October 8, 2007 - (ATLANTA, GA) -  The Georgia State University College of Law and J. Mack Robinson College of Business will host the 2007 Intellectual Property (IP) Legends Award Luncheon Wednesday, Oct. 17, to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions in the area of intellectual property, both in the business and legal arenas.

The first recipients to be honored with IP Legends Awards include Miles Alexander, partner at Kilpatrick Stockton LLP; S. Truett Cathy, founder and CEO of Chick-fil-A; and Sandy Evans, former chief IP counsel for BellSouth.

"In the U.S. and around the world, our rapidly evolving, knowledge-based economy is dependent on intellectual capital and driven by ideas and innovation," explained Scott Frank, President of AT&T Intellectual Property and a founding member and chair of the Georgia State College of Law Intellectual Property Advisory Board. "Intellectual property is one of the primary components of the intangible, conceptual assets in business, which today account for approximately 75 percent of the value of most publicly traded companies. So naturally, there is a strong connection between IP law and success in business." 

The 2007 IP Legends Award Luncheon will be held Oct. 17 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons Hotel at 75 14th St. in Atlanta.  Tickets are $25 per person, and online registration is available at www.iplegends.org.

According to College of Law Dean Steven Kaminshine, this is the inaugural event to recognize outstanding achievement in IP here in Atlanta.

"We are very proud to be a part of this awards luncheon with the College of Business as we continue to build on the momentum of our collaborative intellectual property initiative," Kaminshine said. "The role of intellectual property law has become more important in today's global economy, and the establishment of these awards to honor those in Atlanta who have made a tremendous impact on IP in law and business cannot be understated. These awards not only honor the recipients' achievements, but also inspire continuing excellence."

Sponsors of the event include AT&T, the Georgia Tech Venture Lab, the Georgia Research Alliance, the State Bar Association of Georgia Intellectual Property Section and the Atlanta Bar Association Intellectual Property Section.

"The management of intellectual property has become a significant strategic issue in business," commented H. Fenwick Huss, dean of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. "The College of Business sees the IP Legends Award Luncheon with the College of Law as yet another positive extension of our already successful Corporate IP Roundtables and the upcoming Corporate IP Institute Oct. 23-24. We are pleased to be involved in these awards in honor of three great minds in business and law who have made an indelible mark in the area of intellectual property."

For more information on the 2007 IP Awards Luncheon, contact Kathryn Wade (404.853.8031 or kathryn.wade@sablaw.com) or Natasha Moffitt (404.572.2783 or nmoffitt@kslaw.com).

The J. Mack Robinson College of Business is one of the top-ranked business schools. The College's Flex (part-time) MBA program has been listed in the top ten by U.S. News for the past twelve years and its undergraduate business program is ranked among the top 50 in the nation. Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business has an enrollment of approximately 7,400 students and is located in downtown Atlanta. www.robinson.gsu.edu