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Join us on October 16th for a captivating fireside chat with Andrei Iancu, former Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and Walter Copan, former Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology. In this exclusive conversation, these thought leaders will provide new insight on the Renewing American Innovation project, revisiting our earlier conversation and shedding new light on what it will take for the United States to continue its technological and innovation leadership. They will also address the increasingly important role of both standards and intellectual property, and will explore how LES’s growing portfolio of consensus-based standards in intellectual property and intellectual capital management fit in the landscape of American innovation.
Whether you were part of our previous conversation or are joining us for the first time, this follow-on fireside chat, moderated by the LES Standards board Chair Will Cottrell, promises to be an enlightening and insightful event for both licensing professional and other curious minds. Reserve your seat now and be part of the discussion.
Promoting the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has become a popular discussion topic in the workplace today. Law is one of America’s least diverse professions, with only 37% women and only 1.7% of all registered patent attorneys and agents being racially diverse women. While both the American population and business interests are becoming more diverse, the field of IP has not followed suit. This panel will discuss why diversifying the field of IP and licensing is important, why representation matters in IP and licensing positions, and give practical advise on implementing programs aimed at engaging more women and underrepresented groups in the field.
Sources:
– 2022 National Lawyers Population Survey, American Bar Association
– Diversity in Patent Law: A Data Analysis of Diversity in the Patent Practice by Technology Background and Region, Landslide, Vol. 13, No. 1, American Bar Association
LES chapters provide local outreach for LES in various regions, and serve an important role of creating communities of like-minded IP and licensing professionals from corporations, law firms, universities and other organizations. The chapters host local events and education classes, tht are usually hosted by law firms and corporations in the area. If you are interested in learning more about starting or running an LES chapter, this round table, hosted by LES Silicon Valley Chapter Chair, Efrat Kasznik, will address some of the key factors for success, including:
– Forming a board to run the chapter
– Budgeting revenues and expenses
– Planning successful programs
– Running a chapter meeting
– Building a community and driving LES membership
Do you enjoy teaching and sharing your experiences with the next generation of IP licensing professionals?
Then why not join the LES Education Committee?
Our instructors teach a wide range of topics related to IP from Licensing, Agreements, Valuation to Due Diligence and Deal Negotiation. We have an active committee that meets once a month to review past and upcoming courses, including instructor and attendee experience. We also assess our curriculum and determine what new courses to develop to meet the needs of our members and non-members.
Most of our courses are now taught online, but in-person courses are also taught here at the Annual Meeting as well as locally at LES Chapters across the US and Canada.
Come join this Roundtable to learn How to Become an LES Instructor.
The 2024 LES Annual Meeting is scheduled for October 20-23 at the beautiful Sheraton New Orleans. Come join Arpi Siyahian and Bob Held as the co-chairs to discuss the proposed content and other planning details. If you would like to participate on the planning team please send us an email at lesam@northernnetworking.co.uk
Numerous studies have shown that the innovation ecosystem, which we all know leads to the assets LES members license, develop, and otherwise make real, does not reflect the demographic makeup of society. Women and racial minorities are not participating in patenting, entrepreneurship, and even patent law at rates equivalent to their participation in science and technology. We also know that as a business or as an economy, we need all potential inventions, and also that diverse and inclusive teams lead to robust and useful inventions.
So what can we, as licensing professionals, do to encourage an innovation ecosystem and processes that are accessible to all of our potential innovators? At the Belonging in Licensing Breakfast, we will present some relevant data about who is participating in the innovation ecosystem. We will then have a guided, open discussion with panelists working to make all parts of the innovation ecosystem more accessible to encourage diverse participation. Topics will include cross cultural communication, increasing diversity in patent law, encouraging women academics to be active innovators, and entrepreneurship education that is relevant to all. This discussion will allow us to end with concrete suggestions for actions, as well as ideas of resources, that will help us all implement the important and productive work of reaching all innovators in our organizations, being better communicators and negotiators, and expanding our world of innovation.
Kindly sponsored by WellSpring
Dealmaking has changed significantly over the decades, and along with it so have the demands on licensing professionals. The panel will discuss how the practical skills needed for success in licensing have changed over time, and what further changes may be on the horizon. The discussion will bring in views from business, university, and legal sectors as well as insights from talent recruiter in licensing industry. Topics addressed include which skills matter most, now and then, the biggest impediments to professional success, how skill requirements vary by sector, the role for industry certifications, and effective strategies for licensing professionals to flex their skills with the industry.
Professional Conference Organiser