Agenda
Subject to change. CLE panels are designated by an asterisk after the panel title.
Sunday, Mar 22, 2026
1:00 PM ET
Salon 4The Global IP Landscape*
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Global IP Index is a comprehensive ranking of more than 50 of the world’s economies based on intellectual property climate. Once dominant in the patent rankings, the rest of the world has been catching up to the United States in recent years, as many countries understand the importance of providing strong patent protections. This…
Mark Cohen
Patrick Kilbride
Hon. Paul R. Michel
Peter-Anthony Pappas
Alaina van Horn
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Global IP Index is a comprehensive ranking of more than 50 of the world’s economies based on intellectual property climate. Once dominant in the patent rankings, the rest of the world has been catching up to the United States in recent years, as many countries understand the importance of providing strong patent protections. This…
,2:00 PM ET
Prefunction30-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Merchant & Gould
Networking Break Sponsored by Merchant & Gould
,2:30 PM ET
Salon 4The Economics of Patent Portfolios: Balancing Quality, Cost, and Market Coverage*
Building a patent portfolio is ultimately an exercise in capital allocation. Every filing decision carries an opportunity cost, every jurisdiction choice reflects a market bet, and every claim drafted—or abandoned—affects long-term leverage. Yet too many portfolios are still built on volume targets, legacy practices, or fear of missing out rather than disciplined economic analysis. This panel examines how organizations can…
Dean Geibel
Sivon Kalminov
Robert Stoll
John White
Building a patent portfolio is ultimately an exercise in capital allocation. Every filing decision carries an opportunity cost, every jurisdiction choice reflects a market bet, and every claim drafted—or abandoned—affects long-term leverage. Yet too many portfolios are still built on volume targets, legacy practices, or fear of missing out rather than disciplined economic analysis. This panel examines how organizations can…
,3:30 PM ET
Prefunction30-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Wolf Greenfield
Networking Break Sponsored by Wolf Greenfield
,4:00 PM ET
Salon 4Patent Dealmaking, Monetization & Licensing: An Examination of Capital, Risk and Deal Flow*
Patent transactions sit at the intersection of capital markets, litigation risk, corporate strategy, and innovation economics—yet many deals fail for a variety of reasons. This panel cuts through theory and focuses on the real mechanics driving today’s patent deal flow. Panelists will examine how patents are valued, financed, licensed, and sold across operating companies, investors, private equity, sovereign funds, and…
Louis Carbonneau
Michael Gulliford
Dan Kesack
Brian O’Shaughnessy
Daniel Papst
Patent transactions sit at the intersection of capital markets, litigation risk, corporate strategy, and innovation economics—yet many deals fail for a variety of reasons. This panel cuts through theory and focuses on the real mechanics driving today’s patent deal flow. Panelists will examine how patents are valued, financed, licensed, and sold across operating companies, investors, private equity, sovereign funds, and…
,5:00 PM ET
Prefunction30-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Sisvel
Networking Break Sponsored by Sisvel
,5:30 PM ET
Salon 4Drug Patents Explained: What the System Gets Right—and What Critics Get Wrong*
Debates over drug patents are increasingly driven by slogans rather than substance. Claims of “evergreening,” “patent thickets,” and abusive exclusivity are routinely invoked to justify policy intervention, but these narratives are often completely false, rely on misrepresentations, and ignore how pharmaceutical innovation actually works. This panel takes a hard look at how drug patents function in practice, separating rhetoric from…
Arthur Daemmrich
Emily Johnson
David Korn
Joshua Ney
Corey Salsberg
Debates over drug patents are increasingly driven by slogans rather than substance. Claims of “evergreening,” “patent thickets,” and abusive exclusivity are routinely invoked to justify policy intervention, but these narratives are often completely false, rely on misrepresentations, and ignore how pharmaceutical innovation actually works. This panel takes a hard look at how drug patents function in practice, separating rhetoric from…
,6:30 PM ET
Salon 4Awards Ceremony
IPWatchdog is pleased to announce that Corey Salsberg has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Pauline Newman Award, and that Chris Israel has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Paul Michel 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…
Chris Israel
Hon. Paul R. Michel
Hon. Pauline Newman
Gene Quinn
Renée C. Quinn
Corey Salsberg
IPWatchdog is pleased to announce that Corey Salsberg has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Pauline Newman Award, and that Chris Israel has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Paul Michel 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…
,7:00 PM ET
PrefunctionOpening Reception
Join us from 7:00pm to 9:00pm to network over beer, wine, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
Join us from 7:00pm to 9:00pm to network over beer, wine, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
,Monday, Mar 23, 2026
7:00 AM ET
Salon 4 & PrefunctionRegistration & Breakfast
Registration is sponsored by Brooks Kushman Breakfast is Sponsored by Ankar
Registration is sponsored by Brooks Kushman Breakfast is Sponsored by Ankar
,8:00 AM ET
Knowles IP RoomDevelopments and Trends for Biopharma Patents at the USPTO
Biopharma patent strategy at the USPTO is entering a period of heightened scrutiny and structural change. From written description and enablement challenges in biologics and antibody claims to obviousness pressures in crowded therapeutic classes, prosecution outcomes are increasingly determinative of enterprise value. Recent case law and evolving examination trends are reshaping how life sciences portfolios must be drafted, supported, and…
Janet Effler, Ph.D.
