Women Leaders in Life Sciences Law

Registration and Continental Breakfast

Women Leaders in Life Sciences Law Empowerment Awards Ceremony

Co-Chairs’ Introductory Remarks and Welcoming Exercise

Elona Kogan
Former General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Government Relations
ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cambridge, MA)

Gael Tisack
Deputy General Counsel -- IP
Olympus Corporation of The Americas (Southborough, MA)

Lori Cohen
Shareholder and Chair Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Health Care Litigation Practice
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (Atlanta, GA)

In this session, attendees will break into small groups at their tables as our conference leaders take you through an icebreaking exercise.

Fireside Chat

Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy
Supreme Court Justice
Supreme Court, New York County, Civil Term (New York, NY)

Interviewed by:

Lori Cohen
Shareholder and Chair Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Health Care Litigation Practice
Greenberg Traurig, LLP (Atlanta, GA)

Year in Review: 2017-2018 Legal Updates by Practice Area

Erin J.D. Austin
Attorney
Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto (New York, NY)

Tara K. Giunta
Partner, Litigation Department
Paul Hastings LLP (Washington, DC)

Megan E. Grossman
Shareholder
Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, Ltd. (Philadelphia, PA)

Sapna W. Palla
Partner
Wiggin & Dana LLP (New York, NY)

Speakers will review the most important case law updates and enforcement initiatives of the past year that every Life Sciences professional needs to know. Broken down by practice area, including IP, Products Liability, and Compliance, this session will provide attendees with the big picture of the year’s most critical developments giving you the competitive edge you need to advance in your field.

Networking Break

Growing Your Women’s Group: Expanding Your Reach and Increasing Interest

Kathleen Gersh
Senior Counsel
Loeb & Loeb LLP (New York, NY)

Yoon Kang
Partner
Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh (Toronto, ON)

Cara Z. Lowen
VP and Chief IP Counsel
Bioverativ, a Sanofi company (Waltham, MA)

Patricia Kavee Melick
Partner
Wiggin & Dana LLP (Stamford, CT)

Jennifer Santos
Head of Global Corporate Compliance Operations
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Boston, MA)

• Evolving to become more than just a “women’s group”
  • Boost your appeal and connect with other subgroups such as parents and young attorneys
  • Creating events or offshoot groups that cater to the needs of your audience and increase participation
  • Networking with other groups, both internally and cross company, to put on joint events and gain more exposure
• Discussing which diversity initiatives are working, which aren’t, and why
• Understanding the difference between sponsorship and mentorship programs and determining which might work best for your organization

The New Face of M&A in the Life Sciences Industry: Impacts from Antitrust to IP and Beyond

Rhiannon I. D’Agostin
Shareholder
Polsinelli PC (Denver, CO)

Elona Kogan
Former General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Government Relations
ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cambridge, MA)

Jeny Maier
Partner
Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP (Washington, DC)

Dr. Christine Siegwarth Meyer
Managing Director
NERA Economic Consulting (White Plains, NY)

Jennifer L. Porter
Partner
Pepper Hamilton LLP (Philadelphia, PA)

Over the past year, it has become apparent that M&A in the Life Sciences Industry is evolving. Just when we had gotten a handle on the traditional pharma to pharma merger, now a new layer of complexity has been added by the emerging trend of these organizations merging with or being bought out by tech, biotech, and even retail companies. As we have seen from past M&A transactions, nearly every professional in this industry will be affected by it at some point, and in this situation possibly more than ever. Our experienced panelists will help you understand the far-reaching impacts of these transactions, how those in other practice areas will be impacted, and the common issues attorneys face when working with companies unfamiliar to the challenges of complying with life sciences regulations.

Networking Lunch – Hosted by

The Impact of the “Me Too” Movement on the Life Sciences Industry

Gael Tisack
Deputy General Counsel -- IP
Olympus Corporation of The Americas (Southborough, MA)

• Discussing strategies for managers to ensure action is taken
  • Learning the active steps you must take when an employee comes to you with a complaint
  • Understanding how to escalate the complaint and dealing with roadblocks
  • Handling your management of either an accuser or an accused
• Giving women crucial tools they can use to determine where and how to make an effective complaint
• Exploring some of the challenges faced by women who have been sexually harassed in the workplace
  • Analyzing the pros and cons women often weigh when deciding whether to make a formal complaint
  • Creating an environment where women feel comfortable coming forward with their concerns
• Examining the recent trend of guilty until proven innocent that has accompanied this new movement

Peer to Peer Networking Break

Latest Business Initiatives and Their Legal Implications

Karen A. Gledhill
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Fresenius Medical Care North America (Waltham, MA)

Zoya Marriott
Principal
Cornerstone Research (Boston, MA)

Lesley Reynolds
Partner
Reed Smith LLP (Washington, DC)

Sheila N. Swaroop
Partner
Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP (Irvine, CA)

