Lawyers for the Creative Arts' Associate Board recently welcomed four new members. Alex Karana, Stephanie Nikitenko (John Marshall Law School), Natalie Fine (Loyola University), and John Bathke (DePaul University) join a vibrant and growing Associate Board community that now includes over 40 members. “I’m excited to see a steady growth of active participants in the Associate Board,” Associate Board President Michelle Wahl remarked, “but I am even more thrilled to witness how the Associate Board has fostered impactful and long-lasting personal and professional relationships among members, with the greater LCA board, and most importantly – with our unparalleled arts community.”
Alex Karana is a former LCA Intern and graduating 3L at UIC John Marshall Law School. Before coming to LCA, Karana served as a student attorney at John Marshall’s Patent Clinic. Karana was the Editor-in-Chief of the Review of Intellectual Property Law at UIC John Marshall and also served as a judicial extern at the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Before law school, Karana worked in the automotive industry and earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University in 2013. “It was LCA’s great privilege to host Alex as an intern this spring,” says Christopher Johnson, LCA’s Assistant Director of Education. “He was a great help in every facet of our programming, and we are very grateful that he has decided to stay involved through service on the Associate Board.”
Stephanie Nikitenko served as the President of the Intellectual Property Law Society (IPLS) and a staff editor on the Review of Intellectual Property Law (RIPL) at UIC John Marshall Law School. She focused her studies primarily in Intellectual Property and is currently seeking employment in this area. Nikitenko is a classically trained vocalist and has sung in and directed several choirs throughout her time in school. She has her B.A. in English with a focus on creative writing and was published in literary magazines as well as a poetry anthology while pursuing her undergraduate studies. She has an immense passion for both the music industry as well as the literary world. “We are very excited to have Stephanie join us on the Associate Board and serve as our very first Social Media Manager,” says Associate Board Treasurer Kenny Matuszewski. “She has written several thought-provoking topics about Intellectual Property for the Chicago Bar Association’s @theBar Blog and is deeply knowledgeable about social media platforms and practices, all before graduating law school. I cannot wait to see what she will do for the Associate Board and how her legal career will progress.”
John Bathke is an Associate at IpHorgan Ltd., where he counsels clients on a variety of trademark, copyright, and rights of publicity matters. He helps clients secure trademark and copyright protections. He also helps clients resolve their intellectual property disputes both in and out of the courtroom. In addition to practicing law, Bathke sings, plays the piano, and speaks both French and Spanish. Bathke has a B.M. in Music from Vanderbilt, where he performed in the musical theater production of The Fantasticks and the opera production of Gianni Schicci—coincidentally playing the lawyer in the latter production! According to Matuszewski, “John is one of the friendliest and most helpful people I know. We used to work in the same co-working space, even though we were at separate firms. I could always count on John to answer any questions I had about trademark or copyright law, or for encouragement when needed. We are glad to have John join us and know he will bring that same spirit to the Associate Board.”
Natalie Fine is an Associate at Tucker Ellis LLP where her practice focuses on business formation, governance, and financing. She also handles filings and maintenance for business trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Fine’s goal is to eventually focus her practice on matters related to fine art transactions occurring in museums, auctions, and private sales. Fine received her B.A. in Philosophy, along with a minor in Writing & Rhetoric, from Colgate University while also serving as a member of the school’s Equestrian Team. Much like the other newest members of the Associate Board, Fine brings a diverse set of experiences that will greatly increase the level of expertise on the Associate Board. Please join us in welcoming each of our outstanding new members to the Associate Board!
The LCA Associate Board is geared towards young professionals (including attorneys), artists, and patrons who share a commitment to LCA and its mission. Membership offers an exclusive calendar of networking and educational events designed to help broaden members’ understanding of arts and entertainment law. We invite anybody who is interested in applying to be a part of this group to visit the Associate Board page and submit an application.
