2026 Lobster Bake and Annual Meeting

Date: June 24, 2026 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm Venue: Pennfield Pavilion II (Jacky Durrell Pavilion)

CIPLA is pleased to announce that the 2026 CIPLA Lobster Bake and Annual Meeting will be held starting at 6 PM on June 24 at Jacky Durrell Pavilion on Penfield beach in Fairfield, CT. The Lobster Bake will also serve as CIPLA’s Annual Meeting. The business portion of the event will be short, and we welcome and encourage spouses and significant others to attend. If you are interested in joining us, please register in advance using the link above. Please be sure to include your meal choice, the name of eahc attendee (registered separately), and current contact information if you are a CIPLA member or member of an adjacent organization (Inn of Court, CBA). As a friendly reminder, this is a BYOB program. Non-alcoholic beverages, food and ice will be provided. In addition, our Report of the CIPLA Nomination Committee will be issued in advance of the event. The report includes the slate of Officers, Board of Governors and Committeemen for consideration at the 2026 annual meeting. We hope to see all of our CIPLA members, family and guests for what will be an exciting night!

CLE Panel Discussion - AI Authorship and Inventorship  Date: June 11, 2026 Location: Elm City Club Time: 6pm-9pm Registration Links - Coming Soon This panel discussion will focus on the future of AI Authorship and Inventorship of intellectual property in view of the Supreme Court's recent cert denial in Thaler v. Perlmutter (Case No. 25-449). The Thaler case stems from an application for federal copyright registration in 2018 for "A Recent Entrance to Paradise," a piece of visual art which listed an AI software as the owner.  in 2022, the registration was rejected, the U.S. Copyright Office finding that human ownership is required.  Thaler also filed two patent applications which similarly listed the AI software as the inventor, with no human co-inventor.  In 2025, the DC Circuit affirmed the district court's ruling, unsurprisingly, inventorship required a human. USPTO 2025 guidance provided that only natural persons can be named as inventors – even when AI plays a significant role in the inventive process.  Both the copyright and patent cases were appealed to the Supreme Court, cert was denied in both cases. The 2025 USPTO guidance with respect to AI inventors  notes that the use of AI does not negate that person’s contributions to a patent so long as the natural person contributed significantly to the AI-assisted invention, where a significant contribution can be shown by the way the natural person constructs a prompt in view of a specific problem to elicit a particular solution from an AI system, but mere reduction to practice of an AI generated invention is not significant.  Critics of the Court's denial could stifle AI development and implementation, while the USPTO firmly holds that human contribution is the bedrock of authorship and inventorship.

CIPLA Members are invited to join the CBA IP Section for a social hour in Hartford! More information to be provided Date: May 14th Time: 6pm Location: Vaughan's Public House, Pratt St., Hartford CT

Practice Updates and AI at the USPTO Register by April 7.

(rescheduled from March 12) Date: April 9 2026 Time: 6-9PM  Location: The Elm City Club Cost to Attend: $20.00 per person (Student) $55.00 per person   

REGISTER

REGISTER (STUDENT)

Please RSVP using the links above no later than April 7, 2026.  When registering, please indicate your dinner selection and the name of the attendee.  CIPLA is pleased to welcome Elizabeth Jackson, acting director of the USPTO's Northeast Regional Outreach Office. As Acting Director, Ms. Jackson carries out the strategic outreach direction of the USPTO’s Office of Public Engagement, ensuring that the USPTO’s initiatives and programs are tailored to the region’s unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders.  During our program, Ms. Jackson will provide an update on USPTO activities, including new and upcoming pilot programs, substantive changes within the USPTO as it relates to examining procedures, and will discuss how the USPTO is implementing the use of generative AI in patent and trademark examination. As a former senior trademark examining attorney, Ms. Jackson will be able to provide unique insights into trademark prosecution and how the new AI searching tools will affect trademark examination. The program will also cover updates and the use of AI with respect to patent examination.  The Northeast Regional Outreach Office,​ promotes innovation and stimulates the economy by connecting entrepreneurs to government resources, supporting students and teachers through our STEM education programs, gathering feedback from regional stakeholders, educating the public about intellectual property, and recruiting diverse talent from the region. 

CIPLA is pleased to invite its members to join the Arterton Inn of Court and the CBA IP Section for an evening of networking.  Please use the link below to secure your ticket. Ticket includes two drinks and bar bites. We look forward to seeing everyone for a fun and meaningful get together. Date: March 26, 2026 Location: New England Brewing Co (fka Stony Creek Brewery) Time: 6pm Register Here: https://ipnetworking.rsvpify.com/ For questions about this event, please contact gabrielle.gelozin@troutman.com    

CLE PRESENTATION Induced Infringement & Skinny Labelling Hikma v Amarin

Register by March 10

Cost to Attend: $20.00 per person (Student - In person) $55.00 per person (In person) Virtual attendance is available for CIPLA members with DUES PAID. To register for virtual attendance, please email Gabrielle.Gelozin@troutman.com to register for virtual attendance.

REGISTER REGISTER (STUDENT)

Please RSVP using the links above no later than March 10, 2026.  When registering, please indicate your dinner selection and the name of the attendee.  On March 12, CIPLA is pleased to host a CLE panel discussion on the Supreme Court case Hikma Pharmaceuticals v. Amarin Pharma, Inc. (No. 24-889), a case involving contentious issues surrounding induced patent infringement liability in the context of skinny labels. One hour of self reporting CLE credits are available.  Our panelists are experts in this area and have authored or co-authored amicus briefs in this case. CIPLA is excited and honored to welcome the following guests as our panelists.

