MARY HANNON is an associate in the IP Litigation practice in the firm’s Chicago office.
Mary’s graduate education and professional background provide a deep understanding of her clients’ business and IP portfolio development strategies. Before joining Sidley, Mary was a patent agent at a boutique IP law firm in Chicago, where she focused on preparing and prosecuting patents for clients in a variety of industries specifically related to the chemical sciences. Mary also has prior experience as a research chemist in the chemical manufacturing industry, where her work focused on the development of end-use formulations for the agricultural and personal care markets.
Mary was a Public Interest Law Initiative Fellow with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services in the summer prior to joining Sidley.
In 2021, Mary was awarded the Robert C. Watson award from the American Intellectual Property Law Association in recognition of her research and scholarship on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion within IP law. She was also nominated for the World Intellectual Property Review’s (WIPR) Influential Women in IP Trailblazer award, and her work was featured in WIPR’s 2021 Diversity Magazine.
Mary graduated summa cum laude from DePaul University College of Law, where she served as a staff member on the DePaul Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. She earned her M.S. in Chemistry, with distinction, and her B.S. in Chemistry, magna cum laude, also from DePaul University. She has served as an adjunct professor at DePaul University, teaching undergraduate general and organic chemistry courses.