Women Leaders in Life Sciences Law

Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks and Audience Ice Breaker

Tamara Joseph
Chief Legal Officer
Millendo Therapeutics

Robin Walker
Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer
Stoke Therapeutics

A Look Back, and A Look Ahead: Examining Key Legal and Business Developments Impacting the Life Sciences Industry in the Last Year and Implications for Our Future Practices

Larissa A. Eustice
Senior Counsel
Bayer

Kellie Branson Combs
Partner
Ropes & Gray LLP

Sheea Sybblis
Associate General Counsel
Nestlé Health Science

To be true industry leaders, women need to stay on the competitive edge by having the big picture view of the most cutting-edge legal and business developments in the fast-moving life sciences space. Broken down by practice area, including IP, Products Liability and Compliance, this panel will discuss the latest court decisions, legislative developments, enforcement initiatives and business developments that have impacted the various disciplines of the life sciences industry and which will ultimately set the stage for 2021 and beyond.

Politics, Policy and Projections: What Does the Current Election Climate Mean for Women and Life Sciences?

Ayesha Ahmed
General Counsel and VP of HR
Nexus Pharmaceuticals

Jeny Maier
Partner
Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP

Kathleen Gersh
Senior Counsel
Loeb & Loeb LLP

Given the current election climate, questions abound as to how the future of U.S. leadership will impact the life sciences industry – and the future of women in general. This panel will examine both sides of the coin and explore what the future of women in life sciences will look like with four more years of the current administration vs. a new administration.

• Gauging the current political landscape and its effect on the life sciences industry
• Taking a look at leadership and policy changes that have occurred in the last four years under the current administration and their impact and consequences for the life sciences space
• Assessing how current life sciences policies are currently affecting women
• Projections on how potential changes in administration and government agency leadership (e.g. at the FDA, OIG, Attorney General’s Office) may affect policies impacting life sciences moving forward

Virtual “Meet and Greets”

Morning Break with Opportunities for Virtual “Meet and Greets”

Keynote Interview

Lori Henderson
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Moderna

Interviewed By:

Lori Cohen
Co-Chair, Global Litigation Practice; Chair, Trial Practice Group; Chair, Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Health Care Litigation Group
Greenberg Traurig LLP

Mastering the Art of “Tooting Your Own Horn”: Valuable Tools for Self-Marketing as a Woman in the Life Sciences Industry and Being Your Own Best Advocate

Stacie L. Ropka PhD
Partner
Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP

Joy Liu
Deputy General Counsel
Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Kristen Buteau
Partner
Choate Hall & Stewart LLP

For many women, self-marketing and self-advocacy can be a challenge. This is because women often underplay the value of what they bring to the table for fear that they will seem boastful or “unbecoming.” In today’s fast-paced, dog-eat-dog world of business however, bragging can sometimes be a necessity to advancement, and an art that can be mastered. This esteemed group of industry leaders will:

• Discuss tactics and approaches to use when self-marketing and self-promoting
• Engage in a mock-interview to demonstrate tools for self-marketing during the interview process
• Provide tactical tools for marketing yourself on social media, LinkedIn, etc
• Outline specific approaches and examples of what to do and say when seeking a raise or a promotion

Lunch Break

Increasing Our Focus on the “Inclusion” Piece of D&I: Understanding How We Can Better Include, Support and Retain Our Female Talent in the Life Sciences Industry

Monique Hunt McWilliams
Assistant General Counsel
Eli Lilly and Company

Kristel Schorr
Partner
Foley and Lardner LLP

Liisa Nogelo-Kerr
Chief Legal Officer
Surface Oncology Inc.

Statistics indicate that while men and women enter the life sciences industry in roughly equal numbers, a gender gap emerges at more senior career levels with women filling a significantly smaller percentage of top-level positions. Although law firms and life sciences companies are currently taking more initiatives aimed at increasing diversity in the workplace, it is important to understand the reasons why more women are not rising into the top echelons of leadership in the life sciences legal space, why so many senior female attorneys are leaving their positions and how we can better retain our female talent.

• Gaining an understanding of the reasons why senior female attorneys are frequently walking out the door
• Identifying the hurdles and hindrances that women are facing which inhibit the advancement of their careers
• Addressing how companies and firms can better create a collaborative, inclusive, supportive and respectful work environment that allows women to thrive and retain or advance their positions
• Giving women crucial tools they can use to be successful and keep their careers moving forward
• Advocating for yourself and getting the credit you deserve for your contributions and achievements
• Techniques for increasing awareness of exceptional work done by women at your company
• What are law firms and companies currently doing to advance women into the top echelons of leadership? What is actually orking and where is innovation needed?