Anthony R. Prosser, Ph.D.
Biopharma patent strategy at the USPTO is entering a period of heightened scrutiny and structural change. From written description and enablement challenges in biologics and antibody claims to obviousness pressures in crowded therapeutic classes, prosecution outcomes are increasingly determinative of enterprise value. Recent case law and evolving examination trends are reshaping how life sciences portfolios must be drafted, supported, and…
,8:45 AM ET
Prefunction30-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Perkins Coie
Networking Break Sponsored by Perkins Coie
,9:15 AM ET
Harness IP RoomContracting for AI Acquisition in a Rapid-Adoption Era
Organizations and government agencies are acquiring AI at unprecedented speed—often faster than legal, procurement, and governance frameworks can adapt. Standard software contracts are being stretched beyond their limits, leaving buyers exposed to unclear ownership of outputs, weak data rights, opaque model behavior, regulatory uncertainty, and misaligned risk allocation. This panel examines how AI acquisition contracts are being structured in practice…
Stephanie Curcio
Hon. Ryan T. Holte
TJ Whittle
Organizations and government agencies are acquiring AI at unprecedented speed—often faster than legal, procurement, and governance frameworks can adapt. Standard software contracts are being stretched beyond their limits, leaving buyers exposed to unclear ownership of outputs, weak data rights, opaque model behavior, regulatory uncertainty, and misaligned risk allocation. This panel examines how AI acquisition contracts are being structured in practice…
,9:15 AM ET
Knowles IP RoomSecuring the Innovation Pipeline: Strategies for Protecting Next Generation Therapies
For life sciences companies, the innovation pipeline is the business. As therapies grow more complex—spanning biologics, cell and gene therapies, platforms, combination products, and AI-enabled discovery—the risk profile surrounding protection, exclusivity, and value capture has never been higher. This panel examines how companies can secure next-generation therapies from discovery through commercialization by deploying integrated protection strategies that align patents, regulatory…
Matt Beyersdorf
Anthony R. Prosser, Ph.D.
Colin Sandercock
For life sciences companies, the innovation pipeline is the business. As therapies grow more complex—spanning biologics, cell and gene therapies, platforms, combination products, and AI-enabled discovery—the risk profile surrounding protection, exclusivity, and value capture has never been higher. This panel examines how companies can secure next-generation therapies from discovery through commercialization by deploying integrated protection strategies that align patents, regulatory…
,9:15 AM ET
FRL RoomDesigning a Modern Trade Secret Strategy from Policy to Practice*
Trade secrets have become mission-critical assets in an economy defined by data, AI, collaboration, and rapid employee mobility. Yet many organizations still rely on outdated policies, inconsistent controls, and legal frameworks that look strong on paper but fail under real-world realities. And even when companies have thoughtfully adopted a trade secret regime the gap between the formal policy and operational…
Jeff Barron
Carole Boelitz
Nikos Minas, Ph.D.
