Law and Technology

62nd Annual Conference On Intellectual Property Law

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Plano, Texas, USA

Past Event

MCLE Credit will be available

The Center for American and International Law
5201 Democracy Drive
Plano, Texas 75024

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Registrar: +1.972.244.3404
ILT: +1.972.244.3437
Fax: +1.972.244.3401
E-Mail: ilt@cailaw.org

Overview

The ILT’s flagship conference, the annual IP law conference brings together intellectual property lawyers from around the United States for two days to discuss emerging issues in IP law, as well as providing a comprehensive review of developments in IP law over the year.

Conference Co-Chairs

Brianna Hinojosa-Smith

Brianna Hinojosa-Smith
ATI
Dallas, Texas

Jayne Piana

Stephanie Sivinski
Haynes and Boone, LLP
Dallas, Texas

Module Chairs

  • Sarah Foley, Foley IP Law, PLLC
  • Natalie LeVeck, Google, Inc.
  • Kelly Ransom, Kelly Hart Hallman
  • A.J. Sanfilippo, Ericsson Inc.
  • Brandi Wickline Sarfatis, Akona IP PC
  • Elise Selinger, Caterpillar Inc.
  • Palak Shah, Uber Technologies Inc.
  • Austin Teng, Winstead PC

Registration Options

ILT Advisory Board Members may attend this conference for free. To join ILT as a member, click here. ILT Advisory Board Members should register using a special link sent to them by email. If you are joining as a new member, it may take up to two business days to get the registration link to you. 

  • $745 - Regular Registration Fee
  • $0 - ILT Advisory Board Members (Advisory Board Members will be emailed a special registration link. Email ilt@cailaw.org with questions.)
  • $585 - ILT Supporting or Sustaining Member Employee
  • $585 – ILT Young Technology Professionals Committee Member
  • $585 - SBOT Women in IP Committee Member
  • $585 – Full-Time Government or Non-Profit Employee
  • $250 - Full-time U.S. Law Professor
  • $125 - Full-time U.S. Law Student 

Schedule and Faculty

NOVEMBER 7

7:45 AM - Women in IP Breakfast - The Juggle is Real: Perspectives on How to Keep Most of the Balls in the Air While Staying Sane Most of the Time

Join us for an open and honest discussion around the constant juggle that is the legal profession. The panelists will share their experiences and their perspectives on juggling work, their personal lives, family obligations including children and aging parents, self-care, travel, and so much more. The legal profession is unique in its demands and making positive changes with respect to wellness and mental health starts with open dialogue. The panelists are not health care professionals and will not be providing medical advice. Everyone is welcome to contribute to the discussion and share their own perspectives and experiences.

This session is available for TX CLE only - Registrants will need to sign the sign-in sheet to receive credit.

  • Natalie Alfaro Gonzales, Yetter Coleman LLP, Houston, TX
  • Evelyn Chen, Ericsson Inc., Plano, TX
  • Christa Brown-Sanford, Baker Botts L.L.P., Dallas, TX

8:50 AM - Welcome from Conference Co-Chairs and the ILT Director

  • Brianna Hinojosa-Smith, Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, ATI, Dallas, TX
  • Stephanie Sivinski, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Dallas, TX
  • Vickie Adams, Vice President and ILT Director, The Center for American and International Law, Plano, TX

9:00 AM - PTAB Proceedings: Where Zealous Advocacy Meets the Duty of Good Faith and Candor (Ethics)

PTAB proceedings involving post-grant patent challenges are in many ways a hybrid of patent prosecution and patent litigation, in terms of tactics and procedures. Often, the standards for candor and disclosure required in PTAB proceedings differ in significant ways from the rules and standards imposed in district court litigation. The impact of such differences will be discussed with reference to recent PTAB decisions. Additionally, recent changes in the rules regulating PTAB proceedings will be discussed, particularly with regard to how those rules may impact ethical considerations when representing clients before the PTAB.

  • Steven Slater, Slater Matsil, LLP, Dallas, TX

9:30 AM - A Year in Review at the Federal Circuit

This session will discuss the most important new cases issued by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals over the past year, including discussion of court trends and expectations for what to expect in the coming year.

  • Debbie McComas, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Dallas, TX
  • Angela M. Oliver, Haynes and Boone, LLP, Washington, D.C.

10:15 AM - Break


10:30 AM - Elevate and Innovate: USPTO’s Current Landscape

A fireside chat with the Texas Regional Director of the USPTO.