Panelists

William Jay Goodwin Procter Mr. Jay is a partner in Goodwin’s Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation practice. Mr. Jay recently authored an Amicus Brief for The Association for Accessible Medicines in support of Petitioners in the Hikma case. Mr. Jay has filed more than 400 briefs in federal and state appeals courts and argued in 12 federal circuits and is a prominent advocate at the Federal Circuit, where he has argued 38 times, filed more than 120 briefs in patent appeals, and been recognized as “Appellate Litigator of the Year" by both Managing IP and LMG Life Sciences. Mr. Jay has particular experience in appellate cases involving intellectual property (including patent, licensing, copyright, and trademark law), financial services, administrative law (with a particular focus on pharmaceutical regulation). Dr. Aaron Kesselheim, MD, JD, MPH Harvard Medical School Dr. Kesselheim is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a faculty member in the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Kesselheim recently co-authored an Amicus Brief for 76 scholars of Law, Business, Economics, and Medicine in support of Petitioners in the Hikma case. He created and leads the Program On Regulation, Therapeutics, And Law (PORTAL), an interdisciplinary research core focusing on intersections among prescription drugs and medical devices, patient health outcomes, and regulatory practices and the law. PORTAL is now among the largest, independent academic centers focusing on these issues in the country. Janet Linn Tater, Krinsky, Drogin Ms. Linn is an intellectual property litigator with extensive experience in pharmaceutical (Hatch-Waxman) patent litigation, and has acted as trial counsel in patent, trade secret and antitrust actions involving pharmaceuticals with annual billion dollar sales. Ms. Linn is currently the Vice Chair of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Section of the New York State Bar Association. 

(This Event is a Rescheduling of our October 15th/December 2 event)

Please Register by January 5, 2026.

Date: January 7, 2025 Time: 6-9PM  Location: The Elm City Club Cost to Attend: $55.00 per person (CIPLA Member , CBA Member, Inn of Court Member) $60.00 per person (Non Member) Register online (Member) Register online (Non-Member)   CIPLA is pleased to welcome Jennifer Deneault, a PartnerinGroombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone's New York Office to discuss  legal ethics in IP transactions.  The program will begin at 6pm with a reception, followed by dinner and Ms. Deneault's  presentation and discussion. There will be time provided for question and answers. The program will conclude around 9pm. Self certified ethics CLE credit available.   Ms. Deneault has significant experience handling patent litigation matters at every stage, and in all forums, including district courts, the ITC, and the CAFC. Her matters have ranged from small molecules and biologics to software and hardware. She was named as a 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Beyond trial experience, Ms. Deneault's time in court includes serving as a law clerk for the Honorable Robert W. Schroeder III in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, and as a judicial fellow for then-U.S. District Court Judge Leonard P. Stark and U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher J. Burke in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. While in law school, she worked as a Patent Examiner at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office where she focused on battery and fuel cell applications.   Please RSVP using the links above no later than December 1, 2025.  When registering, please indicate your dinner selection.   We look forward to the engaging and valuable discussion and thank Ms. Deneault for her insights.

ADD TO CALENDAR

Please join us for the Second Annual IP Practitioners Recognition Dinner on November 13, 2025! 

Please use the following link to register: https://2025ctipdinner.rsvpify.com/   You may register as an individual, or there is an option to reserve a table (seats 8).

We are pleased to collaborate with the Judge Janet Bond Arterton Inn of Court and the Connecticut Bar Association IP Section.

The event will be held at Amarante's Sea Cliff in New Haven (62 Cove St, New Haven, CT). 

Our Keynote Speaker will be: J. Sara Russell. D. Conn.

Award Recipients Phil Colburn and Michael Cantor of CantorColburn LLP are receiving a Career Excellence Award Beth Alquist of Day Pitney LLP is receiving an IP Practitioner of the Year Award Dale Carlson, Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, IP Law at Quinnipiac University, is receiving the Clinic Member Contribution Award   We look forward to seeing everyone!

August Monthly Meeting

Monthly Meetings are lead by leadership during which we will discuss upcoming programming, events, and committee activities. The monthly meetings are scheduled to be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month, in the early afternoon and are open to all CIPLA membership. Meetings will be held virtually and links will be provided in advance of each meeting.  Please join August's monthly meeting using the information below: Date: August 21, 2025 Time: 1:30pm Location: Virtual (Join the meeting now) Microsoft Teams Need help? Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 216 778 058 926 2 Passcode: Wz77VD7E Dial in by phone +1 945-468-5504,,636096664# United States, Dallas Find a local number Phone conference ID: 636 096 664# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: teams@meet.troutman.com Video ID: 118 206 469 3 More info We look forward to the discussion!

Click Here To Add to Calendar To Be Held: On September 17, 2025 From 6-9PM At The Elm City Club (155 Elm St, New Haven, CT 06511) Cost to Attend: $55.00 Register via Email (pay by check) Register online (pay by credit card) CIPLA is pleased to welcome Administrative Trademark Judge Catherine D. O’Connor for a dinner and conversation held at the Elm City Club on September 17, 2025. Judge O’Connor was appointed to the TTAB in 2024. Prior to joining the TTAB, Judge O’Connor was a partner at Day Pitney and clerked for Hon. Denny Chin (SDNY). While at Day Pitney, Judge O’Connor’s practice focused on IP litigation and IP counseling and strategy for clients ranging from start-ups to large multinational corporations, such as the LEGO Group of companies. Judge O’Connor obtained her B.S. from the University of Connecticut and her J.D. from St. John's University School of Law. During the presentation, Judge O’Connor will discuss TTAB statistics as well as provide attendees with her “best practices” and insights based on her experience from both private practice and her time on the Bench. The program will begin at 6pm with a social hour, followed by dinner and Judge O’Connor’s presentation and discussion. There will be time provided for question and answers. The program will conclude around 9pm. Please use one of the links above to reserve your seat. Please RSVP no later than Monday, September 15, 2025.  When registering, please indicate your dinner selection and whether you are a CIPLA Member.      