Artificial Intelligence and the Not-So-Distant-Future: Gaining an Understanding of How the Latest AI Capabilities are Transforming the Life Sciences Industry

Mildred Segura
Partner
Reed Smith LLP

Elizabeth Richards
Partner
Latham & Watkins LLP

Kim Gold
Chief Privacy Officer and Head of Privacy Law Group
Associate General Counsel
Genentech

• Taking a look at how AI is currently impacting all areas of life sciences, and analyzing the legal, regulatory and compliance implications that are currently at play and coming down the pike
• Assessing emerging trends in surgical robotics and related product liability litigation risks
• Understanding how AI is being used in wearables to assist patients and doctors with remote tracking, precautions, remote diagnostics and helping patients to make informed choices
• Addressing concerns and challenges relating to patenting AI: analyzing issues of obviousness, inventorship, and patent eligibility
• Identifying the latest ways that law firms and life sciences companies are using AI in legal and internal business operations

1:1 Networking Opportunities

Afternoon Break with 1:1 Networking Opportunities

Breaking Through Bias: Overcoming Gendered Perceptions in the Workplace, Boardroom and Courtroom

Carrie S. Hanover-Martin
Associate General Counsel
EMD Serono

Sophie F. Wang
Principal
Choate Hall & Stewart LLP

Sabrina Gallo
Shareholder
Greenberg Traurig LLP

When women encounter opportunities to really demonstrate their leadership abilities and competence, such as in a meeting or in front of a jury, they can oftentimes be hindered by biased perceptions which ultimately affect their confidence and hinder a successful outcome. This panel will share personal strategies for overcoming gendered perceptions and winning at work and in the courtroom while still being our authentic selves.

• Developing strategies for overcoming gendered meeting dynamics
  • Combatting the “piling on” technique
  • Responding to instances of “idea theft”
  • Garnering attention and making yourself heard
• Devising tactics for fighting against workplace double-standards that hold women back
• Analyzing the different presentation styles of female advocates in the courtroom
  • How do juries receive, perceive and respond to female advocates?
  • What types of behavior, speech or presentation styles are received more favorably?
  • Managing concerns about acting “too abrasive” vs. “too soft”
  • Being authentic and retaining your own identity while being a successful female advocate

End of Day Wrap-Up: Insights from the Advisory Board

Donna Meuth
Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property
Eisai Inc.

Deborah Logan
Associate General Counsel
EMD Serono, Inc.

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)

Join us for interactive conversation with members of our esteemed Advisory Board highlighting key takeaways and lessons from Day One. Engage in a lively discussion of conference highlights and start your list of action points to take back to the office when the conference concludes.

Conference Adjourns
Virtual Networking Hour Sponsored by Greenberg Traurig

Lessons in Perseverance: Overcoming Tough Career and Life Challenges

Jeannette Potts
SVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
FORMA Therapeutics, Inc.

Janet H. Kwuon
Partner
Reed Smith LLP

Tune in as this panel of brave, senior level women executives share insights on tackling and overcoming personal and professional challenges. Hear first-hand stories of how they navigated difficult decisions and overcame hurdles that arose along the path to personal and professional success.

They will touch on matters such as relationships, pregnancy, child-care, aging parents, personal health and other serious demands in our personal life that affect our work life.

Featured Speaker

Sonia Vallabh
Prion Scientist
Broad Institute

Nine years ago, Sonia Vallabh learned that she she was carrying a genetic mutation that would almost certainly lead to a rare and fatal brain disease. But rather than abandoning hope, she left her successful career in law and set out on a quest to find a cure. Tune in as this remarkable female pioneer shares her extraordinary personal story as well as the strides she has taken at Broad Institute to develop a cure for for her own disease.

Virtual “Meet and Greets”

Morning Break with Opportunities for Virtual “Meet and Greets”

A Case Study on Drug Pricing: How Do We Reign in Costs Without Risking Innovation?

Deirdre Parsons
Director, Public Policy & Government Relations
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals

Pamela Politis
Executive Director, US Legal
Incyte

Dr. Melissa Pittaoulis
Associate Director
NERA Economic Consulting

Moderator:

Elona Kogan
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Selecta Biosciences Member, Board of Directors and Audit Committee
Chair, Compensation Committee
Cardax Inc.