Interviewer: Sadaf R. Abdullah, Director, Ericsson Inc., Plano, TX
Interviewee: Hope Shimabuku, Regional Director, USPTO, Dallas, TX


11:15 AM - Trending Now: Mapping Out the Past and Future of the Profession and IP Cases

An insightful look at the long-term trends defining our profession and shaping our futures. Learn interesting facts to delight colleagues and, maybe, even entertain non-attorneys.

  • Rudolph "Rudy" Fink IV, Davis Firm, P.C., Longview, TX

12:00 PM Lunch


12:45 PM - A Fireside Chat with Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn

Grant Schmidt and Judge Barbara Lynn discuss (1) certain procedural mechanisms that have allowed Judge Lynn to personally advance justice in her 25 years on the bench; (2) certain roadblocks that Judge Lynn would love to remove to help better advance justice and promote the rule of law; (3) tactics Judge Lynn deploys to rapidly get up to speed in a patent case; (4) the pros and cons of the NDTX patent pilot program; (5) the power and forthrightness of the jury; among many other topics.
This interview was recorded prior to the event.

Interviewer: Grant K. Schmidt, Hilgers Graben PLLC, Dallas, TX
Interviewee: The Hon. Barbara M. G. Lynn, Senior District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas, TX


1:15 PM - Break


DAY 1 AFTERNOON MODULE

Natalie LeVeck, Senior Counsel, Google/YouTube, Addison, TX
Austin Teng, Winstead PC, Austin, TX

1:30 PM - In-House Counsel Panel

This panel discussion will focus on the key differences between working as an IP attorney in-house versus at a law firm, with special attention to maintaining subject-matter expertise, work-life balance, and managing external relationships. Panelists will share their experiences transitioning from law firms to in-house roles, discussing the challenges they encountered, changes in their day-to-day legal responsibilities, and the cultural shifts they adapted to. Additionally, the discussion will highlight strategies for selecting and collaborating with outside counsel, managing legal budgets, and exploring career growth opportunities for in-house IP attorneys compared to those in law firms.

Moderator: Natalie LeVeck, Senior Counsel, Google/YouTube, Addison, TX

Panelists:

  • Kelly Chen, Managing Counsel, Business Litigation, Toyota Motor North America, Plano, TX
  • Miranda Leu, Managing Counsel, Patents, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Frisco, TX
  • Noah Tevis, Deputy General Counsel – Intellectual Property, Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, TX

2:30 PM - Standard Essential Patents

Moderator: Adrienne E. Dominguez, Holland & Knight LLP, Dallas, TX

Panelists:

  • Mike Crowley, Senior IP Counsel, HP Inc., Spring, TX
  • Spencer Guy, Director, Licensing, Avanci, Dallas, TX
  • Jay Tatachar, Head of Patent Creation Area, Ericsson Inc., Plano, TX

3:15 PM - Break


3:30 PM - Developments in the Use of Artificial Intelligence to Commit, and Detect, Cybercrime

This discussion will involve the ways criminals can, and likely will, use artificial to assist in cybercrime, including in ransomware, spearfishing, and social-engineering-based attacks. It will further cover how to defend against and counter these attacks, including by defensively using tools that similarly utilize artificial intelligence.

  • Joe Magliolo, Jackson Walker LLP, Dallas, TX

4:15 PM - Intellectual Property Game Show

This session will test your intellectual property knowledge in a friendly competition, while also learning interesting IP facts. Topics may include patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, USPTO, new developments in IP law and rules, and IP in pop culture.

Cases discussed include: Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products, Inc; Warner Chappell Music v. Nealy; Broadband iTV, Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc.; Allergan v. MSN Laboratories; Lynk Labs, Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; 1-800 Contacts Inc v. JAND Inc d/b/a Warby Parker, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 22-1634.

Presented by the Young Lawyers Committee of the Dallas Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Section


5:00 PM - Recess


5:05 – 6:30 PM - Wind-Down & Connect Reception

NOVEMBER 8

8:00 AM - Coffee, Continental Breakfast & Connecting Time

PATENT PROSECUTION AND PATENT LITIGATION MODULES – CONCURRENT TRACKS

PATENT PROSECUTION MODULE

A.J. Sanfilippo, Patent Counsel, Ericsson Inc., Plano, TX
Brandi Wickline Sarfatis, Akona IP PC, Plano, TX

8:45 AM - Early Stage IP Strategy

This panel will explore the complex landscape of IP protection with an emphasis in early stage (both product and company) strategies for leveraging IP through enforcement, defensive patenting, licensing, and other activities. Panelists will discuss various IP strategy objectives and pitfalls that you may encounter while pursuing these goals. This panel will also address other types of IP rights, freedom to operate, and the impacts of AI on IP strategies.