CIPLA is introducing monthly meetings lead by leadership during which we will discuss upcoming programming, events, and committee activities. The monthly meetings are scheduled to be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month, in the early afternoon and are open to all CIPLA membership. Meetings will be held virtually and links will be provided in advance of each meeting.  Please join June's monthly meeting using the information below: Date: June 26, 2025 Time: 1:30pm Location: Virtual (Please refer to our email of June 23 for the meeting link) Please contact Gabrielle Gelozin at gabrielle.gelozin@troutman.com if you need assistance joining the meeting. We look forward to the discussion!

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED Please watch for an updated invite rescheduling this discussion.     CIPLA Lunch and Learn: Developing a Strategy to Protect and Monetize AI and AI Agents in a Digital Economy Please join us for a lunch and learn discussing ways to develop a strategy to protect and monetize AI and AI agents in a digital economy. Our Speaker will be Charley Macedo of Amster Rothstein & Ebenstein. Charley Macedo is a partner at Amster, Rothstein & Ebenstein LLP, an intellectual property boutique in New York City. Charley’s practice focuses on all facets of intellectual property including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and related fields, with a special emphasis on computer-implemented innovation. Charley is a thought leader and practitioner at the forefront of complex and emerging intellectual property law issues in computer-implemented innovation associated with a vast array of technologies, and most recently artificial intelligence. The lunch and learn will take place from 12 to 1 PM, June 26, 2025. Participants are welcome to join in-person for lunch and networking, at the offices of Cantor Colburn LLP, 20 Church Street, Hartford, CT. A virtual option is also available for those who cannot make it in person. Our speaker will join us virtually. Please pre-register for the event by emailing David Bomzer at TDBomzer@CantorColburn.com. When registering, please indicate whether you will be attending in person or virtually. Those attending virtually will be given a link to join prior to the event. CLE credits will be available for those self-reporting. We look forward to the discussion!

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that the 2024 CIPLA Lobster Bake and Annual Meeting will be held starting at 6 PM (EST) on Tuesday, 5 August 2025 at Penfield Pavilion II (Jacky Durrell Pavilion) on Penfield beach in Fairfield, CT. Directions to Penfield Beach can be found here. The Lobster Bake will also serve as CIPLA's Annual Meeting. The business portion of the event will be short, and we welcome and encourage spouses and significant others to attend. If you are interested in joining us, please register online here or fill out the downloadable registration form by Friday, 1 August 2025. Please be sure to include your meal choice and current contact information. As a friendly reminder, this is a BYOB program. Non-alcoholic beverages, food and ice will be provided. In addition, we will be issuing our Report of the CIPLA Nomination Committee shortly. The report includes the slate of Officers, Board of Governors and Committeemen for consideration at the 2025 annual meeting. We hope to see all of our CIPLA members, family and guests for what will be an exciting night!

This is an opportunity for CIPLA members to volunteer in the community, therefore there is no charge to attend. Lunch will be provided to volunteers. 11:00 AM-1:30 PM Saturday, May 3, 2025 Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (UCONN) 2095 Hillside Rd, Storrs Mansfield, CT 06269 CIPLA is excited to provide community service to the Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC). The CIC is holding their annual state finals competition. School age inventors from across Connecticut will gather to present their inventions to judges to determine which inventors will advance to the National Competition. Volunteers will provide "office hours" to answer patent and trademark questions from these young inventors and their parents. Any advice given will not be legal advice and will be limited to answering general questions about the patent and trademark processes. We hope you will join us in this opportunity to give service to the Connecticut IP community. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by email to joshua.l.jones@troutman.com. This is a free event, so please do not try to use the online registration form.

5:00-6:00 PM Thursday, March 20, 2025 Troutman Pepper Locke LLP 1 Landmark Square Suite 1650 Stamford, CT 06901 CIPLA is excited to announce that we will hold a discussion, led by Gabrielle Gelozin, covering recently implemented changes at the USPTO, including the DOCX filing format and common issues associated therewith. Please join us in person at the address above or join us virtually. Watch for future emails where the virtual meeting link will be provided closer to the date of the event. There is no cost to join in person of virtually, and we hope you will add your voice to our discussion. Please RSVP by March 17, 2025 if you will be joining us in person using the downloadable form at the right. This is a free event, refreshments will be provided for those attending in person. For those attending virtually please save the date and keep an eye out for updates in upcoming CIPLA emails.

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Wednesday, December 11, 2024 Amarante's Sea Cliff 62 Cove Street New Haven, CT 06512 US. CIPLA is excited to announce that we are co-hosting a Distinguished IP Practitioner's Dinner with the Janet Bond Arterton American Inn of Court. Please join us for an evening honoring the Honorable Janet Bond Arterton and others who have made significant contributions to the intellectual property legal community in Connecticut. So that we will have an accurate count for seating and meal preparation, please RSVP. Dinner and Open Bar RSVP at https://ctipdinner.rsvpify.com $150

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 6-9 PM at The Elm City Club, New Haven   CIPLA is excited to extend an invitation to hear PTAB Judge Thomas Giannetti speak about IPR statistics and persuasive arguments at an in-person dinner September 25, 2024.  The event will be at the Elm City Club in New Haven, CT.   We will be providing blank forms for CLE for those who wish to use the event for self-study CLE credit.    The meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at The Elm City Club in New Haven, from 6 to 9 PM. Please RSVP by Monday, September 23, 2024 on the CIPLA website or clicking https://cipla.net/event-reservation/.

