Agenda

Registration

Registration for IPWatchdog LIVE 2024 is sponsored by McKool Smith.

Perspectives on the State of U.S. Intellectual Property: Good, Bad or Ugly? *

On February 22, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC) released the 2024 International IP Index, which provides an annual snapshot of the impact of legal developments in intellectual property (IP) on the innovation ecosystem in dozens of nations across the world. While the United States again earned the top overall rank on the GIPC’s index, several…

Hon. Susan G. Braden

Dean Geibel

Nicholas Matich

Benjamin Weed

Intellectual Property Policy and Politics: An Update on Legislation, Rulemaking and the Supreme Court *

The 2024 election is in full swing. Some in Congress, such as Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), continue to try and get patent eligibility reform (PERA) and PTAB reform (PREVAIL) across the finish line. And the much anticipated RESTORE Act, which would overrule eBay and restore the presumption that an injunction is an appropriate remedy for…

James Edwards

Stephen McBride

Hon. Paul R. Michel

Anthony R. Prosser

Networking Break

Cracking the PTAB Code: Current Trends and Winning Tactics *

Litigating the validity of claims in an inter partes review (IPR) at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) is vastly different from litigating validity in district court. When it comes to validity, the playbook for district court is most definitely not the playbook for IPRs. If you do not make a conscious effort to set aside district court strategies…

Tim Fink

Scott McKeown

James Moore

Gene Quinn

Terminal Disclaimers, Continuations, and the False Thicket Narrative *

Erroneous attempts to blame patents for high drug prices is continuing unabated, with the Administration and courts making it harder to obtain and keep sufficient patent protection for even life-saving, breakthrough drugs. Witness the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) from May 10, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 40439), that would dramatically alter patent applicant and…

Henry Hadad

Sherry Knowles

John Miller

Gene Quinn

Paul Michel Award

IPWatchdog is pleased to announce that Joseph Allen, the Executive Director of the Bayh-Dole Coalition, a non-profit organization composed of universities, companies, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and others who are committed to celebrating and protecting the landmark law, has been selected as the 2024 recipient of the Paul Michel Award. He will be presented with the award on Sunday evening, September 29,…

Joseph Allen

Hon. Paul R. Michel

Gene Quinn

Renée C. Quinn

Opening Reception

Join us for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and music by Nataly Merezhuk.

Registration & Breakfast

This Breakfast is Sponsor by GEN Law.    

March In Madness and the Future of Federally Funded Innovation *

Historically, the Bayh-Dole Act only allows the government to march in to force an academic institution to issue additional licenses in three specific circumstances: if good faith efforts aren’t being made for commercialization, if the needs of a national emergency or requirements of federal regulations can’t be satisfied by the licensee, or if the licensee violated their pledge to manufacture…

Joseph Allen

Kate Hudson

Hans Sauer

Brian O’Shaughnessy

Will China Replace the EU and the US as the World’s IP Leader? *

Among other things, this panel will discuss: What is the overall direction and trajectory of China, the EU and US on IP issues? What can or should the U.S. do to better compete with China from an IP and innovation standpoint? What impact will Chinese courts setting worldwide FRAND royalties have on patent licensing and negotiations? What is the role…

Mark Cohen

Jing He

Jon Putnam

101 in the District Courts: What is Happening with Alice? *

Ten years ago the United States Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Alice v. CLS Bank, which applied the Mayo patent eligibility framework to software. Rather than rehash the relative merits of whether the Supreme Court should have so changed the law, or whether the Federal Circuit has faithfully followed Supreme Court guidance, or whether Congress will or should enact a legislative fix to 101, this…

Michael Gulliford

Peter Lambrianakos

Sarah J. Ring

Coke Morgan Stewart

Harmonizing Global IP Strategy with Short-Term and Long-Term Business Goals *

A sound intellectual property (IP) strategy, and effective execution of such a strategy, are essential ingredients for any company’s road to success. But how can one measure the efficacy of an IP strategy, and evaluate the impact and value of IP assets? While many, if not most, enterprises have an IP strategy of some sort, it is critically important to…

Idris McKelvey

Thara Russell

Cynthia Mitchell

Networking Break

The Networking Break is sponsored by Porter Hedges.

