McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP Selects Amma Addai, Ph.D. and Ashley Hatzenbihler as Recipients of Its 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship

McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP (“MBHB”), a Chicago-based intellectual property law firm, is pleased to announce that the recipients of its MBHB 2021 Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Fellowship are Amma Addai, Ph.D. and Ashley Hatzenbihler.

The MBHB D&I Fellowship was established to strengthen diversity and inclusion within MBHB and, more generally, throughout the field of intellectual property law. The MBHB D&I Fellowship provides an opportunity for 1L and 2L students from an ABA-accredited law school to participate in the firm’s summer associate program and receive a $10,000 scholarship for law school tuition or other school-related expenses. Upon completion of law school, Fellows who accept full-time associate positions with MBHB receive an additional $10,000 award. Furthermore, MBHB reimburses up to $1,000 of Fellows’ pre-approved travel, meal, and/or registration expenses that are associated with activities related to promoting and/or educating them about D&I topics in patent law. Learn more at www.mbhb.com/careers.

MBHB managing partner Gavin O’Keefe noted, “The MBHB D&I Fellowship is a natural extension of our firm’s core belief that diversity and inclusion of both individuals and their perspectives are valued, sought out, and form an integral part of who we are and the work we do. We are delighted with the selection of Amma Addai and Ashley Hatzenbihler as recipients of the Fellowship.”

Amma Addai, Ph.D. joined MBHB in 2016 and is currently a patent agent at the firm. She attends Loyola University Chicago School of Law and is scheduled to graduate in December 2021. At MBHB, she provides technological advice in support of validity, infringement, and patentability analysis in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical and diagnostics areas. Amma received a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science with high honors from Meharry Medical College and an M.S. in Patent Law from the University of Notre Dame. In her fellowship application, Amma wrote “My knowledge in both HIV/AIDS research and my career as a patent agent thus far made me realize that my academic work and career path have not been in vain. . . . As a lawyer, I want to apply science through law to make a positive change in the world.”

Ashley Hatzenbihler was a 1L MBHB summer associate in 2020 and will return as a 2L summer associate in 2021. She attends Loyola University Chicago School of Law, is currently a staff member of the law review, and is scheduled to graduate in May 2022. Ashley received M.S. and B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University. In her application, Ashley described her own experiences with sexism and discrimination in the engineering profession and stated, “[I]t is my goal to challenge and remove the barriers to partnership that women and minorities face. We must confront implicit biases, stereotypes, and systemic barriers to create a future that looks different from our past.”

MBHB provides creative, pragmatic business solutions through a variety of intellectual property services, including litigation, prosecution, and general client counseling. With offices in Illinois and California, MBHB provides comprehensive legal services to obtain and enforce its clients’ intellectual property rights, from navigating patent office procedures to litigating complex infringement actions. www.mbhb.com.

  Amma Addai, Ph.D.

  Ashley Hatzenbihler