Wednesday, 6 March 2019
5:30 p.m. – In-House Counsel Reception
7:30 p.m. Sponsored by Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.
Thursday, 7 March 2019
7:30 a.m. – Registration and Continental Breakfast – Sponsored by BlueFoot
8:30 a.m. – Concurrent Sessions – General Sessions sponsored by Dechert LLP
- In-House Counsel Session: Intellectual Asset Management – The session will explore how to develop and apply an integrated approach to protecting innovation, content, and brands using the traditional business frameworks that corporate leaders apply to corporate strategy and management. Speakers will illustrate the business connection between patents, trade secrets, copyright, and trademarks. Speakers will also share real world examples and discuss how it can make the foundation for a great integrated IP strategy.
Speakers: John Cheek (Tenneco), Heath Hoglund (Dolby Laboratories), and Shital Shah (Caterpillar Inc.) - Outside Counsel Session: Partnering for Diversity & Inclusion – Most corporations have criteria related to diversity and inclusion that are considered when selecting outside counsel. Hear from a panel of external and in-house attorneys on how the make-up of law firms impacts which firms are chosen and how in-house and outside counsel teams can effectively partner to increase the diversity and inclusion of legal teams.
Speakers: Laura Caponi (Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) and Eldora Ellison (Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox, PLLC)
10:00 a.m. – Coffee Break – Sponsored by BlueFoot
10:45 a.m. – Concurrent Sessions
- In-House Counsel Session: Software Tools to Assist IP Lawyers – This session will address ways to use technology and computer-based tool to enhance IP function. Examples include patent prep and prosecution, evidence searches, billing, and contract reviews. Speakers will discuss how and when to apply emerging technologies to improve productivity and efficiency in your IP practice.
Speakers: Diana Roberts (IBM Corp.) and Russ Slifer (Black Hills IP) - Outside Counsel Session: Legal Operations: The New Attorney-Client Business Relationship – Law firm attorneys have historically worked with in-house attorneys on both substantive legal matters and the firm-client business relationship. In recent years, many companies have adopted a “legal operations” approach to manage the law department function, often relying on procurement professionals or other non-lawyers (or lawyers that have moved into an operations role) to the business relationship between the firm and the company. Panelists will provide tips to outside counsel on how to adapt to having their primary business interactions with someone at the client whose primary function is not substantive legal work.
Speakers: Dan Enebo (Cargill) and Skye Jones (Dell Technologies)
12:00 p.m. – Luncheon – Sponsored by Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
1:30 p.m. – The Global IP Landscape – A 50,000 Foot View
The old adage “change is the only constant” rings true for the global IP landscape. Many feel that US patent rights are being eroded while patent rights are strengthening in China and Germany, and that trade secret protection is strengthening globally. Our panel of experts from various industries and perspectives will weigh in on the changes they are seeing from a global IP perspective, the impact of those changes, and strategies to bring clients the best IP value in view of the ever-changing IP landscape.
Moderator: Kevin Rhodes(3M Innovative Properties Co.)
Speakers: Krish Gupta (Dell Technologies), Henry Hadad (Bristol-Myers Squibb Company), and Judge Lee Yeakel (U.S. District Judge, Western District of Texas) (invited)
2:30 p.m. – Coffee Break – Sponsored by BlueFoot
3:00 p.m. – IP Investigations: Partnering with Internal and External Investigators and Law Enforcement
This session will cover what types of investigation activity is legal, how to protect your company from liability of investigator misconduct, and differences in approaches outside the US. Speakers will discuss trade secret investigation practices as well as internal investigations to collect evidence for patent and trademark cases.
Speakers: Sanjiv Sarwate (Dell Technologies), Aaron Aguilar (Underwriters Laboratories)
4:00 p.m. – Coffee Break – Sponsored by BlueFoot
4:30 p.m. – Ethics in IP Practice
This session will cover topics such as conflicts of interest, communication, letters of engagement, and candor. Speakers will provide real world examples.
Speaker: William Griffin (Office of Enrollment and Discipline, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)
5:30 p.m. – Closing Reception
7:30 p.m.
