Chris Carani '99 Named One of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch"

Christopher V. Carani '99 was named one of the 2010 "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch" by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company (LBPC), publisher of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer. Carani was selected from among more than 900 lawyers nominated by their peers, marking the fifth consecutive year that a McAndrews attorney has received the honor.

"40 Under Forty" recognizes attorneys who have quickly risen within their practice area and possess "intelligence, passion, success in the office, a desire to help the community and a willingness to work hard at one of the country's most important professions." Carani was also praised in the nomination process by his clients and peers for his expertise, sharp intellect, leadership qualities, strong people skills, patience and ability to explain complex legal concepts, as well as his responsiveness and work ethic.

In the 40 Under Forty publication that described this year's winners, Christopher Renk, a partner and shareholder at IP law firm Banner & Witcoff, said, "(Chris) is nationally recognized as an authority on U.S. design patent law."

Perry Saidman, a D.C.-based attorney, added, "There are only a handful of IP lawyers in the country who are leaders in this specialized area of the law, and Mr. Carani is clearly one of them."

In 2007 and 2008, Carani authored amicus briefs for the American Intellectual Property Law Association in the landmark design patent case Egyptian Goddess v. Swisa. Carani's positions were ultimately adopted by the Federal Circuit and have reshaped the law on design patents.

Carani has successfully litigated numerous disputes regarding design rights and he has served as a consultant and expert witness in numerous design law cases. In addition, he is a highly sought-after speaker and prolific author on issues related to patent law. Recently, his article about the current state of design patent infringement law, "The New 'Extra-Ordinary' Observer Test for Design Patent Infringement," was selected as one of the 20 best law review articles of 2009 for inclusion in the Thomson Reuters (West) Patent Law Review 2010.