NEW YORK, NY (May 3, 2016) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Dennis Hopkins, a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property and Patent Litigation practices, has been named a 2016 Diversity & Inclusion Champion by The New York City Bar Association.  Along with Dennis, the other honorees include Justice Rosalyn Richter  (Associate Justice, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department) and Conway S. Ekpo and  Joseph A. Tillman (Founding Members of 1844, a group of Black male lawyers who primarily practice in New York City’s Vault 100 law firms).

The Diversity and Inclusion Champion Award, created in 2006, recognizes the critical role individuals play in initiating and sustaining change in their organizations and the overall New York legal community.  The award recipients embody the New York City Bar’s Statement of Diversity Principles, which defines diversity as an inclusive concept, encompassing race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, nationality, age, disability and marital and parental status.  The New York City Bar Association is dedicated to maintaining the high ethical standards of the profession, promoting reform of the law and providing service to the profession and the public. 

Dennis’s practice focuses on all aspects of intellectual property law, with an emphasis on patent, copyright and trade secret litigation.  He has significant experience in all phases of IP litigation, including mediations, trials and appeals.  In addition, he counsels clients on issues relating to litigation strategies and intellectual property management.  Dennis is experienced in all aspects of brand and domain name protection.  His IP experience also includes drafting and negotiating agreements and licenses, preparing written opinions of counsel, and providing general IP counseling to clients, including counseling on patent, copyright, trade secret, brand management and other trademark matters.

Dennis is active in many professional, community and legal associations.  He has served on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, the Advisory Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York and the New York City Bar Fund Board.  He is deeply committed to guiding and grooming the next generation of lawyers and serves on the board of Practicing Attorneys for Law Students, a mentoring organization.  In 2014, the Counsel of Urban Professionals named Dennis one of its Catalysts, designating him “Change Agent – Law” and he was a Fellow in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.   He was named one of five “Attorneys at the Top” for 2015 by The Network Journal.  Dennis is a Board Member of the Sonia & Celina Sotomayor High School Judicial Internship Program.

Dennis earned his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law and received his B.S. in Physics and Nuclear Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.  Dennis was a U.S. Army Attack Helicopter Platoon Leader and also served in the U.S. Army Reserves. 

Perkins Coie is a leading international law firm that is known for providing high-value, strategic solutions and extraordinary client service on matters vital to our clients’ success. With more than 1,200 lawyers in offices across the United States and Asia, we provide a full array of corporate, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and regulatory legal advice to a broad range of clients, including many of the world’s most innovative companies and industry leaders as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.

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