Associates, patent agent join Thompson Coburn in Chicago, Los Angeles, St. Louis

Thompson Coburn is pleased to announce that the following associates and one patent agent joined the firm in the first quarter of 2016.

Chicago

Diona Rogers represents financial institutions in commercial lending and secured transactions. Prior to joining Thompson Coburn, Diona worked as a corporate attorney representing clients on a variety of business and regulatory matters, including transactional matters, corporate governance, shareholder rights, operating and joint venture agreements, and private placements. She holds both a J.D. and an M.B.A. from Loyola University Chicago, helping her to bring a strong business-minded perspective to legal matters. As an undergraduate at Northern Arizona University, Diona earned a double major in Public Relations and Advertising, with a minor in Spanish.

Los Angeles

Josh Gelbart represents banks, finance companies, and borrowers in a wide range of financing transactions and investments. He draws on his unique background in litigation to analyze contracts and help clients limit risk in their transactions. In his previous litigation practice, Josh primarily represented large corporate clients and high-net-worth individuals in a variety of complex business disputes, consumer class action defense matters, intellectual property cases, and employment discrimination claims. He has been recognized on the "Southern California Super Lawyers" Rising Stars list for the past four years. Josh received his J.D. from the UCLA School of Law with a focus in Entertainment and Media Law and Policy. He graduated with high honors from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Government and a minor and certification in Business Foundations, which he earned with high distinction. 

Jessica Gordon represents clients in estate planning, trust administration and probate matters. She also has extensive experience in the representation of professional fiduciaries in conservatorship matters. Using her knowledge of estate, gift, generation skipping and income tax law, overlaid by California state law, Jessica works with clients to design and implement an estate planning approach that best serves their needs, while minimizing the overall tax impact on the client and their family. Jessica serves on the Board of the Los Angeles County Bar’s Young Attorney Section (the “Barristers”). She also serves on the nominating committee for the Los Angeles County Bar’s Board of Trustees. Jessica earned her J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, and graduated cum laude with a B.A. in History from the University of California, Los Angeles.

St. Louis

Thad Blenke is a patent agent and a member of Thompson Coburn’s intellectual property group. He is admitted to practice law in Illinois and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and assists clients with covered business method reviews, inter partes reviews, domestic and foreign patent prosecution and patent litigation, particularly in the areas of electrical and mechanical engineering. Thad earned a B.E. in electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University, where he part of a select group of students who designed a missile guidance system for the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM). During his time in law school at Valparaiso University, Thad spent time working at a German patent firm, where he gained valuable experience working on oppositions, appeals and office action before the European Patent Office. He has also volunteered for the patent clinic of The John Marshall Law School and the Cabrini Green Legal Aid Clinic.