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Hood, Gary
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Gary E. Hood
Adjunct Faculty | College of Psych. and Liberal Arts: School of Arts and Communication
Contact Information
Expertise
Personal Overview
Gary Hood is an adjunct professor in the College of Arts & Communications. He has designed and is teaching an undergraduate course in Intellectual Property law, introducing students to the basic concepts underlying patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.
A trial lawyer for 30 years, Gary has appeared in courtrooms throughout the United States in intellectual property disputes. His clients have included Fortune 500 corporations, mid-sized privately held companies, and individuals, and he's handled everything from electronics related cases, to consumer products cases, to those in which his clients were seeking to bring generic pharmaceuticals to market. After rising to the pinnacle of "BigLaw" at a national firm in Chicago where he led the firm's national IP litigation practice and served on the Board of Directors, Gary opened his own firm in 2022 to practice law his way.
A former United States Naval Officer, Gary served honorably through Operation Desert Storm as well as on counter-narcotics operations in Central and South America. He's received a number of military medals and commendations, and is a member of the VFW and American Legion. Gary is a former competitive swimmer and avid waterman, and spends much of his free time swimming, surfing, paddling, and boating.
Educational Background
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
Bachelors of Science, Electrical Engineering
Gonzaga University School of Law
Spokane, WA
Juris Doctorate
Professional Experience
2026 - Present, Adjunct Professor, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL
2022 - Present, Founder and CEO, Hood Legal Group, Chicago, IL
2011 - 2022, Shareholder (partner), Division Leader and Board Member, Polsinelli PC, Chicago, IL
1996 - 2011, Attorney (rising from associate to partner), Various law firms, Seattle/Tacoma, WA & Chicago, IL
Current Courses
HUM 3685: Special Topics (Intellectual Property Law)
Selected Publications
Mr. Hood has been panel chair, speaker, and author on numerous speaker panels and publications. A list can be viewed at https://www.hoodlegalgroup.com/firm
Recognition & Awards
Named by Intellectual Asset Management to Global IAM 1000 (top IP professionals in the world), 2014 - 2026
Honored by Managing Intellectual Property Magazine as an IP Star nationally as well as in the states of Illinois and Washington, 2013 - 2026
Named by Acquisition International Magazine as Leading IP Litigator of the Year, 2023 - 2025, also receiving Excellence Award in Media & Sports Representation 2024
Named a "National Intellectual Property Star" by Benchmark Litigation, 2022
Named a "Notable Veteran Leader in Law" by Crain's Chicago Business, 2020
Named a "Notable GenX Leader in Law" by Crain's Chicago Business, 2019
Selected by Chicago Lawyer Magazine as Leading Lawyer in Copyright & Trademark Law, Intellectual Property Law, Patent Law, 2014 - 2021