Mary Innis is the managing partner and founder of Innis Law Group. She has more than three decades of experience practicing in the field of intellectual property law. Mary represents a number of high-profile clients in some of their most high-profile matters. She has deep experience in intellectual property litigation, counseling, and prosecution involving trademark, copyright, unfair competition, advertising, promotions, right of publicity, privacy, and internet law.

Mary provides global trademark portfolio management for many prominent brands. She represents clients in thousands of matters in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, regularly appearing before the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board. She has litigated complex disputes throughout the country in federal district and appeals courts and has represented clients in foreign dispute resolution hearings around the world.

Mary possesses extensive experience in counseling clients in negotiating and drafting trademark and copyright licenses and related agreements and releases, internet linking agreements, co-branding agreements, and strategic marketing alliances.

Mary is also deeply experienced in virtually all aspects of the production and execution of advertising agreements, marketing contracts, and promotions, including sweepstakes review, sponsorship agreements, talent agreements, music licenses, promotion fulfillment, creative service agency agreements, branded entertainment agreements, privacy and social media policies, and other internet-related agreements.

Before founding ILG in 2011, Mary was national chair of the advertising and marketing practice group at an Am Law 100 law firm and the founding partner of the Chicago office of a top-tier international law firm known for its entertainment, advertising, and media practice. She began her career out of law school at a nationally known Chicago trademark boutique where she practiced for 16 years as both an associate and equity partner and honed her skills as a successful trademark and false advertising litigator.

Mary is passionately involved in numerous charitable and community organizations. Notably, she has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Alzheimer’s Association and has been recognized as a Grand Champion for her fundraising efforts on behalf of Team Innis (founded by her father Thomas Innis) in connection with Walk to End Alzheimer’s for more than 10 years.

Boston University School of Law, J.D., 1987

Augustana College, B.A., 1984

• cum laude

Illinois, 1987

U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, 1987

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 1987

American Bar Association

• Forum on Communications Law
• Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries
• The Woman Advocate Committee
  (former chair of Membership subcommittee)

The Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel

International Trademark Association

Copyright Society

Lawyers for the Creative Arts

• Board member, 2018

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

• Co-chair of Trademark subcommittee, 2016-2018

National Association of Women Lawyers

Minority Corporate Counsel Association

Chicago Women in IP