Agenda
Subject to change. CLE panels are designated by an asterisk after the panel title.
Monday, May 18, 2026
10:30 AM ET
How AI WorksBeyond the Black Box: How AI Really Works in Patent Practice
Developing accurate mental models of how AI “thinks” leads to materially better performance. Thus, the goal of this panel is to cut through the noise and discuss how modern AI systems actually function in practice on a technical level. Panelists will provide a working understanding of system behavior that translates directly into a deeper understanding of the technology in order to enable sophisticated users to achieve better results. The objective is straightforward—equip attendees with a clear, grounded understanding of where AI stands today and what will really matter over the next 12–24 months.
Carlo Cotrone
Jason Harrier
Jessie Shafer
Developing accurate mental models of how AI “thinks” leads to materially better performance. Thus, the goal of this panel is to cut through the noise and discuss how modern AI systems actually function in practice on a technical level. Panelists will provide a working understanding of system behavior that translates directly into a deeper understanding of the technology in order to enable sophisticated users to achieve better results. The objective is straightforward—equip attendees with a clear, grounded understanding of where AI stands today and what will really matter over the next 12–24 months.
,11:30 AM ET
12:00 PM ET
Where to Invest in AIThe Business Case for AI: Investing Capital to Create Real Advantage
This panel will focus exclusively on the investment layer. How are leading organizations evaluating AI opportunities across patent and legal workflows? What frameworks are being used to prioritize use cases, allocate budget, and measure return? And how do you distinguish between short-term efficiency gains and durable, enterprise-level advantage? Panelists will break down the full economic picture—including total cost of ownership, integration challenges, data readiness, governance requirements, vendor risk, and switching costs.
Jonathan Ashtor
Stephanie Curcio
Nikos Minas, Ph.D.
Whitney Stefko
This panel will focus exclusively on the investment layer. How are leading organizations evaluating AI opportunities across patent and legal workflows? What frameworks are being used to prioritize use cases, allocate budget, and measure return? And how do you distinguish between short-term efficiency gains and durable, enterprise-level advantage? Panelists will break down the full economic picture—including total cost of ownership, integration challenges, data readiness, governance requirements, vendor risk, and switching costs.
,1:00 PM ET
2:00 PM ET
What to InternalizeThe In-House Patent Function: What to Internalize—and What to Outsource in the AI Era
This panel will examine how in-house teams are segmenting patent work in the AI era—what they are taking ownership of what they are still outsourcing, and why. Panelists will discuss practical thresholds for insourcing, including company size, portfolio volume, and organizational maturity. The conversation will also focus on the growing middle ground: companies that are not large enough to fully internalize patent operations but are using AI and internal talent to selectively take on high-leverage functions while relying on outside counsel for execution, scale, and risk management.
Suvashis Bhattacharya
Gregory Kline
This panel will examine how in-house teams are segmenting patent work in the AI era—what they are taking ownership of what they are still outsourcing, and why. Panelists will discuss practical thresholds for insourcing, including company size, portfolio volume, and organizational maturity. The conversation will also focus on the growing middle ground: companies that are not large enough to fully internalize patent operations but are using AI and internal talent to selectively take on high-leverage functions while relying on outside counsel for execution, scale, and risk management.
,3:00 PM ET
3:30 PM ET
How Firms CompeteThe Future of Patent Law Firms: Competing in an AI-Driven Market
If clients are internalizing more work and demanding greater efficiency, what is the sustainable role of patent law firms? What services remain defensible, and which are being commoditized or displaced? Panelists will examine how firms are—or are not—adapting to increased implementation of AI tools and platforms. This includes changes to pricing models, service delivery, staffing structures, and the unbundling of work into more specialized offerings.
Robert Plotkin
John Rogitz
If clients are internalizing more work and demanding greater efficiency, what is the sustainable role of patent law firms? What services remain defensible, and which are being commoditized or displaced? Panelists will examine how firms are—or are not—adapting to increased implementation of AI tools and platforms. This includes changes to pricing models, service delivery, staffing structures, and the unbundling of work into more specialized offerings.
,Tuesday, May 19, 2026
10:30 AM ET
AI Asset Strategy & MonetizationThe AI Value Capture Playbook: Orchestrating IP, Data, and Monetization Strategy
This panel will examine how organizations are building AI-focused IP strategies that integrate three interdependent pillars: protection of core innovation, control and use of data, and monetization of AI-driven outputs. Panelists will discuss how to identify patentable AI inventions in fast-moving development cycles, when to rely on trade secrets for models and training pipelines, and how to structure global filing strategies that support long-term leverage. At the same time, the discussion will address the increasingly critical role of data—how companies are licensing datasets, managing provenance and compliance risk, and deploying synthetic data to reduce exposure while maintaining performance.
Elina Litvak Cohen
Keith Lewis
George Pappas
This panel will examine how organizations are building AI-focused IP strategies that integrate three interdependent pillars: protection of core innovation, control and use of data, and monetization of AI-driven outputs. Panelists will discuss how to identify patentable AI inventions in fast-moving development cycles, when to rely on trade secrets for models and training pipelines, and how to structure global filing strategies that support long-term leverage. At the same time, the discussion will address the increasingly critical role of data—how companies are licensing datasets, managing provenance and compliance risk, and deploying synthetic data to reduce exposure while maintaining performance.
,11:30 AM ET
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