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American Bar Association

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Attorney By Attorney
Career Profiles of the Profession

Who?

Debbie L. Berman
Partner
dberman@jenner.com

What?

Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields:
Complex commercial litigation, including intellectual property litigation (trade secrets and unfair competition).

When?

Years in Practice Area:
Since 1990

Years in the Legal Profession:
Since 1990

Where?

Employer:
Jenner & Block
www.jenner.com

Size/Sector:
Private law firm 400+

City/State:
Chicago, IL

Law School:
Harvard Law School, cum laude J.D. (1990)


Undergraduate School/Degree:
Brandeis University, A.B. in Economics summa cum laude

Why?

Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area:
For trade secrets and unfair competition litigation, the plus and the challenge is really the same: the litigation tends to move quickly with a TRO or preliminary injunction and is usually resolved through that process.

Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area:
Core skills: well-rounded litigator who can quickly prepare a case for a trial (the TRO or preliminary injunction hearing) and an ability to learn about a new industry/technology/trade secret quickly.

Bar Affiliations and Activities:

ABA, including Intellectual Property Section and Litigation Section (IP group within that section), IPLAC, AIPLAC, CBA and ISBA.

Memorable Career Moment:

I was one of the attorneys involved in the trial and appellate aspects of the seminal inevitable disclosure case: Pepsico v. Redmond.