Merchant & Gould and William Mitchell College of Law To Recognize Distinguished In-House Trademark Counsel With First Annual Paul A. Welter Award

(November 2006) - Merchant & Gould and William Mitchell College of Law are pleased to announce that they are accepting nominations for the first annual Merchant & Gould Paul A. Welter Award for Excellence in Trademark Law. The award honors distinguished in-house trademark counsel who has distinguished himself or herself by their career accomplishments and service to the community. The recipient will be presented with a plaque and a $5,000 honorarium for the charity of his or her choice. The deadline for award submissions is January 31, 2007. The recipient will be announced at the 2007 International Trademark Association Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Nominations forms and criteria information can be found at:

http://www.merchant-gould.com/news-pressreleases-340.html

"During his 40-year tenure with Merchant & Gould, Paul A. Welter made a profound impact in the area of trademark law and was greatly respected by his peers and clients," said Scott A. Johnston, partner, Merchant & Gould. "His passing has left a void within the firm and legal community but it is his legacy of integrity and veracity that we wish to honor by creating this very special award in his name."

About Paul A. Welter

A graduate of the William Mitchell College of Law, Paul joined Merchant & Gould in 1965 and during his 40-year career with the firm, he served as treasurer, administrative vice president, president, a member of the board of directors, and as managing partner. Paul was known by his clients, colleagues and within the legal community as a man of unwavering integrity. Paul was extremely active with civic and industry organizations including the Minneapolis Rotary, The Fund for the Legal Aid Society, The Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association, The American Intellectual Property Law Association, and most notably, The United Way. Paul passed away on Friday, January 6, 2006.

About Merchant & Gould

Merchant & Gould is a national intellectual property law firm with more than 100 attorneys in offices in Atlanta, Denver, Knoxville, Minneapolis, Seattle, and Washington D.C. The firm has represented the worldwide intellectual property interests of clients in diverse industries and technologies for more than 105 years.

About William Mitchell College of Law

William Mitchell College of Law, founded in 1900, is an independent, private law school located in St. Paul, Minnesota. The college is known for cultivating practical wisdom in its students and for creating an

environment that welcomes both traditional and non-traditional law students. The William Mitchell legal education stands apart in building both theoretical knowledge and real-life insights and skills at every

step. The college has produced many distinguished leaders at the bench and bar and in the business and civic arenas, among them the 15th Chief Justice of the United States, Warren E. Burger '31.