John Rogitz
Trade secrets have become mission-critical assets in an economy defined by data, AI, collaboration, and rapid employee mobility. Yet many organizations still rely on outdated policies, inconsistent controls, and legal frameworks that look strong on paper but fail under real-world realities. And even when companies have thoughtfully adopted a trade secret regime the gap between the formal policy and operational…
,10:15 AM ET
Prefunction30-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Porter Hedges
Networking Break Sponsored by Porter Hedges
,10:45 AM ET
FRL RoomGlobal SEP Litigation, Licensing and Dealmaking*
Standard-essential patents (SEPs) sit at the intersection of innovation, competition, and global trade. As connectivity standards expand across telecommunications, IoT, automotive, and industrial systems, SEP disputes have become increasingly international, high-stakes, and strategically complex. Courts, regulators, and competition authorities around the world are trying to assert influence over how SEPs are enforced and licensed, often with conflicting approaches that create…
Ali Allawi
Matteo Sabattini
Shawnna Yashar
David Yurkerwich
Standard-essential patents (SEPs) sit at the intersection of innovation, competition, and global trade. As connectivity standards expand across telecommunications, IoT, automotive, and industrial systems, SEP disputes have become increasingly international, high-stakes, and strategically complex. Courts, regulators, and competition authorities around the world are trying to assert influence over how SEPs are enforced and licensed, often with conflicting approaches that create…
,10:45 AM ET
Knowles IP RoomETHICS CLE – When Lawyers Need Help: Supporting Colleagues While Protecting Clients*
Legal practice is demanding, high-pressure, and often isolating. At times, lawyers, judges, and legal professionals may find themselves struggling — whether due to substance use, emotional distress, burnout, mental-health challenges, personal instability, a health crisis or family problems. While the causes may differ, the professional stakes are the same: competence, judgment, and ethical obligations must be preserved. This panel examines…
Will Covey
Kimberly Kelleher
Gene Quinn
Melissa Silverstein
Legal practice is demanding, high-pressure, and often isolating. At times, lawyers, judges, and legal professionals may find themselves struggling — whether due to substance use, emotional distress, burnout, mental-health challenges, personal instability, a health crisis or family problems. While the causes may differ, the professional stakes are the same: competence, judgment, and ethical obligations must be preserved. This panel examines…
,10:45 AM ET
Harness IP RoomThe Mechanics of Building a Patent Portfolio in the Real World*
Building a patent portfolio is not an abstract exercise in claim drafting or filing volume—it is a series of practical, often constrained decisions made under real budget, timing, and business pressures. What works in theory frequently breaks down in execution, and portfolios that look impressive on paper can fail to deliver meaningful protection or leverage where it matters most. This…
Randy Canis
Matthew Cutler
Mike McLean
John White
Building a patent portfolio is not an abstract exercise in claim drafting or filing volume—it is a series of practical, often constrained decisions made under real budget, timing, and business pressures. What works in theory frequently breaks down in execution, and portfolios that look impressive on paper can fail to deliver meaningful protection or leverage where it matters most. This…
,11:45 AM ET
Prefunction30-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Soryn IP Capital
Networking Break Sponsored by Soryn IP Capital
,12:15 PM ET
FRL RoomU.S. Innovation and IP Enforcement: Navigating the Global Litigation Trends*
U.S. innovators no longer operate in a litigation landscape bounded by domestic courts. IP enforcement has become a global enterprise, with parallel actions, cross-border remedies, and foreign courts increasingly influencing outcomes for U.S.-based companies. Decisions made abroad now directly affect leverage, valuation, risk, and potential liabilities. This panel examines how global litigation trends are reshaping IP enforcement strategy for U.S.…
Brian Blasius
Nuno Carvalho
Dr. Kirti Gupta
Hon. Randall R. Rader
U.S. innovators no longer operate in a litigation landscape bounded by domestic courts. IP enforcement has become a global enterprise, with parallel actions, cross-border remedies, and foreign courts increasingly influencing outcomes for U.S.-based companies. Decisions made abroad now directly affect leverage, valuation, risk, and potential liabilities. This panel examines how global litigation trends are reshaping IP enforcement strategy for U.S.…
,12:15 PM ET
Knowles IP RoomIP Blind Spots and Business Risk: Making IP Matter Across the Enterprise
IP risk rarely announces itself in advance. It emerges when products launch, deals close, employees leave, or regulators intervene—often revealing that critical decisions were made without a clear understanding of IP exposure or leverage. When IP is treated as a siloed legal function rather than a business input, blind spots form that can undermine strategy, valuation, and growth. This panel…
Suvashis Bhattacharya
Evelyn Body
Justin Crotty
Jeffery Langer
Leo White
IP risk rarely announces itself in advance. It emerges when products launch, deals close, employees leave, or regulators intervene—often revealing that critical decisions were made without a clear understanding of IP exposure or leverage. When IP is treated as a siloed legal function rather than a business input, blind spots form that can undermine strategy, valuation, and growth. This panel…
,12:15 PM ET
Harness IP RoomThe Business Impact of AI in Practice: Calculating ROI in the AI Era
Over the last several years, Artificial Intelligence tools and technology have been rapidly moving from experimentation to operational deployment inside legal departments, IP teams, and innovation-driven enterprises. But enthusiasm alone doesn’t justify the investment required for AI implementation, whether that investment is in time or capital. This panel will focus on the real-world economics of AI adoption, specifically how organizations…
