Gene F. Zelek Jr. chairs the Antitrust and Trade Regulation Group at Freeborn & Peters and focuses his practice in the areas of antitrust, marketing and trade regulation law, as well as intellectual property, licensing, entertainment, information technology, and corporate work. He joined Freeborn & Peters after practicing at a large international law firm and The Quaker Oats Company, then serving as a Quaker Product Manager before leaving the company to found and head the Marketing Law Group at a Chicago law firm. Gene has extensive counseling and litigation experience in antitrust, pricing, distribution, advertising, branding, licensing and promotions. He also has represented clients in the formation and operations of joint ventures, strategic alliances and trade associations, as well as in acquisitions and venture capital financings.

Mr. Zelek frequently writes and speaks on various marketing-related legal issues. His recent publications include "Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Resale Price Policy: A Colgate How-To" in Antitrust (Summer 2003) (co-author); "The Legal Framework for Pricing" in Nagle and Holden, "The Strategies and Tactics of Pricing" (3d. ed. 2002); and "Role of Regulation in Setting Prices" in Kellogg on Marketing (Dawn Iacobucci, ed. 2001); and numerous magazine columns on marketing-related issues.

Mr. Zelek received his Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) and graduated cum laude from Northwestern University School of Law in 1978. He was also an Executive Editor of the Law Review. He graduated with Distinction and earned his Masters of Business Administration from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, in 1978 and was a Distinguished Scholar. Mr. Zelek earned the Bachelors of Science (Journalism) at the University of Illinois in 1974, graduating with high honors.

As an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Marketing at Kellogg since 1985, Mr. Zelek has taught semi-annual Executive Programs on pricing and marketing channels after offering an annual 10-week marketing course, "The Legal Aspects of Marketing Strategy," for 11 years.

Mr. Zelek's membership affiliations include the National Advisory Board of The Pricing Institute; Professional Pricing Society (PPS); International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA); Promotion Marketing Association (PMA); Society for Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP); Sections or Committees of the American Bar Association focusing on Antitrust, Intellectual Property, Franchising and Entertainment; Vice President, Counsel and Governing Board Member of the City Club of Chicago.