Quarles adds Rory Foster, Tammy VanHeyningen, and Matt Duchemin to IP leadership team

April 14, 2025 (Madison, Wis.) — The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced today a series of changes to the leadership team for its Intellectual Property (IP) Practice Group. All of the appointments are effective immediately.

Rory Foster will become national co-chair of the group, joining Lori Ruhly, who has been national chair since 2021. Tammy VanHeyningen is succeeding Foster as Madison office chair of the IP Group, and Matt Duchemin is taking over for Johanna Wilbert as chair of the IP Litigation subgroup.

“With one of the strongest IP teams in the country, we’re fortunate to have so many people ready to step into important leadership roles,” said Mike Aldana, national managing partner and chair of the Quarles Executive Committee. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in our IP practice over the past several years, making it one of the firm’s core strengths. I’m confident that Lori, Rory, Tammy, and Matt are ideally suited to further build upon our strength in this area.”

Foster, who previously was the Madison office IP chair, primarily handles patent prosecution, strategic portfolio management, and IP transactions. His clients, which range from startups to multinational companies, span a wide array of industries, with a focus on mechanical, electronic, hydraulic, chemical processing, and algorithmic inventions.

VanHeyningen’s practice includes all areas of IP counseling, particularly domestic and international patent prosecution. With more than 10 years of experience as a research scientist, her technology concentrations are in biotechnology, biologics, and pharmaceuticals. VanHeyningen has been recognized in the IAM Patent 1000 Wisconsin as a top patent practitioner in the state each year since 2014.

Duchemin is an experienced IP litigator and trial lawyer who has represented clients in state and federal courts throughout the country as well as before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America  (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property) each year since 2020.

Wilbert will continue her practice at Quarles, counseling clients in patent, trade secret, trademark, and false advertising litigation and appeals.

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