CIPLA is excited to extend an invitation on behalf of the Joint Patent Practice Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (JPP) to the in-person JPP seminar September 10, 2024. CIPLA is proud to be a Founding Organization of the JPP. 

Register now at 40th Annual Joint Patent Practice Seminar - JPPCLE (eventsmart.com) More information available at https://jppcle.org/   LOCATION: New York City Bar Association, 42 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036 Earn 7.5 NY/ NJ (6.5 PA) CLE credits including 1 Ethics Keynote Speakers: Hon. Jacqueline Wright Bonilla, Deputy Chief Administrative Patent Judge and Senior Legal Advisor, USPTO ​ ​ Hon. Kathleen O'Malley (Ret.) Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit  Nicholas Leefer, Attorney, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission David J. Kappos, Former Undersecretary of Commerce and Director, USPTO

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that the 2024 CIPLA Lobster Bake and Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 18 June 2024 at Penfield Pavilion II (Jacky Durrell Pavilion) on Penfield beach in Fairfield, CT.  Directions to Penfield Beach can be found here. The Lobster Bake will also serve as CIPLA's Annual Meeting. The business portion of the event will be short, and we welcome and encourage spouses and significant others to attend. If you are interested in joining us, please register online here or fill out the downloadable registration form here by Friday, 14 June 2024.  Please be sure to include your meal choice and current contact information. As a friendly reminder, this is a BYOB program. Non-alcoholic beverages, food and ice will be provided.  In addition, we will be issuing our Report of the CIPLA Nomination Committee shortly. The report includes the slate of Officers, Board of Governors and Committeemen for consideration at the 2024 annual meeting.  We hope to see all of our CIPLA members, family and guests for what will be an exciting night!  

Please join us for a presentation on this topic, facilitated by Eleanor M. Lackman of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP. Presentation Summary Our guest speaker Attorney Eleanor M. Lackman of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP will discuss the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court case Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith, which held that the famous artist Andy Warhol's renderings of photographer Lynn Goldsmith's photographs of music artist Prince did not qualify as transformative fair use. Of particular interest is the Supreme Court's controversial treatment of the factor of commercial use in the fair use analysis. About our Guest Speaker Eleanor M. Lackman is a Partner at the law firm Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP where she divides her time between the firm's New York and Los Angeles offices. She is Co-Chair of the firm's intellectual property practice group. Ms. Lackman is a nationally recognized lawyer for copyright, trademark, and media matters. For over 20 years, she has litigated cases in courts across the country, while counseling copyright and brand owners. In the Andy Warhol case Ms. Lackman filed an amicus brief on behalf of Sesame Workshop, Inc., Authors Guild, Inc., News Media Alliance, and other parties with an interest in the case. The meeting will be held on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at The Elm City Club in New Haven, from 6 to 9 PM. Please RSVP by Monday, March 11, 2024 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Neil Vaz at neil@ruggieroip.com.

Please join us for a presentation on this topic, facilitated by USPTO Office of Enrollment and Discipline Staff Attorney Dahlia Girgis.    Presentation Summary Attorney Dahlia Girgis from the USPTO will discuss professional responsibility and practice, including the life cycle of a complaint or grievance, overview of the disciplinary process, candor before the USPTO, signatures, inequitable conduct and conflicts of interest. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 07, 2024 at The Elm City Club in New Haven, from 6 to 9 PM. Please RSVP by Friday, February 02, 2024 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Neil Vaz at neil@ruggieroip.com

Please mark your calendars for UConn’s Meet and Greet with IP Professionals. This event will take place Wednesday, November 15 in Janet Blumberg Hall in Hosmer Hall, UConn Law beginning at 6:00 p.m. The law school is located at 55 Elizabeth St, Hartford, CT 06105. The event will provide an opportunity for intellectual property focused students from UConn School of Law and surrounding law schools to network with members of the Connecticut IP legal community. Food and refreshments will be provided, along with some comments on the Connecticut intellectual property landscape and UConn's strong intellectual property program. Click HERE to register for this event. Please contact Robert Bertekap at robert.bertekap@uconn.edu if you have any questions. Sponsored by UConn Intellectual Property Law Society.

  The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its second meeting in the 2023-2024 schedule. Please join us for a presentation on this topic, facilitated by Mr. David Kappos.    Presentation Summary We are welcoming former Under Secretary of Commerce and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), David J. Kappos, currently of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, who will speak about important issues and trends involving artificial intelligence and IP.  Please RSVP by Friday, November 03, 2023 on the CIPLA website via the online form, or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Neil Vaz at neil@ruggieroip.com