Bruce Berman
Francesca Cruz
Stephanie Curcio
Bernard Tomsa
Over the last several years, Artificial Intelligence tools and technology have been rapidly moving from experimentation to operational deployment inside legal departments, IP teams, and innovation-driven enterprises. But enthusiasm alone doesn’t justify the investment required for AI implementation, whether that investment is in time or capital. This panel will focus on the real-world economics of AI adoption, specifically how organizations…
,1:15 PM ET
Salon 4 & PrefunctionLunch & Keynote: A Conversation with Jason Alan Snyder
We are thrilled to have Jason Snyder, Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer of Artists & Robots, as our Keynote Speaker. This keynote will be part of our luncheon program, with lunch beginning at 1:15 PM ET and the address anticipated to start at approximately 2 PM ET. Lunch is Sponsored by Licks Attorneys Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Keynote-Jason-Alan-Snyder
Renée C. Quinn
Gene Quinn
Jason Alan Snyder
We are thrilled to have Jason Snyder, Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer of Artists & Robots, as our Keynote Speaker. This keynote will be part of our luncheon program, with lunch beginning at 1:15 PM ET and the address anticipated to start at approximately 2 PM ET. Lunch is Sponsored by Licks Attorneys Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Keynote-Jason-Alan-Snyder
,2:30 PM ET
FRL RoomResolution Without Surrender: What Really Triggers Settlement of IP Disputes
Most IP disputes do not end with a verdict—they end with a deal. Yet settlements rarely occur because one side suddenly “changes its mind.” They happen when risk, cost, timing, and leverage finally align. Understanding what actually drives resolution is critical for parties who want outcomes that protect value rather than surrender it. This panel examines the real factors that…
Chuck Hong
Philip S. Johnson
Bukola Landis-Aina
Marie MacNichol
Most IP disputes do not end with a verdict—they end with a deal. Yet settlements rarely occur because one side suddenly “changes its mind.” They happen when risk, cost, timing, and leverage finally align. Understanding what actually drives resolution is critical for parties who want outcomes that protect value rather than surrender it. This panel examines the real factors that…
,2:30 PM ET
Harness IP RoomPatent Prosecution in a Reoriented USPTO: What Has Changed and What Matters?*
The USPTO is in the midst of a meaningful reset—one that is reshaping how patent applications are examined, how discretion is exercised, and how prosecution outcomes are ultimately determined. Shifts in leadership, policy emphasis, and internal guidance are changing examiner behavior in ways that are not always visible from the outside, but have real consequences for prosecution strategy and portfolio…
Francesca Cruz
Shawn Gorman
Blair Hoyt
Mark Vallone
The USPTO is in the midst of a meaningful reset—one that is reshaping how patent applications are examined, how discretion is exercised, and how prosecution outcomes are ultimately determined. Shifts in leadership, policy emphasis, and internal guidance are changing examiner behavior in ways that are not always visible from the outside, but have real consequences for prosecution strategy and portfolio…
,2:30 PM ET
Knowles IP RoomMore Than Patents: The Stories Behind the Breakthroughs
Behind every transformative technology or life-saving therapy is a human story—of curiosity, persistence, failure, and resilience. Patents capture the technical milestones, but they rarely reflect the personal journeys, risks, and motivations that drive invention and give innovation its deeper meaning. This panel puts inventors front and center to explore the stories behind the breakthroughs. Panelists will share why they chose…
Joshua Kresh
Anish Suri
Kevin White
Josephine Young
Behind every transformative technology or life-saving therapy is a human story—of curiosity, persistence, failure, and resilience. Patents capture the technical milestones, but they rarely reflect the personal journeys, risks, and motivations that drive invention and give innovation its deeper meaning. This panel puts inventors front and center to explore the stories behind the breakthroughs. Panelists will share why they chose…
,3:30 PM ET
Prefunction15-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Dinsmore & Shohl
Networking Break Sponsored by Dinsmore & Shohl
,3:45 PM ET
Harness IP RoomArtificial Intelligence Today: Managing Risk, Access and Compliance Without Clear Industry Standards*
Artificial intelligence is being deployed faster than the rules governing it are being written. In the absence of clear, uniform industry standards, organizations are making high-stakes decisions around access, control, compliance, licensing and liability with incomplete guidance and evolving regulatory pressure. The result is uneven risk exposure, fragmented governance, and contractual and compliance frameworks that are often backward-looking. This panel…
Mark Liang
Jerry Ma
Tamra Tyree Moore
Dustin Raney
Artificial intelligence is being deployed faster than the rules governing it are being written. In the absence of clear, uniform industry standards, organizations are making high-stakes decisions around access, control, compliance, licensing and liability with incomplete guidance and evolving regulatory pressure. The result is uneven risk exposure, fragmented governance, and contractual and compliance frameworks that are often backward-looking. This panel…
,3:45 PM ET
Knowles IP RoomManaging Enterprise Risk in Life Sciences: An In-House Perspective
Life sciences companies operate in a uniquely high-risk environment where scientific uncertainty, regulatory scrutiny, IP exposure, supply-chain fragility, and litigation risk all converge. In-house teams sit at the center of this complex risk matrix, and they are forced to make real-time decisions that balance innovation speed, compliance, capital efficiency, and long-term value creation. Unfortunately, imperfect information and competing internal pressures…
Brent R. Bellows, Ph.D.
