on peer nominations, plus independent research and source interviews with members of the global IP community. More information on the methodology is available here.

IAM has also honored Jim in its Strategy 300 Global Leaders 2025 publication, which acknowledges leaders from across in-house, private practice and service provider roles in IP. Jim and the firm were also recommended in the latest IAM Patent 1000 rankings.

Nazeer Ali, a Capital Member of Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, will be speaking at the International Intellectual Property Law Association (IIPLA) USA Conference on September 29- 30 in Palo Alto, California.

At the event, Nazeer will share insights gained from his more than 12 years of experience as an attorney working on U.S. patent prosecution and IP strategy as well as his design engineering background working on cellular phones, base stations, and fitness equipment. Using this combination of legal and technical experience, Nazeer has contributed to patent strategies involving mechanical systems, electro-mechanical innovations, manufacturing processes, and advanced computing technologies.

Hanley Flight & Zimmerman as well as firm co-founders Mark Hanley, James Flight, and Mark Zimmerman are ranked for the third 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 lists HFZ as “recommended” for patent prosecution in Illinois. IAM’s review says HFZ offers “top-tier services,” has “a deep understanding of how businesses operate,” and “strives to deliver high-quality services that propel businesses forward, (recognizing) the crucial role of intellectual property in market growth.”

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 select top firms and individuals. More information about the methodology is available here.

Hanley Flight & Zimmerman Co-Founders Mark Hanley and Mark Zimmerman have for the third straight year been honored as “Patent Stars” in the annual IP STARS guide to the top intellectual property attorneys in Illinois and nationwide in the United States.

The annual IP STARS rankings are compiled during a six-month research process performed by Managing Intellectual Property’s team of analysts. The methodology evaluates expertise, market intelligence and feedback from clients and competitors. Read more about the selection process here.

More information about HFZ’s honors is available on IP STARS.

Marianne Buckley, a Capital Member of Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, recently attended the 5th Annual Summit for Women Leaders in IP Law in Washington, D.C.

Conducted by the American Conference Institute, the conference featured speakers including former USPTO director Kathi Vidal and current and former general counsel for major corporations. In addition to connecting with leaders in the IP field, Marianne enjoyed the insightful exchange of ideas on topics such as protecting AI innovations and the future of IP law.

Hanley Flight & Zimmerman is excited to host a free, 1-hour CLE focusing on European developments in patenting computer-implemented and AI inventions. Reserve your spot today to hear from Martina Boidol, a German and European Patent Attorney and UPC Representative, who has drafted and prosecuted software patents for over a decade. This CLE will be offered virtually and at HFZ’s offices in downtown Chicago.

To RSVP (in person or virtually) or for more information, email boconnor@hfzlaw.com. Streaming link will be provided via email for virtual attendees.

This CLE for U.S. Patent Attorneys and IP Professionals will cover:

• AI-based inventions and their increasing impact in the Life Sciences
• The European Patent Office (EPO) practices for evaluating AI-related inventions based on the Examination Guidelines and established Case Law
• Recent legal developments from the EPO’s Boards of Appeal
• Challenges in patenting AI-based solutions
• Practical strategic considerations, particularly drafting and prosecution strategies

James (Jim) Flight, a founding member of Hanley Flight & Zimmerman, is once again featured in IAM’s Strategy 300 Global Leaders 2025, a publication that showcases intellectual property professionals who innovate, inspire, and go above and beyond to deliver value for clients.

Jim was eligible for inclusion among the Global Leaders because he was chosen to IAM’s Strategy 300 earlier this year 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 third 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.