Kristine Butler of DiMarino, Lehrer & Collazo is an experienced intellectual property lawyer and IP litigator at her firm, handling patent, trademark and copyright matters, among others. But it is her role as director of programming for the John C. Lifland Inn of Court, which is devoted to federal litigation and intellectual property law, that has earned her a Law Journal Unsung Heroes honor.

Butler “has devoted, and continues to devote, substantial time and effort to assuring that our programs are well thought out, led by experienced and entertaining thought leaders, and populated by earnest participants who are enthused about the effort, prepared for the presentations, and open to further and greater learning and experience,” a colleague said. “As our director programming, Kristine has shouldered a great substantive and administrative role, and emerged as consistently effective leader within our group. She has led by example, and with thoughtfulness and tact, which is a required set of skills for a relatively junior attorney trying to steer a group of long-tenured members at the Master and Judge Master level who often fulfill the stereotypical assertiveness of trial attorneys and oft-present command of federal judges.”