Shana Cyr
Cynthia Martin
Kwame Mensah
Life sciences companies operate in a uniquely high-risk environment where scientific uncertainty, regulatory scrutiny, IP exposure, supply-chain fragility, and litigation risk all converge. In-house teams sit at the center of this complex risk matrix, and they are forced to make real-time decisions that balance innovation speed, compliance, capital efficiency, and long-term value creation. Unfortunately, imperfect information and competing internal pressures…
,3:45 PM ET
FRL RoomWinning ITC Strategy: A Practitioner’s Guide to 337 Litigation*
Section 337 investigations at the International Trade Commission (ITC) are among the fastest-moving and highest-stakes proceedings in IP enforcement. The compressed schedule, unique remedies, and procedural intensity reward disciplined strategy and punish missteps early. Success at the ITC is rarely accidental—it is the product of front-loaded decisions that shape the case long before the hearing begins. This panel delivers a…
Libbie DiMarco
Joshua Hartman
Brian P. Johnson
Evan Langdon
Section 337 investigations at the International Trade Commission (ITC) are among the fastest-moving and highest-stakes proceedings in IP enforcement. The compressed schedule, unique remedies, and procedural intensity reward disciplined strategy and punish missteps early. Success at the ITC is rarely accidental—it is the product of front-loaded decisions that shape the case long before the hearing begins. This panel delivers a…
,4:45 PM ET
Prefunction15-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Dinsmore & Shohl
Networking Break Sponsored by Dinsmore & Shohl
,5:00 PM ET
Knowles IP RoomWhen Obviousness Isn’t Obvious: How 103 Undermines Follow-On Innovation*
Obviousness doctrine is intended to police the line between genuine innovation and routine variation. In practice, however, the application of Section 103 has increasingly drifted away from economic and technological reality—particularly in industries where progress is incremental, expensive, and risk-laden. The result is a growing disconnect between how innovation actually occurs and how follow-on inventions are evaluated for patentability. This…
Patrick Kilbride
Suzanne Konrad
Eileen McDermott
Clint Mehall
Obviousness doctrine is intended to police the line between genuine innovation and routine variation. In practice, however, the application of Section 103 has increasingly drifted away from economic and technological reality—particularly in industries where progress is incremental, expensive, and risk-laden. The result is a growing disconnect between how innovation actually occurs and how follow-on inventions are evaluated for patentability. This…
,5:00 PM ET
Harness IP RoomTraining AI the Right Way: How Licensing Promotes Innovation, Competition & Content Creation*
The debate over AI training has quickly polarized into extremes: unrestricted scraping versus rigid prohibition. Both approaches miss the point. Sustainable AI development depends on clear, enforceable licensing frameworks that respect existing IP rights while enabling innovation, competition, and a viable creative ecosystem. This panel examines why licensing is emerging as the most practical and pro-innovation solution for training AI…
Terry Hart
Jessica Richard
Laura Smalley
Jason Alan Snyder
The debate over AI training has quickly polarized into extremes: unrestricted scraping versus rigid prohibition. Both approaches miss the point. Sustainable AI development depends on clear, enforceable licensing frameworks that respect existing IP rights while enabling innovation, competition, and a viable creative ecosystem. This panel examines why licensing is emerging as the most practical and pro-innovation solution for training AI…
,5:00 PM ET
FRL RoomThe Battle for Big Numbers: How Patent Owners Can Actually Get Paid*
With the dramatic decrease in inter partes review challenges at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), patent owners are understandably optimistic about the future. Now does indeed seem to be a good time for patent owners who have been on the sidelines to accelerate patent enforcement campaigns. Of course, patent enforcement only creates value for patent owners if it…
Pinar Gencer
Anup Misra
Stephen T. Schreiner
Chen Wang, Ph.D.