Capturing Innovation: Best Practices for Invention Harvesting and Management *

Technology companies large and small employ creative individuals to develop new inventions. Many utilize formal processes to document and protect inventions that are conceived during technology and product development projects and align closely with core products and services, whether through seeking patent protection or by documenting and keeping trade secrets. While many companies are aware of the potential benefits of…

Joe Janas

Sivon Kalminov

Greg Meyer

Trade Secrets: A Balancing Act of Protection and Pitfalls *

The legal landscape in which businesses must choose between patents, trade secrets and other forms of protection has changed dramatically in recent years, mainly as a result of three forces. The first of these was a series of court rulings that collectively have narrowed the scope of patentable subject matter and have made patents more difficult to enforce. The second…

Brent R. Bellows

David Duski

András Jókúti

Jolene Wang

The Impact of AI on Antitrust Enforcement and Liability *

Antitrust enforcement agencies and private plaintiffs are gearing up to challenge allegedly anticompetitive applications of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Much attention is focusing on the use of algorithms to promote collusion and raise prices. Concerns are also being expressed about potential anticompetitive mergers involving AI assets (cloud computing in particular) and the misuse of AI by digital platforms to obtain…

Alden Abbott

Krisha Cerilli

Aaron Hoag

Koren Wong-Ervin

Patent Strategies for an International Patent Portfolio *

Determining where to seek patent rights is an important and expensive decision. Among other things, this panel will discuss: Where in the lifecycle does IP factor into the equation, at the invention stage or at the product stage? Is there communication between the business people and IP team so assets can be acquired where they are needed? Is there a…

Susi Fish

Devon Grant

Bryant Wade

Lunch

This Lunch is Sponsored by Patsnap.

A Fireside Chat with Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter *

Shira Perlmutter is the Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office. Appointed in October 2020, Perlmutter advises Congress and executive branch agencies on copyright policy and directs the administration of important provisions of the U.S. Copyright Act, leading a workforce of nearly 500 employees. Prior to her appointment as Register, Perlmutter served as Chief Policy Officer and…

Shira Perlmutter

Gene Quinn

Democratizing AI: Open Source and the Path to Trust and Accountability

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken center stage in popular culture thanks to the significant advances of tools like ChatGPT. Even those with only passing technological prowess are now familiar with the power of AI, and everyone has an opinion as to what AI can and cannot do, and should and should not do. AI and associated technologies…

Kayleigh Nauman

Meredith Schoenfeld

Austin Walters

Protecting IP At and Before the Border

With complex trade routes and increasingly sophisticated and flexible criminal networks, dealing with organized infringers has become a complex problem for governments and businesses alike. This panel will discuss the sophistication of international counterfeit operations, distribution channels and tactics used by counterfeiters today, as well as the importance of working with governmental agencies and border authorities as a part of…

William Mansfield

Alaina van Horn

Conrad Wong

John Zacharia

The Google Monopoly Ruling and the Future of Tech Competition *

A recent case Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dubbed “remarkable,” the court ruled that “Google is a monopolist” and that the search engine has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act. This panel will discuss the decision, what it means to be a monopolist, what the ruling likely means for Google, how…

Alden Abbott

Kathleen Bradish

Deborah Garza

Bilal Sayyed

John Yun

Views of Operating Companies on Patents and the Patent Market

Description forthcoming. Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Views-of-Operating-Companies-on-Patents-and-the-Patent-Market

Ola Adekunle

A’Tolani Akinkuotu

Russell Binns

Chris Storm

Networking Break

Protecting Innovation in the Financial Services Sector

Financial Technologies, often referred to simply as FinTech, cover many different types of technologies and has become a catch-all term referring to the use of various technologies that collectively empower financial transactions. Fintech encompasses complex blockchain innovations, cybersecurity and encryption technologies, payment gateways, artificial intelligence (AI), and cryptocurrencies and trading platforms. This panel will first begin with a discussion of what…

Jason Harrier

Brienne Terril

Andrew Koopman

Global Perspectives on the Strategic Monetization of IP *

The patent policy landscape in the United States has caused an uptick in interest among many in Europe, South America and Asia in recent years. With the marketplace in flux, and certain sectors of the global economy still weighted down by inflation and concerns for the future, increasing numbers of industry professionals are taking a fresh look at foreign markets,…

Sukla Chandra

Stephen Key

Anup Misra

Daniel Papst

Cocktail Reception

Registration & Breakfast

Win-Win Patent Prosecution: Working Smarter Not Harder *

Over the years patent drafting and patent prosecution have come under increased pressure. At a time when more is being required by the Patent Office and U.S. courts, companies facing tight budgets continue to ask patent practitioners to do more for less. This means that law firms are having to reimagine how they service patent prosecution by crafting efficient workflows…

Clint Mehall

John Rogitz

Steve Schley

Wen Xie

Techniques and Strategies for Successfully Resolving Patent Disputes

In a perfect world, what works best to get a patent dispute resolved? The goal of this panel is to discuss methods and mechanics for resolving patent disputes in the most cost effective manner from the perspective of patent owners. Among other things, this panel will discuss: Do you talk first or just sue for patent infringement? Or does it…

Jacob Babcock

Joshua Budwin

Marie MacNichol

Jon Scahill

Getting to Yes: Strategies for Streamlining Patent Prosecution *

An examiner interview is perhaps the best tool available to progress patent prosecution. Examiner interviews provide an avenue to quickly clear up misunderstandings, explore options, and reach resolutions. Aside from interviews, what other prosecution strategies facilitate and streamline positive outcomes for patent applicants? This panel will address interviews with examiners and other strategies for getting to a notice of allowance…

Sivon Kalminov

Suzanne Konrad

Joseph Monaghan

Sean Sullivan

Networking Break

This Networking Break is Sponsored by Soryn IP Capital.

