Women Leaders in IP Law

Networking Breakfast

Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks

Bridget Smith
Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property
Relativity Space

Melissa Jobe
Director, Corporate Intellectual Property
T-Mobile

USPTO Briefing: Examining the USPTO’s Path Forward

Honorable Janet Gongola
Vice Chief Judge for Strategy
USPTO

Honorable Teresa Rea
Partner
Crowell & Moring LLP
(Former Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Former Acting Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office)

Jessica L. A. Marks
Senior Patent Counsel
Unified Patents

During this panel, we will explore recent developments in the USPTO, including:

• New Leadership, New Path:
  • How will new leadership impact the direction and overall strategies of the USPTO?
  • How will new leadership inspire innovation in the field of Intellectual Property?
• AIA Updates: The Latest on the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) Reforms
  • Key features of reforms to the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act
  • How are AIA reforms impacting businesses, independent inventors, and the innovation community overall?
• The Future of the PTAB in a Post-Arthrex World:
  • What does the future hold for the Patent Trial & Appeal Board on the heels of United States v Arthrex?
• Changes in Patent Eligibility:
  • Review changes in patent eligibility and what it means to the industry as a whole.
  • Will legislation enable more patent challenges at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board?
• Trademark Modernization Act (TMA):
  • How will revisions to the TMA move applications through the trademark process in a more efficient way?
    

Keynote Fireside Chat

Shira Perlmutter
Register of Copyrights and Director
U.S. Copyright Office

Interview Q&A by:

Dale Cendali
Partner
Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Networking Break

IP Litigation Spotlight: The Cases Shaping the Current Landscape of Intellectual Property

Laurie Charrington
Director of Patent Litigation
Netflix

Regina Thomas
Associate General Counsel and Global Lead, Media Law/Copyright/Trademark/Domain Names
Yahoo

Lisa Pensabene
Partner
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Co-founder
WIN: the Women in IP Law Network

Christie Matthaei
Partner
Knobbe Martens

Networking Lunch

Digital Innovation Panel: Blockchain, Crypto, Metaverse Digital Innovation: Exploring the Role of IP in Blockchain, Crypto, and the Metaverse

Cindy Huang
Senior Corporate Counsel, Intellectual Property
Gemini

Hannah Taylor
Partner and Co-chair, Blockchain Technology Groups
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz

The metaverse, a universal virtual world, is a huge development for the brand-consumer relationship. It gives brands the ability to offer immersive digital experiences to consumers in a new way with no physical product exchanging hands. However, this brave new virtual world may present a new universe of IP challenges:

• Understanding the framework of the metaverse and its legal implications:
  • What IP counsel needs to know about the metaverse
  • What exactly is the metaverse? Understanding its infrastructure.
  • What is the history of the metaverse?
  • How to best prepare your organization for the metaverse.
  • How companies (and their legal departments) are preparing for the metaverse
    • Licensing IP for the metaverse
    • IP interactions with user-generated content
• How blockchain drives the metaverse:
  • Understanding how Blockchain allows you to own digital goods in a virtual world
  • A look at how Web 3.0 will be the foundation for the metaverse
• How does cryptocurrency fit into the metaverse?
  • Explore the relationship between cryptocurrency and the metaverse
  • Examine hurdles facing IP practitioners when it comes to IP and cryptocurrency

Women Leaders on the Frontlines of IP Enforcement

Dale Cendali
Partner
Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Libbie DiMarco
Shareholder
Wolf Greenfield

Janice Jabido
Director, IP Litigation and Enforcement
Peloton Interactive

Alaina van Horn
Chief of IP Enforcement
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Hear from top women leaders in the IP enforcement space as we explore their roles.

• Challenges in IP enforcement:
  • Understanding the greatest challenges being faced by women in IP enforcement
  • Identifying top-of-mind challenges for women in leadership roles in IP enforcement
• Strategies and opportunities:
  • Exploring opportunities for women seeking leadership roles in the world of IP enforcement
  • Identifying IP enforcement strategies for success
• What does the future hold for women in IP enforcement?
• Identifying key strategies for navigating a male-saturated world

Charting Your IP Journey Through Life’s Hurdles

Brittany Amadi
Partner
WilmerHale

Kimberley Isbell
Deputy Director of Policy & International Affairs
U.S. Copyright Office

Abiola Shobola
VP and Senior Counsel, IP
FuelCell Energy

Gael Tisack
Global Head of Intellectual Property
Olympus Corporation

Gail Zarick
IP Counsel
IBM

Join us for a discussion with senior-level women executives and counsel in IP, who will be sharing insights on personal and professional challenges. Hear first-hand stories on how they handled challenges stemming from the proverbial “bumps in the road.” We’ll touch on topics including relationships, child-care, aging parents, personal health, and other challenges that impact women professionals:

• Overcoming barriers:
  • Identifying barriers these women leaders in IP had to overcome to get where they are today. What were their greatest obstacles to success?
  • Exploring what life’s most difficult situations taught them – professionally and personally
• Who inspires you?
  • Exploring sources of inspiration that helped pave the way for women leaders in IP
  • Identifying mentorship relationships that can help you chart your IP journey – don’t just be inspired. Be connected!
• Life lessons from the frontlines:
  • Uncovering lessons from woman leaders in IP
• Addressing mental health on your life’s path:
  • Addressing the role of mental health on your current journey

Networking Break

Understanding NFTs: A Primer on Non-Fungible Tokens, Emerging Trends, and Related Legal Considerations

Kate Dachille
Associate Counsel, Intellectual Property
McCormick & Co.

