Chicago attorney Barry Irwin, of the law firm Irwin IP LLC, has been named a Senior Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, and has been re-elected as President of the Board of Lawyers for the Creative Arts. Barry founded Irwin IP LLC in 2014, but has been litigating mission-critical, high-profile intellectual property and technology related matters in federal courts across the country for 30 years. Barry began his legal career at a prestigious boutique intellectual property law firm in Chicago. Three years later, Barry joined the Chicago office of one of the largest, most successful general practice firms in the world. There, Barry practiced intellectual property litigation for 18 years, the last 14 as a partner, and the last 10 as an equity partner.
In addition to his active litigation practice, Barry has served on the Board of Lawyers for the Creative Arts for over a decade, the last six years as a member of the Executive Committee. In 2021, Barry was elected as Board President, and recently re-elected to the serve in that same role. Barry is also an Adjunct Professor at Notre Dame Law School where he has taught both Patent Litigation and Entertainment Law for a decade. Barry was a board member of the Linn Inn American Inn of Court and still actively participates in the Linn Inn. Additionally, he also serves as an expert witness in intellectual property-related matters.
The Litigation Counsel of America is a trial lawyer honorary society composed of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Fellowship in the LCA is highly selective and by invitation only. Fellows are selected based upon excellence and accomplishment in litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation. Senior Fellow status in the society is reserved for advanced commitment to and support of the LCA, the Diversity Law Institute and the Trial Law Institute. The LCA is aggressively diverse in its composition. Established as a trial and appellate lawyer honorary society reflecting the American bar in the twenty-first century, the LCA represents the best in law among its membership. The number of Fellowships has been kept at an exclusive limit by design, allowing qualifications, diversity and inclusion to align effectively, with recognition of excellence in litigation across all segments of the bar. Fellows are generally at the partner or shareholder level, or are independent practitioners with recognized experience and accomplishment. In addition, the LCA is dedicated to promoting superior advocacy, professionalism and ethical standards among its Fellows.
Lawyers for the Creative Arts is a Chicago-based not-for-profit organization that provides free legal services to financially eligible clients in all areas of the arts—visual, music, dance, literary, digital media, arts education, and much more. They help individuals and organizations with business issues, contracts, copyrights, trademarks and many other legal areas. Legal advice is a necessity for all businesses, and the arts are no exception. However, most artists cannot afford market rate legal services. That’s where LCA comes in. LCA is the only pro bono legal service organization in Illinois that is an expert in all areas of the arts. They have assisted thousands of artists and arts organizations of all kinds with their legal issues. The dedicated members of their Board of Directors and several hundred volunteer attorneys are the soul of LCA.