Navigating 337 Investigations: Pathways to Success at the ITC *

Famously, section 337 investigations before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) are fast. By statute, the ITC must conclude section 337 investigations “at the earliest practicable time . . .” 19 U.S.C. § 1337(b)(1). Investigations institute within 30 days after the Commission receives a complaint, evidentiary hearings (akin to trial) regularly occur within 8–9 months, and the ITC’s target dates…

Matthew Cutler

Joshua Hartman

Evan Langdon

Matthew Rizzolo

Promoting Progress: The Economics of Innovation, Creativity and Intellectual Property *

Investments and transactions move ideas through the lifecycles of innovation and creativity from concept to commercialization. This panel will discuss the role of intellectual property rights in enabling capital allocation at critical moments in the lifecycle, as well as in fostering the network of stakeholder relationships that collectively form innovative and creative ecosystems. The panel will also discuss the role…

Chris Israel

Philip S. Johnson

Patrick Kilbride

Corey Salsberg

Empowering SME Growth by Leveraging IP

The whole economy has a vested interest in seeing these SMEs succeed, and leveraging IP rights can certainly enhance company value. Notwithstanding, the truth is that SMEs are much less likely to own IP in the first place, compared to large companies. And the idea that the State should invest in supporting SMEs to capture and utilize IP has yet…

Joe Doyle

Mike McLean

Matteo Sabattini

Joe Walsh

How AI Tools Impact Prior Art and Examination

This summer the USPTO has been soliciting formal comments from the industry relating to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on prior art and patentability issues.  Among other things, commenters have made various suggestions on how the USPTO could protect against the use of unreliable AI-generated references where a human wasn’t involved in publishing or verifying the accuracy of the…

Stephanie Curcio

Jason Harrier

Emily Johnson

Mark Vallone

Lunch

This lunch is sponsored by Global IP Counselors

Pauline Newman Award

The Pauline Newman Award, created with the blessing of Judge Newman, is given each year to recognize the unique achievements of one patent attorney over their career. The award recognizes excellence, influence, integrity, vision, and wisdom – all characteristics commonly associated with the award namesake, Judge Newman. IPWatchdog is pleased to announce that Phil Johnson, Founder and Principal of Johnson-IP Strategy…

Philip S. Johnson

Hon. Paul R. Michel

Hon. Pauline Newman

Gene Quinn

Renée C. Quinn

IP Executive Roundtable: Effective Leadership and Management of IP Operations

How does one create a culture of creativity to spur innovation while deciding what innovations need protecting, and how do you combat the ever-growing threat of counterfeits, knockoffs, and IP infringement? How do you convey actionable information to the Board, and other C-Suite executives? How do you squeeze the most out of a budget to ensure you get what you…

Mark Leonard

Changhae Park

Leo White

Ada Wong

Hedging IP Risk: The Role of Patent Litigation Funding in Enforcement *

Patent litigation funding has increasingly entered the patent litigation market in the United States over the last several years, and more recently, insurance too, with a great deal of money almost flooding the marketplace now. This money and its creative deployment strategies are starting to equalize the playing field between patent owners and alleged infringers. Even well-established, operating companies who…

Ratib Ali

Brad Close

Pinar Gencer

Geoffrey White

Winning the Battle Against Knockoffs and Counterfeits

Counterfeit products and knockoffs are an enormous problems for businesses all over the world, from consumer goods, to software, to pharmaceuticals, counterfeits have become nearly ubiquitous. Counterfeits and knockoffs easily (and conservatively) cost brand owners many hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Given the low risk of getting caught, high profit margins and often lackluster and uncoordinated enforcement regimes,…

Marylauren Ilagan

Gina Johnson

Mark Leonard

A Conversation with the PTAB *

This panel, moderated by former Deputy Director of the USPTO, Russ Slifer, will offer the perspectives of Administrative Patent Judges (APJs) from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). We are honored to have Vice Chief Judge Haapala, Vice Chief Judge Kim, and Senior Lead Judge Horner discuss what is currently happening at of note at the PTAB, what practitioners…

Hon. Melissa A. Haapala

Hon. Linda Horner

Hon. Michael Kim

Russell Slifer

Networking Break

Inside the USPTO: Current Initiatives and Possible Reforms

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) plays a critical role in supporting the American innovation ecosystem, and issuing high quality patents that will drive U.S. innovation.  And for much of the history of the United States the U.S. patent system stoked the fire of creative genius by enticing creative persons to innovate by giving them incentive to do…

Hon. Andrei Iancu

Hon. David Kappos

Robert Stoll

IPWatchdog 25th Anniversary Celebration

Join us for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and featuring music from a jazz trio lead by Nataly Merezhuk.