  • Gunnar Heinisch, Managing Counsel, Toyota Motor North America, Plano, TX
  • Li Li, Akona IP PC, Austin, TX
  • Kenneth Liu, Senior IP Counsel, Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, TX
  • Max Metzler, Senior Group Legal Counsel, Ericsson Inc., Plano, TX

9:30 AM - UPC/EPO Strategies – Knowing the Unknowns

The first part of the program will include a discussion of the latest strategies and tactics to utilize at the EPO (including a focus on the deployment of auxiliary proceedings) from Emma Graham. The second half of the talk will be a re-cap on and ‘things to know about the UPC’ as a prosecutor from Tom Furnival.

  • Tom Furnival, Mewburn Ellis LLP, Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • Emma Graham, Mewburn Ellis LLP, London, United Kingdom

10:15 AM - Break


10:45 AM - The Impact of Prosecution Length on Patent Litigation Outcomes

This panel will explore findings from a recent comprehensive study that examined correlations between the thoroughness of examination by the USPTO and subsequent patent litigation outcomes. Analyzing over 89,000 patents litigated since March 2000, the study assessed how the number of rejections a patent received affects its likelihood of invalidity, infringement, and unenforceability in court. The surprising results from this research may offer strategies for patent owners to refine their prosecution and litigation practices.

Moderator: Matthew Avery, Baker Botts L.L.P., San Francisco, CA

Panelists:

  • Benjamin Setnick, Sr. Director, Sr. Counsel - Litigation & IP, Match Group, Dallas, TX
  • Ozz Siddiq, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Lennox International Inc., Richardson, TX
  • Clarke W. Stavinoha, Baker Botts L.L.P., Dallas, TX

11:30 AM - USPTO Patent Tools to Help You Be More Productive

Regional Assistant Director for the Southwest Regional Outreach Office Jacob Choi presents on USPTO patent tools available to help the innovation ecosystem conduct business with the USPTO. These eBusiness tools assist in getting things done with efficiency and convenience. The set of tools discussed will help you with patent searching, paying fees, filing forms and applications, exchange documents, and more.

  • Jacob Choi, Regional Assistant Director, USPTO, Dallas, TX

PATENT LITIGATION MODULE

Kelly Ransom, Kelly Hart Hallman, Austin, TX
Elise Selinger, Senior Corporate Counsel, Caterpillar Inc., Irving, TX

8:45 AM - The Impact of Litigation Funding on Trial Strategy

This presentation will focus on how the involvement of third-party funders influences the strategic decisions made by legal teams during patent litigation trials and how litigation funding can affect choices such as whether to settle or go to trial, the selection of witnesses and the overall litigation approach.

  • Amy L. Mahan, WilmerHale, Boston, MA

9:30 AM - PTAB/Litigation Race to Final Judgment and Federal Circuit Review

The panel will discuss the interplay between PTAB trials and district court proceedings as they approach final judgment and appeal at the Federal Circuit. Topics will include strategy for stays, scheduling considerations, estoppel, and issue preclusion from the perspective of both petitioners and patent owners.

  • W. Todd Baker, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Washington, D.C.
  • Daniel Cooley, Finnegan LLP, Reston, VA

10:15 AM - Break


10:45 AM - Attack of the Killer Robots: Perspectives on Enforcement of and Invalidity Challenges to AI-Drafted Patent Applications

  • Ryan Abbott, Brown, Neri, Smith & Khan, LLP, Los Angeles, CA
  • Mike Pegues, Polsinelli, Dallas, TX

11:30 AM - Strategies for Defending Against Frivolous Infringement Claims

All too often patent cases filed by serial litigants seeking cost-of-defense settlements are thin on facts and substance, provoking the comment, “They don’t even know what we do.” We’ll discuss ways to deal with those claims that minimize cost and the drain on resources that litigation imposes. Recent trends in exceptional case findings provide guidance to defensive strategies and tactics that work. We will examine those and build a checklist for defending against frivolous infringement claims.

  • Cab Connor, Connor Lee & Shumaker, Austin, TX

12:15 PM - Networking Luncheon

DAY 2 AFTERNOON MODULE

Sarah Foley, Foley IP Law, PLLC, Dallas, TX
Palak Shah, Senior IP Counsel, Uber Technologies, Inc., Dallas, TX

1:15 PM - Recent Fun Cases in Trademark and Copyright Law

This program will recap some of the most interesting trademark and copyright court decisions of the past few years. Topics will include parody products, college sports apparel, the First Amendment rights of accused infringers, Andy Warhol paintings, breakfast cereal, and more.

  • Travis R. Wimberly, Pirkey Barber PLLC, Austin, TX

1:45 PM - Trade Secrets Theft and the FBI

This session will discuss the role of the FBI in trade secret theft investigations, as well as case study examples describing the threat to US companies from foreign actors.

