The best intellectual property lawyers in Chicago in 2026 include Cook Alex, Wood Phillips and Greer, Burns & Crain among established IP firms, CHIP Law Group for startups and international filing, the Law Offices of Konrad Sherinian for published fee information, Aronberg Goldgehn for trademark litigation, and Kirkland & Ellis and Levenfeld Pearlstein for larger companies.
| Firm | Office | Focus | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cook Alex | The Loop | Patents, trademarks, trade secrets | Businesses and inventors |
| 2. Wood Phillips | West Loop | Patents, trademarks, copyrights | Companies wanting former in-house experience |
| 3. Greer, Burns & Crain | The Loop | Enforcement and anti-counterfeiting | Brands fighting counterfeits |
| 4. CHIP Law Group | River North | Patents and foreign filing | Tech startups and overseas filing |
| 5. Law Offices of Konrad Sherinian | The Loop | Patents, trademarks, IP litigation | Inventors comparing costs |
| 6. Aronberg Goldgehn Davis & Garmisa | The Loop | Trademark prosecution and litigation | Trademark disputes |
| 7. Kirkland & Ellis | River North | IP litigation | Large companies in high-stakes disputes |
| 8. Levenfeld Pearlstein (LP) | West Loop | IP for owner-led businesses | Companies with several legal needs |
Intellectual property covers patents for inventions, trademarks for brand names, copyright for creative work and trade secrets for confidential know-how. IP is mostly federal law, so a Chicago lawyer can represent you for filings nationwide. If you're protecting an invention, talk to a lawyer before you show it publicly, because public disclosure can affect your rights.
IP firm with Chicago and Naperville offices.
Cook Alex handles patents, trademarks and unfair competition, copyrights, trade secrets and litigation from West Adams Street and Naperville.
Good to know: Ask for a clearance search before you commit to a brand name.
200 W Adams St, Suite 2004, Chicago, IL 60606
A boutique with former in-house counsel.
Wood Phillips says four of its lawyers served as patent and trademark counsel at major corporations, which can be useful for a company building a portfolio.
Good to know: Ask about budgeting for a whole portfolio rather than one filing.
500 W Madison St, Suite 1130, Chicago, IL 60661
Procurement, enforcement and anti-counterfeiting.
Greer, Burns & Crain handles patent, trademark and copyright procurement and enforcement, and specifically lists anti-counterfeiting strategies, licensing and technology transfer.
Good to know: Keep examples of counterfeit goods and where you found them.
200 W Madison St, Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60606
Serves large companies and tech startups.
CHIP Law Group provides foreign and domestic patent, trademark and copyright services, with pages on searches and opinions, licensing and a section for entrepreneurs and startups.
Good to know: Ask about international filing deadlines before any public launch.
505 N Lake Shore Dr, Suite 250, Chicago, IL 60611
Publishes information on patent costs.
The Law Offices of Konrad Sherinian has pages on patent costs and fees, plus trademark, copyright and IP litigation work, from North State Street and Naperville.
Good to know: Ask for a fixed price for a patent search.
1 N State St, Suite 1500, Chicago, IL 60602
A Chicago business firm with an IP group.
Aronberg Goldgehn Davis & Garmisa has an intellectual property group that handles trademark prosecution and litigation, including cross-border matters.
Good to know: Bring your registration details and evidence of use.
225 W Washington St, Suite 2800, Chicago, IL 60606
Global firm with an IP practice.
Kirkland & Ellis lists intellectual property among its main practices, alongside transactional, litigation and restructuring work. It's for large companies with significant disputes.
Good to know: Expect large-firm rates.
333 W Wolf Point Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654
IP alongside corporate and tax work.
Levenfeld Pearlstein has an intellectual property practice alongside corporate, tax and employment groups, so IP work can be coordinated with a transaction.
Good to know: Bring a list of what you own and what you've registered.
120 S Riverside Plaza, Suite 1800, Chicago, IL 60606
A patent protects an invention for a limited time. A trademark protects a brand identifier such as a name or logo and can last as long as you keep using it. They're filed with the same federal office but follow different rules.
US-based applicants can file on their own, but mistakes can be costly, and a lawyer can run a clearance search first. Applicants based outside the US generally must use a US-licensed lawyer.
Patent practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office requires separate registration. You can check the USPTO's list of registered practitioners, as well as the state bar's lawyer search.