Gills Comments on Significance of Biden’s Federal Circuit Nominee

Partner Jeanne Gills was quoted in a Reuters Legal article, “Biden’s Federal Circuit nominee brings patent expertise, diversity,” about President Joe Biden’s announcement that he intends to nominate Chicago intellectual property litigator Tiffany Cunningham to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Gills called the appointment “a long time coming,” and said it will inspire Black students, and female students of all races, to pursue a career in IP law or on the bench. “People always talk about ‘unicorns,’ particularly in the legal arena, and I know for me, as a Black woman in a large law firm, we are a tiny percentage,” she said. “And when you look at black lawyers in IP, or black IP partners, it’s even smaller.”

She added: “I look forward to the day when we are not lauding the ‘first’ Black woman (or woman of color) to take on a certain role, but rather it is the norm because the playing field has been leveled.”

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