  • Julie Jordan, Intelligence Analyst, FBI, Houston, TX

2:15 PM - Break


2:30 PM - Ethics Pentathlon

Although not featured at the Paris Olympics, this sport will test your skill in five events that are common in IP practice: bringing in a new client, changing firms, joint representation, working in-house, and advocacy in multiple forums. The Ethics Pentathlon is a golden opportunity to wrap up the 2024 conference with a podium finish!

  • George W. Webb III, Lecturer in Engineering Leadership and Scholar for Entrepreneurship, Rice University, Houston, TX

3:30 PM - Adjourn

CLE Credit

This program is approved by the State Bar of Texas for a total of 11.5 hours, of which 1.5 credit hours will apply to ethics/professional responsibility credit. Texas Course ID Number: 174258762.

This online program has not been approved for MCLE credit in any other jurisdictions. If requested by attendees, CAIL will request accreditation in California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. Accreditation has not been sought or approved in these jurisdictions at this time. MCLE credit will not be requested in any other jurisdiction.

Although attendees may be able to request MCLE credit directly in additional jurisdictions, the rules vary in each jurisdiction. Certain programs, subjects, and formats may not receive credit in certain jurisdictions and there may be specific rules regarding who may earn credit or the maximum number of credit hours that may be earned with specific formats. Please review the MCLE regulations and rules of your jurisdiction and contact your regulatory entity if you have specific questions about the jurisdiction’s MCLE rules.

Overnight Accommodations

Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center
7121 Bishop Rd.
Plano, TX 75024

  • Room Block: 11/06/24-11/09/24
  • Last Day to Book: Saturday, October 19, 2024
  • Room Rate: $259.00+/night

Book Hotel

Sponsorship Opportunities

2nd Day Lunch Sponsor (exclusive) - $4,000

  • Recognition via signage during Lunch on Day 2
  • Company/firm logo displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
  • Recognition on the conference website, in e-marketing, and on social media
  • 3 complimentary registrants at the Conference
  • 1 exhibition table for promotional materials

1st Day Morning Breakfast Sponsor (exclusive) - $3,750

  • Recognition via signage during Breakfast on Day 1
  • Company/firm logo displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
  • Recognition on the conference website, in e-marketing, and on social media
  • 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
  • 1 exhibition table for promotional materials

1st Day Morning Break Sponsor (exclusive) - $3,500

  • Recognition via signage during AM Break on Day 1
  • Company/firm logo displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
  • Recognition on the conference website, in e-marketing, and on social media
  • 2 complimentary registrants at the Conference
  • 1 exhibition table for promotional materials

General Conference Sponsor - $3,000 each

  • Recognition via signage during the Conference
  • Company/firm logo displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
  • Recognition on the conference website, in e-marketing, and on social media
  • 2 complimentary registrants at the conference
  • 1 exhibition table for promotional materials

Conference Reception Sponsor - $2,250 each

  • Conference Reception, November 7th after the final session
  • Recognition via signage during the Reception
  • Company/firm logo displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
  • Recognition on the conference website, in e-marketing, and on social media
  • 1 complimentary registrant at the conference

Exhibitor (Non-law Firms only) - $1,500 each

  • 1 exhibition table for promotional materials
  • Company/firm logo displayed in the Conference program and Conference break slides
  • Recognition on the conference website, in e-marketing, and on social media
  • 1 discounted registration

Other Information

Photo/Audio/Video Release

Registration for or attendance at this event acknowledges consent to be recorded or photographed. We reserve the right to use any photograph/video taken at our events, without the expressed written permission of those included within the photograph/video. We may use the photograph/video in publications or other media material produced, used or contracted including but not limited to: brochures, invitations, books, newspapers, magazines, television, websites, annual reports, newsletters, etc. To ensure the privacy of individuals, images will not be identified using full names or personal identifying information without written approval from the photographed subject.

Press Policy

All ILT conferences are held under the Chatham House Rule. Participants, including journalists, are free to use any information received, but comments may not be attributed to any speaker or participant identified by name or affiliation.

Nondiscriminatory Policy

The Center for American and International Law does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status in educational activities, scholarship programs or admissions.

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We do not sell or rent information to any outside parties. By providing your information, you will receive postal and electronic communications from the Institute for Law and Technology (ILT) of The Center for American and International Law (CAIL) in accordance with CAIL's Privacy Policy. If we co-sponsor a program with another organization, information may be shared between the parties. All such co-sponsors will be identified on the event details and registration page. At any point, you can opt-out or unsubscribe by selecting either link at the bottom of each email or call us at 972.244.3400.

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