Rebecca Zimmer
General Counsel Imaging Equipment
GE Healthcare (Wauwatosa, WI)

In this session, our panelists will discuss some of the most recent business trends within the Life Sciences industry, how they will impact your company and what attorneys need to know to best counsel their clients or colleagues. Such topics covered will include:  

• Product and Prices – Effective Crisis Management
• Patient Centered Care and Personalized Medicine
• Use and Application of Blockchain Technology in Life Sciences
• Cloud Storage
• Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Life Sciences

Tales from the Front Lines: Changing Negative Situations into Success Stories

Eve Costopoulos
Of Counsel
Loeb & Loeb LLP (New York, NY)

Mercedes Meyer, Ph.D.
Partner
Drinker Biddle LLP (Washington, DC)

Tamara Joseph
General Counsel
Enzyvant

Ailis Tweed-Kent, M.D.
Founder & CEO
Cocoon Biotech Inc. (Cambridge, MA)

So often, we as women will blame ourselves for poor outcomes and problems at work, but just how far is the blame game getting us? Learning to change our mindset, think creatively, and embrace our failures often helps us to bounce back faster and cultivate more success in the long run. In this session, our faculty of seasoned Life Sciences professionals will share their insights into situations that could have been damaging, but instead, were turned into a benefit. Take home concrete tools and strategies that you can use to put your mentality, and your career, on the right path forward.

Day 1 Adjourns to Cocktail Reception Hosted by:

Continental Breakfast

Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks and Recap of Day 1

Women Leaders in the Public Sector: 2018 Priorities and the Unique Obstacles They Face

Sara Miron Bloom
Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts (Boston, MA)

Hon. Allison D. Burroughs
U.S. District Court Judge
District of Massachusetts (Boston, MA)

Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy
Supreme Court Justice
Supreme Court, New York County, Civil Term (New York, NY)

Amy Nelson, Ph.D.
Associate Solicitor
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (Alexandria, VA)

Moderator:

Sandra A. Bresnick
Partner, Co-Chair Global Life Sciences Practice
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP (Boston, MA & New York, NY)

Do not miss this unique opportunity to gain insights from some of the most influential women leaders in the public sector as they discuss their top priorities life sciences industry for 2018, what appealed to them about their current role, and what those in the private sector need to know. Moreover, learn about their career paths and how to succeed in the public sector of today.

Peer to Peer Mingling Break

Digital Health: Staying Ahead of the Future of Life Sciences

Delphine W. Knight Brown
Partner
Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP (New York, NY)

Kellie B. Combs
Partner
Ropes & Gray (Washington, DC)

Jennifer H. McGee
Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (Rockville, MD)

Mary Z. Monovoukas
VP, Chief Global Regulatory & Privacy Counsel
Boston Scientific (Marlborough, MA)

Mildred Segura
Partner
Reed Smith (Los Angeles, CA)

In 2018, Digital Health is on the rise in the Life Sciences industry and will likely be impacting us all sooner than we think. Hear from leading women in the know about how to prepare for the challenges associated with digital heath, such as cybersecurity, privacy, coverage, and evolving FDA guidance. Learn the information you need to become the source for strategies to effectively and efficiently guide your company or firm through this emerging area of law.

Bridging the Generational Gap: Working Across the Divide to Move Everyone Forward

Cathy Brixen
MPD Global Contracts Function Leader
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. (Flagstaff, AZ)

Carol Pitzel Cruz
Partner
Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP (Seattle, WA)

Deborah A. Logan
Associate General Counsel
EMD Serono, Inc. (Rockland, MA)

Laura A. Vogel
Partner
Barclay Damon, LLP (Boston, MA)

• Overcoming stereotypes for your generation and learning what connects us all
• Distinguishing between being an amazing boss and being an amazing leader
• Mastering communication skills at any level
• Learning each generation’s strengths and weaknesses
• Leveraging the strengths of your group to move all women forward
• Making millennials an asset in the workplace

Networking Lunch Hosted by:

Getting Ahead: Tips for Reaching the Top from Mentors of All Types

Donna M. Meuth
Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property
Eisai Inc. (Andover, MA)

Melanie R. Rupert
Partner, Life Sciences IP Litigation Global Co-Chair, Talent Development
Paul Hastings (New York, NY)

Irena Royzman, Ph.D.
Partner
Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP (New York, NY)

MaCharri Vorndran-Jones
Assistant General Patent Counsel
Eli Lilly and Company (Indianapolis, IN)

Moderated By:

Prajakta A. Sonalker, Ph.D.
Attorney
Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto (New York, NY)

Featuring a panel of mentors with diverse experiences and backgrounds, this session is designed to provide tips to help women advance their career. Whether you are at a big firm, small firm, in house, not-for-profit, or somewhere else, this is the must-attend panel that will give you the tools you need break the glass ceiling and reach the top.

Conference Ends