With the dramatic decrease in inter partes review challenges at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), patent owners are understandably optimistic about the future. Now does indeed seem to be a good time for patent owners who have been on the sidelines to accelerate patent enforcement campaigns. Of course, patent enforcement only creates value for patent owners if it…
,6:00 PM ET
Networking Reception
Join us from 6:00pm to 8:30pm to network over beer, wine, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
Join us from 6:00pm to 8:30pm to network over beer, wine, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
,Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026
7:00 AM ET
Registration & Breakfast
Registration is sponsored by Brooks Kushman Breakfast is Sponsored by Ballard Spahr
Registration is sponsored by Brooks Kushman Breakfast is Sponsored by Ballard Spahr
,8:00 AM ET
Salon 4A Conversation with Congressman Kevin Kiley
Please join us on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, for a fireside chat with Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-CA). Leading the conversation will be James Edwards and Charles Sauer, who are both Board Members with the Congressional Inventions Project, a nonprofit dedicated to educating lawmakers, their staffs, and the public on issues related to invention, creators, inventors, and intellectual property. Among other…
Taylor Betts
James Edwards
Congressman Kevin Kiley
Charles Sauer
Please join us on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, for a fireside chat with Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-CA). Leading the conversation will be James Edwards and Charles Sauer, who are both Board Members with the Congressional Inventions Project, a nonprofit dedicated to educating lawmakers, their staffs, and the public on issues related to invention, creators, inventors, and intellectual property. Among other…
,8:45 AM ET
Prefunction30-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Spencer Fane
Networking Break Sponsored by Spencer Fane
,9:15 AM ET
Harness IP RoomAI Patents Under the Microscope: Drafting and Prosecuting for the Long Game*
Artificial Intelligence is the future of innovation, and may very well be the future of the U.S. economy. Yet, despite this reality, AI patents are being scrutinized more aggressively than almost any other category of invention. Eligibility challenges, heightened obviousness analysis, functional claiming concerns, and rapid technological evolution have turned AI patenting into a long-duration strategy problem rather than a…
Jason Harrier
Jonathan Hummel
Robert Plotkin
Thara Russell
Giulia Toti
Artificial Intelligence is the future of innovation, and may very well be the future of the U.S. economy. Yet, despite this reality, AI patents are being scrutinized more aggressively than almost any other category of invention. Eligibility challenges, heightened obviousness analysis, functional claiming concerns, and rapid technological evolution have turned AI patenting into a long-duration strategy problem rather than a…
,9:15 AM ET
Knowles IP RoomPreserving Bayh-Dole to Protect U.S. Economic and Technological Leadership*
The Bayh-Dole Act is one of the most successful innovation policies in U.S. history, underpinning decades of technology transfer, startup formation, and private investment in federally funded research. Yet today, Bayh-Dole is increasingly misunderstood, politicized, and targeted for reinterpretation in ways that threaten to undermine the very incentives that made it work. This panel examines why Bayh-Dole matters now more…
Joseph Allen
Becky Kaufman
Laura Peter
Ken Porter
Salumeh Ramsay
The Bayh-Dole Act is one of the most successful innovation policies in U.S. history, underpinning decades of technology transfer, startup formation, and private investment in federally funded research. Yet today, Bayh-Dole is increasingly misunderstood, politicized, and targeted for reinterpretation in ways that threaten to undermine the very incentives that made it work. This panel examines why Bayh-Dole matters now more…
,9:15 AM ET
FRL RoomPatents, Antitrust and the Future of Innovation in America*
The relationship between patents and antitrust law is once again at the center of the U.S. innovation debate. Aggressive enforcement theories, shifting agency priorities, and expanding notions of competition harm are challenging long-standing assumptions about how exclusive rights and competitive markets coexist. At stake is not just legal doctrine, but the economic framework that supports investment in high-risk, high-reward innovation.…
Alden Abbott
Dr. Kirti Gupta
Tad Lipsky
Bilal Sayyed
David Shaw
The relationship between patents and antitrust law is once again at the center of the U.S. innovation debate. Aggressive enforcement theories, shifting agency priorities, and expanding notions of competition harm are challenging long-standing assumptions about how exclusive rights and competitive markets coexist. At stake is not just legal doctrine, but the economic framework that supports investment in high-risk, high-reward innovation.…
,10:15 AM ET
Prefunction30-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
Networking Break Sponsored by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
,10:45 AM ET
Knowles IP RoomBuilding Global Life Sciences Patent Portfolios: Strategy, Structure, and Execution
Life sciences patent portfolios are built under extreme constraints: long development timelines, regulatory uncertainty, jurisdictional complexity, and relentless cost pressure. Decisions made early—often before clinical proof—can determine whether a portfolio supports exclusivity, partnering, and valuation, or collapses under validity challenges and global enforcement friction. This panel examines how to build global life sciences patent portfolios with strategic intent and operational…
Brent R. Bellows, Ph.D.
Kady Bruce, Ph.D.
Steven Caltrider
Ben Doranz, Ph.D.