Even in these politically diverse times, most will agree that our president and Congress should prioritize lowering the costs of prescription drugs. However, a major challenge lies in ensuring that any implemented policy actually reins in costs without constraining medical innovation that saves and improves lives. This panel of leading women executives will attack this puzzle from different angles and shed insights on potential steps forward.

• Understanding the nuts and bolts of why companies are pricing products the way they are
• Revisiting the idea of Hatch-Waxman and BPCIA Reform: discussing the pros and cons
• Examining the rising trend in Value-Based Pricing of products as an alternative to the price-per-dose approach
  • Exploring the use of outcomes-based pricing, indication-based pricing, drug licensing and money back guarantees
• Exploring the latest initiatives to (i) encourage competition among generic drug manufacturers, (ii) introduce transparency to the drug-distribution system, and (iii) target global pricing to spread the burden more evenly around the world
• Examining the roadblocks (or perceived roadblocks) to effectively controlling drug prices
• Outlook for 2020 and beyond: How will the manufacturers, payers and regulators need to closely coordinate to fix this problem?
  

Town Hall on Devising Your 5-Year Plan for Continued Success: Proactively Taking the Next Step in One’s Career

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

Jennifer Grant Moitoso
Chief IP Counsel
Biogen

Let your voice be heard in this unique open floor session, designed to give all attendees an opportunity to add to the dialogue. Our session moderators will lead an interactive discussion on identifying your most high-priority career goals and plans for growth, and how to make strategic, proactive decisions to get to where you ultimately want to be. Whether you are seeking an in-house, law firm or government position, an internal promotion, a board or C-Suite position, or to move from a seat at the boardroom table to the head of the table – this session will shed light on making and executing a plan to achieve your goal.

Topics of discussion will include:

• Determining what experience you might lack and making a plan for how to get it
• Soliciting honest feedback on your strengths and weaknesses as a leader
• Stepping outside your comfort zone and pushing your boundaries to best enhance your skill set
• Developing and sustaining sponsorship and mentor and mentee relationships with male and female advocates and supporters
• Factoring external commitments and responsibilities into your decision on where you want to be

Lunch Break

Spotlight on Data Privacy and Security in the Life Sciences Arena: Overcoming Challenges and Navigating New Data Privacy Regulations

Sharon R. Klein
Partner
Troutman Pepper

• Analyzing how the latest data security regulations are impacting pharma, biotech and medical device companies
• Where have we landed with GDPR and what is on the horizon with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)?
• What aspects of the CCPA are creating the most complications and confusion, and what are the compliance burdens being caused?
• Assessing how new data privacy laws are driving up the costs of doing business and understanding how life sciences companies can effectively contain those costs
• Developing compliant data use strategies, and including the right data use provisions in service and commercial agreements so that data flows in in a compliant way

1:1 Networking Opportunities

Afternoon Break with 1:1 Networking Opportunities

Tools for Building and Maintaining A Robust Compliance Program

Brooke Nelson
Executive Director, Worldwide Compliance
Amgen

Eve Costopoulos
Of Counsel
Loeb & Loeb LLP

The life sciences industry faces several regulatory and compliance challenges which pose a constant threat to operations and sustainability. Companies that can effectively manage these concerns can take a more proactive stance on risk, adhere to evolving regulatory standards and ultimately develop a competitive advantage. This panel will discuss industry trends and insights surrounding regulation and compliance, and highlight key takeaways that life sciences companies should consider as they implement controls that promote compliance and deter bribery, fraud and corruption.

• Identifying areas of heightened scrutiny by regulators
• Steps for establishing a strong compliance program
• Ensuring that you have the right written policies and procedures in place, and recruiting and building the best compliance team
• Engaging in formal compliance training and education programs
• Anticipating and preparing for investigations
• Implementing strong risk assessment and monitoring protocols
• Responding to detected offenses and developing corrective lines of action

End of Conference Wrap-Up: Champagne Toast and Takeaways

Tamara Joseph
Chief Legal Officer
Millendo Therapeutics

Robin Walker
Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer
Stoke Therapeutics

As we wrap up the event, the conference co-chairs will share insights on key takeaways from the last two days. As we say cheers to a great event and celebrate one another with a glass of bubbly, attendees will discuss what they found most valuable from the event, and opportunities and action points to implement after the event. Each table will then choose a representative to report their takeaways to the group as a whole.

Conference Ends