Wednesday, October 18, 2023 6-9 PM at The Elm City Club, New Haven The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its first meeting in the 2023-2024 schedule.  The Truth about Design Patents Please join us for a presentation on this topic, facilitated by Professor Saurabh Vishnubhakat, Director, IP and Information Law Program, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.    Presentation Summary The conventional wisdom about design patents is dire. Supposedly, the USPTO rejects around half of all design patent applications; courts invalidate most asserted design patents in litigation; and as many as half of asserted design patents are found noninfringed in litigation.  We trace the origins of these myths, debunk them, and offer updated empirical data for a fresh look at the landscape of design rights. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at The Elm City Club in New Haven, from 6 to 9 PM. About Professor Vishnubhakat: Professor Vishnubhakat’s research has been cited in federal appellate and trial court opinions, agency reports and rulemaking, and over two dozen Supreme Court briefs. His work has been published in leading law journals including the Washington & Lee Law Review and Iowa Law Review, in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Law and the Biosciences and the Journal of Economic Perspectives, and in the intellectual property and technology journals of the Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Berkeley, and Duke law schools. His first book, A Tort Theory of Patent Litigation: History and Reform, is under contract with Cambridge University Press. Until 2022, Vishnubhakat was a professor at Texas A&M University, where he held tenured appointments in the School of Law and the Dwight Look College of Engineering and guest-lectured in the Mays Business School. Before coming to Texas A&M, he served in the United States Patent and Trademark Office as principal legal advisor to that agency’s first two chief economists. He was also a faculty fellow at the Duke Law School, where he co-taught patent law, and was a postdoctoral associate at the Duke Center for Public Genomics, where he researched law and policy issues surrounding innovation in genetics and biomedicine. Professor Vishnubhakat holds a J.D. and LL.M. in intellectual property from the University of New Hampshire School of Law, formerly the Franklin Pierce Law Center, where he was an editor of the Law Review. He also holds a B.S. in chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is admitted to the bars of Texas, Illinois, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.   Please RSVP by Friday, October 13, 2023 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Neil Vaz at neil@ruggieroip.com

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that the 2023 CIPLA Lobster Bake and Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at Penfield Pavilion II (Jacky Durrell Pavilion) on Penfield Beach in Fairfield, CT. The Lobster Bake will serve as CIPLA's Annual Meeting and Election of Officers. The business portion of the event will be kept relatively short, and we welcome and encourage spouses and significant others to attend. A slate of Officers, Board of Governors and Committeemen will be up for consideration at the 2023 annual meeting. If interested in joining us, please rsvp online here or fill out the linked reservation form by Wednesday, July 26, 2023. Please be sure to include your meal choice and current contact information (especially your e-mail address -- as it is our only means of communication). I also hope that everyone considers forwarding this e-mail to a colleague or friend that is not currently a CIPLA member to help promote our meetings and general membership.  

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its next meeting in the 2022-2023 schedule.  Has the PTAB Made a Difference in Drug Settlements and Generic Entry?  Please join us for a presentation on this topic, facilitated by Professor Saurabh Vishnubhakat, Director, IP and Information Law Program, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.    Presentation Summary Contrary to expectations, the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) does not seem to be helping expedite market entry for generic drug makers.  Using the well-established Hatch-Waxman framework, generics can and do challenge patents on brand-name drugs through district court litigation to enter the market sooner.  When the system of administrative PTAB trials was enacted in 2011, it was widely hailed as a cheaper, faster, and more expert alternative to court litigation across all technologies.  The expectation—and, for some, the concern—was that the PTAB process might disrupt the existing Hatch-Waxman balance.  New empirical research, however, suggests that the PTAB has not proven to have any significant effect on generic drug entry.  This presentation will discuss and explain these findings. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at The Elm City Club in New Haven, from 6 to 9 PM, including a cocktail hour from 6 to 7 PM. About Professor Vishnubhakat Professor Vishnubhakat’s research has been cited in federal appellate and trial court opinions, agency reports and rulemaking, and over two dozen Supreme Court briefs. His work has been published in leading law journals including the Washington & Lee Law Review and Iowa Law Review, in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Law and the Biosciences and the Journal of Economic Perspectives, and in the intellectual property and technology journals of the Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Berkeley, and Duke law schools. His first book, A Tort Theory of Patent Litigation: History and Reform, is under contract with Cambridge University Press. Until 2022, Vishnubhakat was a professor at Texas A&M University, where he held tenured appointments in the School of Law and the Dwight Look College of Engineering and guest-lectured in the Mays Business School. Before coming to Texas A&M, he served in the United States Patent and Trademark Office as principal legal advisor to that agency’s first two chief economists. He was also a faculty fellow at the Duke Law School, where he co-taught patent law, and was a postdoctoral associate at the Duke Center for Public Genomics, where he researched law and policy issues surrounding innovation in genetics and biomedicine. Professor Vishnubhakat holds a J.D. and LL.M. in intellectual property from the University of New Hampshire School of Law, formerly the Franklin Pierce Law Center, where he was an editor of the Law Review. He also holds a B.S. in chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is admitted to the bars of Texas, Illinois, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States. This research was jointly conducted with Professors Arti Rai (Duke University School of Law), Jorge Lemus (University of Illinois Department of Economics), and Erik Hovenkamp (University of Southern California Gould School of Law), and was supported by grant funding from Arnold Ventures. Please RSVP by Tuesday, May 23, 2023 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair T. David Bomzer at tdbomzer@cantorcolburn.com 

