- Updates on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility - R . Maxwell Mauldin , Associate , Finnegan , Henderson , Farabow , Garrett & Dunner , LLP - Donald M . Prather , Ph . D ., Principal , Munier Carlin & Curfman - Moderator : Paul Tanpitukpongse , Principal , Meunier Carlin &
Curfman - Professionalism : Working with Outside Counsel - David Eramian , Co-Founder , Catalyze Advisors - Elizabeth Lester , Assistant General Counsel , Intellectual
Property at Equifax - Matthew Nesbitt , Assistant General Counsel , Intellectual
Property at The Home Depot - Moderator : Gordon Wright , Associate , Finnegan , Henderson ,
Farabow , Garrett & Dunner , LLP - Fair Use - Is it Really Fair ? - Gia Compton , Founder and CEO , GBC Solutions Group - Moderator : Robin L . Gentry , Cohan Law Group - Damages and Willful Infringement - Moderator : Preston H . Heard , Partner , Womble Bond
Dickinson ( US ) LLP - Steve R . Risley , Founding Partner , Kent & Risley LLC - Alan White , Ph . D ., Ballard Spahr LLP - IP Impacts of Web3 - Moderator : Jeffrey D . Blake , Partner , Merchant & Gould P . C . - Murrell W . Blackburn , Southwire Company LLC
The Atlanta Bar IP Section was honored to welcome keynote speaker Elizabeth Dougherty , Eastern Regional Outreach Director , U . S . Patent and Trademark Office , for a fireside chat led by Jennifer Miller , Chief IP Counsel at Scout Motors Inc . As the Eastern Regional Outreach Director for the USPTO , Ms . Dougherty carries out the strategic direction of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO , and is responsible for leading the USPTO ' s East Coast stakeholder engagement . Focusing on the region and actively engaging with the community , Ms . Dougherty ensures the USPTO ' s initiatives and programs are tailored to the region ' s unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders . Ms . Dougherty offered the conference insight on the latest Office initiatives , including the opening of a Southeast Regional Office and diversity at the USPTO .
Following the CLE programming on Friday , attendees enjoyed networking with a view during a cocktail reception boat cruise on Lake Lanier followed by a lakeside dinner . These social events are the perfect opportunity to bring old colleagues and new friends together , and featured a fantastic meal with talks from both the hosting organizations and sponsors .
Additionally , each year , GIPA awards an in-house counsel group the prestigious “ Most Innovative Corporate IP Law Department Award .” Jeffrey D . Blake of Merchant & Gould P . C . presented the award this year to Murrell W . Blackburn of Southwire Company LLC .
Panel 1 - Everything , Everywhere , All at Once : Trademark and Copyright Law Updates on AI , NFT ’ s and the Metaverse : Panelists L-R : Brenton Hund ( Assistant General Counsel / Music , Warner Media ), Amanda Groover Hyland ( Taylor English Duma LLP ), Moderator Michael D . Hobbs , Jr ., ( Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP ) and Michael B . Landau ( Professor of Law , Georgia State University College of Law ; Co-Director of the Intellectual Property Center )
Panel 3 - Updates on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility : Panelists L-R : Donald M . Prather , Ph . D . ( Munier Carlin & Curfman ), R . Maxwell Mauldin ( Finnegan , Henderson , Farabow , Garrett & Dunner , LLP ) and Moderator Paul Tanpitukpongse ( Meunier Carlin & Curfman )
Keynote : L-R : Meredith Ragains ( GA Lawyers for the Arts , Intellectual Property Section Chair ), Elizabeth Dougherty ( Eastern Regional Outreach Director , U . S . Patent and Trademark Office ) and Moderator Jennifer Miller ( Chief IP Counsel , Scout Motors ).
Panel 4 - Professionalism : Working with Outside Counsel : Panelists L-R : Matthew Nesbitt ( Intellectual Property at The Home Depot ), Elizabeth Lester ( Intellectual Property at Equifax ), David Eramian ( Co- Founder , Catalyze Advisors ) and Moderator Gordon Wright ( Finnegan , Henderson , Farabow , Garrett & Dunner , LLP )
25 October / November 2023