Heidi Tandy
Partner
Berger Singerman LLP

Melissa Jobe
Director, Corporate Intellectual Property
T-Mobile

During this special focus session, we will explore the role of IP in NFTs:

• Defining NFTs and understanding their role in the metaverse
• Understanding the relationship between IP & the Non-Fungible Token (NFT)
• Exploring IP opportunities and risks related to NFTs in the virtual realm

Conference Adjourns

Opening Remarks from Conference Co-Chairs

Bridget Smith
Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property
Relativity Space

Melissa Jobe
Director, Corporate Intellectual Property
T-Mobile

The State of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Intellectual Property

Anu Sawkar
Special Counsel for Intellectual Property
Federal Trade Commission

Krista Kostiew
Assistant General Counsel, Patents
Unilever

Kim Jessum
Chief IP Counsel
Heraeus

Oona Johnstone, Ph.D.
Shareholder and Executive Committee Member
Wolf Greenfield

Nicole Galli
Founder & Managing Member
ND Galli Law LLC

How are organizations tapping into DEI initiatives that will truly make an impact?

• Implementing DEI Initiatives that make an impact:
  • Increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in IP roles through impactful initiatives – what’s working and what’s not?
  • Understanding how DEI initiatives complement Women’s Initiatives in the IP community
• The impact of DEI on innovation:
  • Exploring ways that powerful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are driving innovation and how lack of DEI initiatives are hindering it
• Addressing barriers to DEI:
  • Identifying primary barriers to impactful DEI initiatives
    • How can we address and navigate those barriers?
• Examining the state of DEI according to the numbers:
  • Examining the state of DEI according to the numbers.
    • What are statistics showing us?
    • What trajectory are we on in the legal industry and more specifically in Intellectual Property?

Keynote Fireside Chat

Noreen Krall
Former Vice President and Chief Litigation Counsel
Apple Inc.
Co-Founder, Board Chair ChIPs Network

Networking Break

Life-Sciences Innovation Panel: Exploring the Controversy Around Patenting mRNA Technologies

Kelly Morgan
VP, Head of IP and Legal
Arbor Biotechnologies

Ryann Muir
Senior Counsel
Gilead Sciences

Andrea Cheek
Partner
Knobbe Martens

April Isaacson
Office Managing Partner
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

mRNA technology has become highly visible thanks to its use in the COVID-19 vaccine. In this panel, we will explore the topic of IP rights over this technology:

• Exploring IP controversies surrounding mRNA vaccine development
• Examining impending patent challenges over mRNA delivery:
  • Understanding the IP surrounding mRNA vaccine development, and what’s driving the IP landscape in the pharmaceutical industry
• Recent developments:
  • How future mRNA developments may be impacted by pending IP challenges
• Challenges and opportunities:
  • What top challenges exist with mRNA?

Women in Tech Shaping Innovation in Intellectual Property

Nidhi Nahar
Head of Patents and Open Source
Block (formerly Square)

Gulzar Babaeva
VP, Deputy General Counsel
Shipt

Heather J. Kliebenstein
Partner
Merchant & Gould

Shui Li
Corporate Counsel, Product (Cloud + AI)
Microsoft

Join a session with women in tech who are shaping innovation through their roles in IP. We’ll explore:

• Latest Advances in Tech
  • What are the latest and most exciting advances in technology that are helping women shape and drive innovation in IP?
  • How is cutting-edge technology impacting roles in IP?
  • What are the biggest challenges women face in leading innovation in IP?
• How is Innovation Changing the Game in IP?

Networking Lunch

To Boldly Go Where No Woman Has Gone Before: The Role of Intellectual Property in the Rise of Space Technology

Adriana Suringa Luedke
Director and Associate General Counsel
Lockheed Martin

Bridget Smith
Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property
Relativity Space

Space technology is one of the most advanced technologies in the world. In recent years especially, IP issues have gained momentum with regard to multiplanetary activities giving rise to emerging Space technologies that are shaping the role of innovation like never before.

During this session, we will address:

• Driving innovation in space tech through IP:
  • How are space initiatives fostering broader innovations in IP?
• Navigating the international legal framework:
  • How can we protect space activities that fall under international cooperation schemes?
• Evolution into outer space:
  • How is IP evolving to consider the multiplanetary landscape forming in 2022 and beyond?
• Multi-planetary minded:
  • How are IP leaders moving forward with the multiplanetary demographic in mind and what role does IP play in that schematic?

Networking Break

Global IP Portfolio Monetization and Strategies in Turbulent Times

Noel Egnatios
General Counsel
DivX, LLC

Lisa Jakob
Managing Counsel, Trademarks & Copyrights
Merck & Co., Inc.

Susan McGahan
Assistant Vice President and Senior Legal Counsel
AT&T

Meredith Wilkes
Partner
JONES DAY

In unprecedented times, what are some successful global IP monetization strategies being used by Fortune 500 and cutting-edge companies?

• Exploring best practices for being strategic and efficient when managing a global IP portfolio
• Identifying and monetizing hidden value within a global IP portfolio
• Navigating the challenges and opportunities of indirect monetization
• Identifying ways for your global IP portfolio to contribute to the overall value of the business both in the short and long term

The Promising Look Ahead: The Future of Women Leaders in IP

Audrey Jean
SVP, Privacy Officer and Associate General Counsel
AARP

Allison Leader
Director, Legal Counsel
American Red Cross

Ching-Lee Fukuda
Partner
Sidley Austin LLP

April Weisbruch
Partner
McDermott Will & Emery

What does the future hold for women leaders in IP today, and how are we shaping the path for the women leaders of tomorrow?

• What the industry is doing to foster and support gender equality
• How to empower other women in intellectual property
• Recognizing and developing the potential of future women leaders

Conference Concludes