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its next meeting in the 2022-2023 schedule.    Please join us for a discussion, led by Susan Kohlmann, Partner at Jenner & Block, of Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC, argued on March 22, 2023, in which the Supreme Court of the United States will for the first time directly address how the Lanham Act should be applied to expressive works.  VIP Products has argued that its dog toy parodying the Jack Daniels iconic bottle design was an expressive work protected by the First Amendment under the seminal case of Rogers v. Grimaldi. Jack Daniels has advocated for a sweeping rule that overturns Rogers v. Grimaldi and its progeny, arguing instead that all expressive works be stripped of any heightened protection under the First Amendment and be subject to a traditional trademark infringement analysis. Jenner & Block filed an amicus brief in the case on behalf of the Motion Picture Association providing the unique perspective of content creators who regularly rely upon Rogers and its progeny to create works depicting the real world and advocating that the First Amendment should afford adequate breathing room for artistic expression. The presentation will discuss the case history, the briefing, oral argument, and the possible implications for the future of Rogers v. Grimaldi. The meeting will be held on Monday, April 17, 2023 at The Elm City Club in New Haven, from 6 to 9 PM, including a cocktail hour from 6 to 7 PM. About Susan Kohlmann: Susan Kohlmann has tackled some of the most significant issues the content, media, and entertainment industry has faced. Representing entertainment and media industry giants, including film studios and television networks, new technology companies, and others in media and entertainment, she deftly navigates clients at the convergence of content and technology. Susan litigates cases addressing critical issues threatening her clients’ ability to exploit their creative works and key brands and clarifies the reach and application of federal law to new technologies and their content distribution platforms. Susan guides clients in recognizing which issues are worth a fight. Then, she forges a litigation strategy, leaving no stone unturned to achieve success. A litigation trailblazer, Susan secured a $100 million trademark infringement dispute win for ViacomCBS over an MTV reality show title. Susan represented Diageo in connection with its famous Bulleit whiskey brand, successfully enjoining the continued sale of Redemption whiskey following a three-week jury trial in which the jury confirmed that Diageo’s Bulleit brand was famous and that Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits’ Redemption bottle diluted its distinctiveness. Susan has also protected at trial and on appeal John Steinbeck’s estate’s right to control the use of the author’s iconic works. Susan is currently serving a two-year term as President of the New York City Bar. Susan received her JD from the Columbia University School of Law, and her bachelor's degree from Yale University. Please RSVP by April 14, 2023 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair T. David Bomzer at tdbomzer@cantorcolburn.com

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its next meeting in the 2022-2023 schedule.  We are welcoming Elizabeth Dougherty, the USPTO’s Eastern Regional Outreach Director, who will discuss new initiatives, programs and priorities at the USPTO including opportunities to engage with the Office.  Ms. Dougherty will share updates in both patents and trademarks while offering insights into goals being set for making impact in innovation across the nation. The conversation will also touch on the recently passed Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 which contains directives impacting the agency and its operations. The meeting will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2023 at The Elm City Club in New Haven, from 6 to 9 PM, including a cocktail hour from 6 to 7 PM. About Elizabeth Dougherty: As the Eastern Regional Outreach Director for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Elizabeth 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 has more than 25 years of experience working at the USPTO. She served as the Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. In this role, she worked closely across the Agency's leadership to implement the policies and priorities for the USPTO. She began her career at the USPTO as a patent examiner after graduating from The Catholic University of America with a bachelor's degree in physics. While a patent examiner, Ms. Dougherty went on to obtain her J.D. from The Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America and served as a Senior Legal Advisor in the Office of Patent Legal Administration for a significant part of her career. Over the years, she has also served in the USPTO's Office of Petitions, the Office of Innovation Development, and the Office of Government Affairs. Ms. Dougherty has dedicated much of her career to the USPTO's outreach and education programs focusing on small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs. In this effort she has developed, implemented, and supervised programs that support the independent inventor community, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and the intellectual property interests of colleges and universities. Similarly Ms. Dougherty has spearheaded a number of special projects with federal, state and local governments, and private organizations to promote and support invention and innovation in the United States. Ms. Dougherty is a member of the Virginia Bar, the Giles S. Rich American Inn of Court, the Pauline Newman American Inn of Court, the American Bar Association, the Federal Circuit Bar Association, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Patent and Trademark Office Society, the Supervisory Patent Examiners and Classifiers Organization, Women in Science and Engineering, Federally Employed Women, and the Network of Executive Women. Please RSVP by January 24, 2023 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair T. David Bomzer at tdbomzer@cantorcolburn.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its first meeting in the 2022-2023 schedule.  We are welcoming John W. Thomas, JD, LLM, MPH, Professor of Law at Quinnipiac University, on the following topic: “The intellectual property implications of Kalamazoo Gals.  A Story of the Extraordinary Women and Gibson’s “Banner” Guitars of WWII (American History Press, 2013).” From Feminist Times: “John Thomas’s personal quest to find the lost Kalamazoo gals is endearingly told. This is not just one story but many; finally giving these women their voice, to talk about the guitars they made for a manufacturer that denied they ever existed.” The BBC produced and hour-long documentary on his book. NPR, NBC, Voice of America, etc. also featured stories on the book. A documentary and a dramatic adaptation are in the works. Please join us for an evening with music, history, and discussions about their relation to intellectual property law. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at The Elm City Club in New Haven, from 6 to 9 pm, including a cocktail hour from 6 to 7 pm. Please RSVP by November 14, 2022 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair T. David Bomzer at tdbomzer@cantorcolburn.com.

