2020 Intellectual Property Institute Program and Schedule
The Intellectual Property Institute is a space for the leading legal minds involved with intellectual property law, as it pertains to the LGBTQ+ community, to share ideas and network. Participants will share their collective wisdom and discuss cutting-edge legal strategies. To create an environment that encourages the free flow of information, registration is limited. The meeting will be closed and the proceedings will not be recorded.
The Intellectual Property Institute is open to all, including law students.
The 2020 agenda will posted in June 2020. Please see the 2019 agenda below for reference.
2019 Program and Schedule
Program from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Complimentary Lunch at 12:30 p.m.
8:30 a.m. – 8:35 a.m.: Opening Remarks from Brian Winterfeldt and D’Arcy Kemnitz
8:35 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.: Keynote Address from Mary Denison (Commissioner of Trademarks of the USPTO)
9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.: Protecting Trade Secrets Against Mobility
This presentation will focus on challenges that employers face in maintaining the secrecy of their intellectual property, particularly where employees have mobile access to corporate assets, and where fierce competition for talent means greater employee mobility from one job to another. The presenters will discuss the elements of trade secret protections, examine some best practices to mitigate losing control over sensitive intellectual property (particularly focused on mobile and remote access), and detail certain litigation strategies regarding trade secret misappropriation claims, whether you are bringing such claims to protect your company’s most valuable resources or (gasp!) defending yourself against such allegations. Moderated by Joseph Loy.
Speakers: Joseph Loy (Kirkland & Ellis); Allison Buchner (Kirkland & Ellis); Bill Leitsch (TM Financials); Jennifer Longnion (Dollar Shave Club); Kate Spelman (Microsoft)
9:50 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.: The Intersection of Privacy and IP Rights
With more and more business being conducted in the digital space, organizations and consumers alike have a strong interest in protecting their data against unauthorized access and uses. At the same time, certain parties, such as brand owners, need to be able to access some types of data in order to protect their rights. This session will explore trends at the intersection of privacy and IP rights, including the state of privacy law in the United States, the impact of GDPR (new European data privacy regulations) on data access and brand enforcement, and the policy development and advocacy initiatives underway to preserve access to data for authorized parties. Moderated by Brian Winterfeldt.
Speakers: Brian Winterfeldt (Winterfeldt IP Group); J. Scott Evans (Adobe); Fred Felman (AppDetex); Nicole Isaac (LinkedIn)
10:40 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.: Break
10:45 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.: Introduction to Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
This session will offer a description of blockchain and cryptocurrency technology, followed by a discussion of the patent risks and opportunities in that space. Both in-house and outside counsel perspectives will be presented from organizations actively involved in developing and using these technologies. Moderated by Rudy Kleysteuber.
Speakers: Rudy Kleysteuber (Sullivan & Cromwell); Danielle Healey (Fish & Richardson); Bobby Lee (Bitcoin Foundation); David Tsai (Pillsbury)
11:35 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.: Superfans and IP Enforcement
Most brand owners and IP practitioners understand the importance of protecting their brands against unauthorized uses, particularly by bad actors. However, what happens when infringers are well-meaning but misguided fans of the brands they are infringing? This panel will explore how organizations can engage with their superfans constructively, while still protecting their valuable IP rights. Topics will include differentiating between fair use and unauthorized use, creative strategies for dealing with infringing superfans, minimizing and responding to negative publicity stemming from enforcement actions, and best practices for expressing enthusiasm for a brand without infringing. Moderated by Brian Winterfeldt.
Speakers: Brian Winterfeldt (Winterfeldt IP Group); Sharon Armstrong (Jack Daniel’s); Rob Doerfler (Mars); Cam Gatta (Microsoft)
12:25 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Closing Remarks from Brian Winterfeldt
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Networking Luncheon with Keynote Speaker Marilou Watson (Sponsored by Microsoft)
All IP Institute Attendees are invited to a complimentary lunch followed by a presentation by Marilou Watson entitled “Knowing Your Value in the Practice of Law.” Lunch is provided courtesy of our 2019 IP Law Institute sponsor, Microsoft.