Chicago Women in IP

09/21/2026

Celebrate the autumn season with an evening of creativity and connection! Join fellow ChiWIP members for a guided paint-and-sip experience led by ChiWIP member Dani Muñoz (Johnson) on November 3, 2026, from 5:00-7:30 p.m. at Faegre Drinker. Enjoy refreshments, light bites, and strengthen your professional network while creating a fall-inspired watercolor masterpiece to take home. No artistic experience is necessary, just come ready to relax, have fun, and connect with the ChiWIP community.

Tickets are $15 and available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chiwip-fall-paint-sip-tickets-2000528409325?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/21/2026

APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN NOW!

We are looking for volunteers to be Law School Ambassadors to help ChiWIP better engage with law students. One student from each law school will be selected to act as a liaison between ChiWIP and prospective and current students and the faculty of the law school attended by the Student Ambassador. The role runs for one year, from October 2026 through June 2027.

Ambassadors will have valuable networking opportunities with members of ChiWIP through participation in the program.

To be eligible, interested students must be 2L or 3L (or 4L if part-time/WJD) law students currently enrolled with an interest in intellectual property law. Responsibilities primarily include participating in ChiWIP events and meetings, supporting outreach efforts, assisting with event planning, and contributing to member communications.

Our Law School Ambassador program is focused on students from local law schools including Northwestern, DePaul, University of Illinois Chicago, Loyola, University of Chicago, Chicago-Kent, Marquette, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Notre Dame.

If interested, please reach out to Hannah Dawson at [email protected] for an application. The last day to apply is September 30, 2026. Late applications will not be considered.

09/02/2026

Join the Mentoring Circles Committee for a discussion on best practices for incorporating AI into your legal workflow, tips and tricks for using AI and avoiding pitfalls, and how law firms are currently leveraging AI in their practices. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-basics-how-ai-is-being-leveraged-in-legal-practice-tickets-1998400213835?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/10/2026

In July, members of our In-House Committee, Board of Directors, and Committee Chairs gathered together for an evening of networking, learning, and service. We collected and sorted menstrual supplies to be donated to The Period Collective for those in need, and then received instructions and demonstrations from ChiWIP member Sue Hallen on strength training exercises we can easily incorporate into our busy schedules.

08/10/2026

Event recap! Thank you to everyone who joined us at Morgan’s on Fulton at the end of June to celebrate another year of ChiWIP. Between the beautiful flowers from , celebrating our latest scholarship recipient, and enjoying delicious cake with great company, the evening was one to remember.

📸 Photos are now available—check them out at the link here: https://us.list-manage.com/59yvOz0641v?e=4740c92c0a&c2id=5d428bf98bd426958e0b4b44892607b6

08/09/2026

Behind every ChiWIP event, newsletter, and post is an incredible group of people who work hard to make it all come together. We are proud to welcome our latest and greatest roster of Committee Chairs and Members--thank you for dedicating your time to help make ChiWIP run so smoothly year after year. We are looking forward to another fantastic year!

07/23/2026

🍹Join ChiWIP members for a fun, casual happy hour at Canal Street Eatery & Market (314 S Canal Street, Chicago, IL 60606)! This will be a great opportunity to make new connections or catch up with fellow ChiWIP members. A beverage and light bites will be provided. Let's cheers to the last of the summer!

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chiwip-end-of-summer-happy-hour-tickets-1994714148715?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

07/10/2026

On July 1, we officially started our new term! We are excited to welcome back our nine returning Board Directors, Julie Langdon, Carolyn Blessing, Kristine Bergman, Christine Filarski, Helen Ji, Catherine Klima, Alexis Lavko, Rebecca Rokos, and Caroline Teichner, along with our two newest Directors, Lisa Furby and Emily Kappers. We'd also like to thank Francesca Cardillo and Annie Gerspach for their service and contributions to the Board as they roll off. We are looking forward to another great year, and can't wait to connect with you all at our next event.

06/04/2026

📚 Dive into the latest twists and turns in IP case law with this virtual session you won’t want to miss. Join Emily Greb of Perkins Coie, Julia Mazur of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, and Alexis Lavko of Epsilon Economics to discuss the most recent and impactful cases in patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret law that have come out over the past year, as well as the cases and rules to watch over the next year. CLE credit is pending.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ip-case-law-review-webinar-tickets-1990508936813?aff=oddtdtcreator

06/04/2026

ChiWIP members! Are you busy next Wednesday? If not, check out this event from AIPLA! Not an AIPLA member? No problem. ChiWIP members interested in attending can register at the AIPLA member rate. Please contact Julie Langdon (@porterwright.com) for registration details.

💻 The 2026 Electronic and Computer Patent Law Summit is just around the corner!

Join leading practitioners, in-house counsel, and academics in Chicago on June 10 for a one-day program exploring USPTO priorities, semiconductor innovation, autonomous systems, AI, patent strategy, recent case law developments, and more.

📍 DoubleTree Hilton Chicago – Magnificent Mile

📅 June 10, 2026

Don't miss this opportunity to gain practical insights and connect with colleagues from across the IP community.

👉 Register today: https://www.aipla.org/detail/event/2026/06/10/default-calendar/electronic-and-computer-patent-law-summit