Life sciences patent portfolios are built under extreme constraints: long development timelines, regulatory uncertainty, jurisdictional complexity, and relentless cost pressure. Decisions made early—often before clinical proof—can determine whether a portfolio supports exclusivity, partnering, and valuation, or collapses under validity challenges and global enforcement friction. This panel examines how to build global life sciences patent portfolios with strategic intent and operational…
,10:45 AM ET
Harness IP RoomModern Brand Protection: Strategies to Stop Infringement in Real Time
Intrusion upon a brand does not unfold slowly or predictably. Counterfeits, impersonation, and unauthorized sales now appear instantly across marketplaces, social platforms, domain names, and digital advertising channels—often at a scale and speed that traditional enforcement tools cannot match. Waiting to act means accepting brand dilution, consumer confusion, and lost revenue as the cost of doing business. This panel examines…
Jayne Durden
William Mansfield
Mary Penn
Joel Samuels
Intrusion upon a brand does not unfold slowly or predictably. Counterfeits, impersonation, and unauthorized sales now appear instantly across marketplaces, social platforms, domain names, and digital advertising channels—often at a scale and speed that traditional enforcement tools cannot match. Waiting to act means accepting brand dilution, consumer confusion, and lost revenue as the cost of doing business. This panel examines…
,10:45 AM ET
FRL RoomThe Evolving Universe for Post-Grant Challenges at the USPTO*
Post-grant proceedings at the USPTO are undergoing a fundamental transformation from the ground up. Inter partes review, post-grant review, and ex parte reexamination now operate in a shifting landscape shaped by Director discretion, precedential PTAB decisions, court intervention, and changing policy priorities. For both petitioners and patent owners, the rules of engagement continue to evolve—often unevenly and with significant strategic…
Tim Fink
Chris Marando
Kevin McNish
Jordan Rossen
Post-grant proceedings at the USPTO are undergoing a fundamental transformation from the ground up. Inter partes review, post-grant review, and ex parte reexamination now operate in a shifting landscape shaped by Director discretion, precedential PTAB decisions, court intervention, and changing policy priorities. For both petitioners and patent owners, the rules of engagement continue to evolve—often unevenly and with significant strategic…
,11:45 AM ET
Prefunction30-Minute Networking Break
Networking Break Sponsored by Willis Towers Watson
Networking Break Sponsored by Willis Towers Watson
,12:15 PM ET
Knowles IP RoomInside the Beltway: The Future of IP Reform*
IP policy in the United States is increasingly shaped by political dynamics, agency priorities, and competing economic narratives rather than technical consensus. Decisions made in Washington—often far from laboratories, startups, and courtrooms—are redefining patent rights, enforcement tools, and innovation incentives with long-term consequences for U.S. competitiveness. This panel offers a candid, inside-the-Beltway view of where IP reform is heading and…
Kate Hudson
Chris Israel
David Jones
J. John Lee
Christine McDaniel
IP policy in the United States is increasingly shaped by political dynamics, agency priorities, and competing economic narratives rather than technical consensus. Decisions made in Washington—often far from laboratories, startups, and courtrooms—are redefining patent rights, enforcement tools, and innovation incentives with long-term consequences for U.S. competitiveness. This panel offers a candid, inside-the-Beltway view of where IP reform is heading and…
,12:15 PM ET
FRL RoomIP Litigation Strategy: The Art of Winning Before Trial
Often, the focus of “winning” in litigation will focus on trial strategy and tactics, but the reality is that most IP cases never reach a jury. The strategies that determine outcomes are typically only visible behind the scenes. From early case assessment and due diligence relating to the strength of the assets, to venue strategy, discovery management, claim construction, expert…
Hon. John W. Holcomb
Jon Putnam
Salumeh Ramsay
Sarah J. Ring
Often, the focus of “winning” in litigation will focus on trial strategy and tactics, but the reality is that most IP cases never reach a jury. The strategies that determine outcomes are typically only visible behind the scenes. From early case assessment and due diligence relating to the strength of the assets, to venue strategy, discovery management, claim construction, expert…
,12:15 PM ET
Harness IP RoomBeyond PTAB Recalibration: The Future of PTAB Decision-Making*
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) is undergoing a fundamental reset. Rather than rehashing those changes, which will be discussed in an earlier panel titled The Evolving Universe for Post-Grant Challenges at the USPTO, this panel will take the next steps in the discussion and move into operational reality. As the Patent Trial and Appeal Board recalibrates, an important question…
Scott R. Boalick
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Jacqueline Wright Bonilla
Todd Walters
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) is undergoing a fundamental reset. Rather than rehashing those changes, which will be discussed in an earlier panel titled The Evolving Universe for Post-Grant Challenges at the USPTO, this panel will take the next steps in the discussion and move into operational reality. As the Patent Trial and Appeal Board recalibrates, an important question…
,1:15 PM ET
Salon 4Lunch & IPWatchdog Masters™ Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