Please mark your calendars for UConn's Meet and Greet with IP Professionals.  This event will take place Wednesday, November 9 in the Starr Hall Reading Room, UConn Law beginning at 5:00 p.m. The law school is located at 55 Elizabeth St, Hartford, CT 06105. The event will provide an opportunity for intellectual property focused students from UConn School of Law and Quinnipiac School of Law to network with members of the Connecticut IP legal community.  Food and refreshments will be provided, along with some comments by UConn School of Law Dean Eboni Nelson on the Connecticut intellectual property landscape and UConn's strong intellectual property program. Please contact Adam Burns (adam.burns@uconn.edu), President of the UConn Intellectual Property and Technology Law Society in order to register for this event, or click the link to register: Link to Register for Event

Charles Macedo, Partner at Amster Rothstein & Ebenstein

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association is pleased to announce its second in-person meeting in the 2021-2022 schedule. We are excited to welcome Charles Macedo, a partner at Amster Rothstein and Ebenstein, to present "Looking Forward to American Axle and Patent Eligibility at the Supreme Court." The meeting will be held on Wednesday June 22nd, 2022, at 5:30pm at the Graduate Club. Kindly RSVP by June 15th, 2022. We are excited to announce a beer tasting with Two Roads has been added to this event. Two Roads will be providing a tasting of four of their beers which will also be available for purchase at the event. This presentation will meet the requirements for CLE in Connecticut. We expect the presentation to run an hour. Please email CIPLA Program Chair: Melissa Tharp at melissa@tharplawfirm.com with Questions.

Martin Schwimmer, Partner, Leason Ellis The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its third meeting in the 2021-2022 schedule. We are welcoming Martin Schwimmer, Partner, Leason Ellis. Mr. Schwimmer will speak on "NFTs, the Metaverse, and Handbags." The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 at 6:00pm at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Kindly RSVP by March 25, 2022 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Melissa Tharp at Melissa@tharplawfirm.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association is pleased to announce its next virtual meeting in the 2021-2022 schedule. We are excited to welcome Professor David Hricik, who has been teaching, publishing, and litigating ethical issues in IP law for many years, and has served in various leadership positions on ethics committees with the AIPLA and ABA. This fast-paced presentation will address common and recurring ethical and malpractice issues that affect patent and trademark practitioners. Among the topics are failing to maintain files to reflect important client decisions, client identity, and conflicts of interest. The meeting will be held on Monday, February 28, 2022 at 5:30pm virtually.  Please RSVP by February 23 by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Melissa Tharp at melissa@tharplawfirm.com. 

Charles Kim,  United States Patent and Trademark Office

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its first meeting in the 2021-2022 schedule. We are welcoming Charles Kim, Director of the Office of Petitions of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO),  who will speak about recent updates, issues, and trends involving artificial intelligence inventorship and protection. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at 6:00pm virtually. Kindly RSVP by November 12th  on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair: Melissa Tharp at melissa@tharplawfirm.com

Dear Members: Due to the pandemic, the 2020 Annual Meeting for CIPLA will be conducted virtually at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. An election of new officers for the 2020-2021 association-year will be held. The new officer candidates will be the following: President: Benjamin C. White of Murtha Cullina LLP Vice-President: Leslie-Anne Maxwell of Cantor Colburn LLP Secretary: Raymond W. Zenkert of GTC Law Group PC & Affiliates Treasurer: Jeffrey J. Scepanski of Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle LLP A link to the virtual Annual Meeting has been separately sent to CIPLA membership. We are planning to have a Lobster Bake at the usual location on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 as the first meeting of the upcoming association-year. Hopefully, the virus will cooperate enough to make this possible. We look forward to seeing you at the virtual Annual Meeting. Regards, J. Robert Dean CIPLA President

David J. Kappos,  Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its next meeting in the 2019-2020 schedule. We are welcoming former Under Secretary of Commerce and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), David J. Kappos, currently of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, who will speak about important issues and trends involving artificial intelligence and IP from a global perspective. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 at 6:00pm at the  Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by February 28 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Jeff Scepanski at jscepanski@ogrp.com.  

Tracy-Gene G. Durkin, Director, Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its next meeting in the 2019-2020 schedule. We are welcoming Tracy-Gene G. Durkin, a Director of the law firm Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. in Washington DC, who will speak about hot topics in design patent law. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at 6:00pm at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by January 24 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Jeff Scepanski at jscepanski@ogrp.com.

RONALD D. COLEMAN, PARTNER, MANDELBAUM SALSBURG

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its second meeting in the 2019-2020 schedule. We are welcoming Ronald D. Coleman, a partner at Mandelbaum Salsburg in New York, who will speak about the overturning of the Lanham Act’s provisions prohibiting the registration of disparaging, immoral, and scandalous trademarks with the USPTO. Mr. Coleman represented Simon Tam in his attempt to register the trademark “THE SLANTS” with the USPTO in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the seminal U.S. Supreme Court case Matal v. Tam, which overturned the provisions of the Lanham Act prohibiting “disparaging” trademarks on First Amendment grounds. The Tam case was highly influential in the subsequent Supreme Court case Iancu v. Brunetti, which also overturned the provisions of the Lanham Act prohibiting the registration of “immoral” and “scandalous” trademarks on the same grounds. Mr. Coleman will speak about both of these cases, including his experience in the Tam case, and provide his insights regarding the future of registration of these types of controversial trademarks with the USPTO. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at 6:00pm at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by November 15, 2019 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Jeff Scepanski at jscepanski@ogrp.com.

Jeffrey West, Senior Legal Advisor, USPTO Office of Patent Legal Administration

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its first meeting in the 2019-2020 schedule.  We are welcoming Jeffrey West, a Senior Legal Advisor at the USPTO's Office of Patent Legal Administration.  Mr. West will speak on the USPTO's new patent subject matter eligibility guidelines.  The meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at 6:00pm at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by September 20, 2019 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Jeff Scepanski at jscepanski@ogrp.com.