IPWatchdog is pleased to announce that Hon. David Kappos, Hon. Andrei Iancu, and Joseph Allen will be inducted into the IPWatchdog Masters™ Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place during our lunch program, with the inductions and remarks starting at approximately 2:00 PM ET. Inductees to the IPWatchdog Masters™ Hall of Fame are honored as a tribute to…
Joseph Allen
Hon. Andrei Iancu
Hon. David Kappos
Gene Quinn
Renée C. Quinn
IPWatchdog is pleased to announce that Hon. David Kappos, Hon. Andrei Iancu, and Joseph Allen will be inducted into the IPWatchdog Masters™ Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place during our lunch program, with the inductions and remarks starting at approximately 2:00 PM ET. Inductees to the IPWatchdog Masters™ Hall of Fame are honored as a tribute to…
,3:00 PM ET
FRL RoomCompetition Policy in the Innovation Economy: Rethinking the Role of the Government*
Competition policy is at an inflection point. As innovation markets become more global, data-driven, and platform-centric, the institutional architecture of U.S. antitrust enforcement is facing unprecedented constitutional, structural, and strategic scrutiny. This panel will examine whether the current dual-enforcement model—split between the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice—remains fit for purpose in a high-velocity…
Alden Abbott
Hon. Susan G. Braden
Jonathan Barnett
John Yun
Competition policy is at an inflection point. As innovation markets become more global, data-driven, and platform-centric, the institutional architecture of U.S. antitrust enforcement is facing unprecedented constitutional, structural, and strategic scrutiny. This panel will examine whether the current dual-enforcement model—split between the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice—remains fit for purpose in a high-velocity…
,3:00 PM ET
Harness IP RoomThe Big Tech View on Patents and the Patent Market
Large technology companies play an outsized role in shaping how patents are acquired, valued, licensed, and enforced. Their internal policies, litigation strategies, and market behavior influence not only the patent market itself, but also how startups, investors, and policymakers perceive the role of patents in the modern innovation economy. This panel examines how Big Tech views patents today—and how that…
Ola Adekunle
Russell Binns
Dean Geibel
Caroline Pinkston
Large technology companies play an outsized role in shaping how patents are acquired, valued, licensed, and enforced. Their internal policies, litigation strategies, and market behavior influence not only the patent market itself, but also how startups, investors, and policymakers perceive the role of patents in the modern innovation economy. This panel examines how Big Tech views patents today—and how that…
,3:00 PM ET
Knowles IP RoomPTAB Leadership Briefing: Policy, Practice, and the Path Ahead*
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board plays a central role in shaping the modern patent system. Through its handling of inter partes review, post-grant review, and ex parte appeals, the PTAB directly influences patent validity, enforcement risk, and the strategic value of patent portfolios. At the same time, evolving policies on institution decisions, discretionary denials, and case management continue to…
Michelle Ankenbrand
Kalyan Deshpande
Gene Quinn
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board plays a central role in shaping the modern patent system. Through its handling of inter partes review, post-grant review, and ex parte appeals, the PTAB directly influences patent validity, enforcement risk, and the strategic value of patent portfolios. At the same time, evolving policies on institution decisions, discretionary denials, and case management continue to…
,4:00 PM ET
Prefunction15-Minute Networking Break
4:15 PM ET
Harness IP RoomBuilding a Better Patent System*
The patent system is under sustained pressure from policy reform, litigation trends, administrative practice, and competing narratives about innovation and competition. While debate often focuses on what is broken, far less attention is paid to what a better-functioning patent system should actually look like—and how to get there without undermining the incentives that drive innovation. This panel takes a pragmatic,…
Hon. David Kappos
Hon. F. Scott Kieff
Hon. Andrei Iancu
Lisa Jorgenson
Gene Quinn
The patent system is under sustained pressure from policy reform, litigation trends, administrative practice, and competing narratives about innovation and competition. While debate often focuses on what is broken, far less attention is paid to what a better-functioning patent system should actually look like—and how to get there without undermining the incentives that drive innovation. This panel takes a pragmatic,…
,5:15 PM ET
Prefunction15-Minute Networking Break
5:30 PM ET
Harness IP RoomKeynote: A Conversation with Coke Stewart
Join us as we close out IPWatchdog LIVE 2026 with a one-on-one conversation with USPTO Deputy Director Coke Stewart. Among other things we will discuss the so-called “one and done” rules package (and where things stand and when we might be able to expect final rules), the evolution of discretionary denials and specific considerations the Director will consider, how patent…
Gene Quinn
Coke Morgan Stewart
Join us as we close out IPWatchdog LIVE 2026 with a one-on-one conversation with USPTO Deputy Director Coke Stewart. Among other things we will discuss the so-called “one and done” rules package (and where things stand and when we might be able to expect final rules), the evolution of discretionary denials and specific considerations the Director will consider, how patent…
,6:00 PM ET