Maja Szumarska of Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty, LLP

The Lanham Act authorizes courts to issue ex parte orders directing the seizure of counterfeit goods. By enacting this law, Congress recognized that, absent such ex parte relief, willful counterfeiters would likely destroy or transfer counterfeit merchandise and business records upon the filing of a lawsuit.  Congress created a formal procedure for obtaining an ex parte seizure order.  Ms. Szumarska will be speaking about recent cases and provide recommendations for increasing the likelihood of successfully obtaining an ex parte seizure order and minimizing the risks of liability while executing such an order. The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by May 13, 2019 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ray Zenkert at zenkert@gtv-ip.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its fourth meeting in the 2018-2019 schedule.  We are welcoming Andrew Williams, Counsel and member of the Intellectual Property Department of Wolf, Greenfield and Sacks, P.C.  Attorney Williams has over seventeen years of experience prosecuting and litigating patents in the areas of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and molecular diagnostics; and has authored articles for various legal publications to include Law360, Intellectual Property Magazine, Intellectual Property Today, and Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents and Biosimilar Developments.  Attorney Williams will present on:What Ever Happened to the Patent Troll Problem? - The Past and Future of Patent Reform Legislation. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by March 22, 2019 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ray Zenkert at zenkert@gtv-ip.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its third meeting in the 2018-2019 schedule.  We are welcoming Reza Mollaaghababa, a partner in the Intellectual Property Department of Pepper Hamilton LLP.  Dr. Mollaaghababa represents clients in post-grant proceedings before the USPTO and has handled more than 40 inter partes review (IPR) proceedings.  Dr. Mollaaghababa will be speaking on recent developments in IPR practice, and associated best-practices and strategies as they relate to IPR proceedings. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by November 2, 2018 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ray Zenkert at zenkert@gtv-ip.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its second meeting in the 2018-2019 schedule.  We are welcoming Benjamin Haber, senior policy advisor to Director Iancu at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  We are currently working with Mr. Haber to settle on a topic(s) for his presentation that would be interesting to CIPLA members, but we wanted to notify you of this event so that you can mark it on your calendars. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by November 2, 2018 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ray Zenkert at zenkert@gtv-ip.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its first meeting in the 2018-2019 schedule.  We are welcoming Matthew Hutman of Serco Inc. Serco is the classification contractor to the USPTO and has classified over 3.9 million newly filed utility patent applications. Mr Hutman will speak on “USPTO Art Unit Determinations” and the value of using classification at the USPTO to inform pre-filing drafting and strategy.  The meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by October 5, 2018 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ray Zenkert at  zenkert@gtv-ip.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that the 2018 CIPLA Lobster Bake and Annual Meeting will be held on June 13, 2018 at Penfield Pavilion II (Jacky Durrell Pavilion) on Penfield beach in Fairfield, CT.  Directions to Penfield Beach can be found here. The Lobster Bake will also serve as CIPLA's Annual Meeting and Election of Officers. The business portion of the event will be kept relatively short, and we welcome and encourage spouses and significant others to attend. If you are interested in joining us, please fill out the linked reservation form or by registering below by Monday, June 11, 2018.  Please be sure to include your meal choice and current contact information. As a friendly reminder, this is a BYOB program. Non-alcoholic beverages, food and ice will be provided.  In addition, our 2018 Nominating Committee Report is now available. The report includes the slate of Officers, Board of Governors and Committeemen for consideration at the 2018 annual meeting. We encourage our membership to provide any input and/or recommendations in regards to our report by June 8, 2018,  We hope to see all of our CIPLA members, family and guests for what will be an exciting night!  

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that we will welcome Dr. Eric Rudich, Partner / Senior Litigation Consultant of Blueprint Trial Consulting at the Graduate Club, located at 155 Elm Street, New Haven on April 18, 2018. The reception will begin at 6:00 pm and dinner at 7:00 pm. Dr. Rudich will present on “Strategies for Winning Patent Jury Trials.”  Eric Rudich, Ph.D. has been providing jury research and consulting services for approximately 20 years. He has worked on over 500 cases in venues throughout the United States. Dr. Rudich regularly leverages technology and utilizes analytics to help his clients gain insight into how individuals analyze and ultimately decide his clients’ cases. As a social psychologist, he evaluates how jurors’ emotions, perceptions, moral outlook, and attitudes influence their verdict determinations. Dr. Rudich has extensive experience working with defendants in high-stakes commercial disputes which include intellectual property, product liability, insurance defense, transportation, construction defect, contract, employment and antitrust litigation. He regularly works with trial teams to develop themes and storylines, advise on visual strategies, create jury profiles and prepare witnesses. Some of Dr. Rudich’s noteworthy clients include Google, AIG, Verizon, Travelers Insurance, Motorola, Adobe, Samsung, Apple and Toshiba. Dr. Rudich also has appeared as an invited guest on CourtTV and MSNBC, regularly conducts CLEs, spoken at legal seminars and conferences, and published several articles in leading legal journals. We hope to see all of our members and their guests for what will be an engaging and insightful discussion on Jury Psychology and its importance to intellectual property litigation. If you are interested in joining us, please fill out and return the reservation form. Please be sure to include your meal choice, contact information, and membership status.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that we will welcome Gerald Hrycyszyn and Richard Giunta of Wolf, Greenfiled & Sacks, P.C. at the Graduate Club, located at 155 Elm Street, New Haven on March 28, 2018. The reception will begin at 6:00 pm and dinner at 7:00 pm. Mr. Hrycyszyn and Mr. Giunta will present on “Using State Sovereign Immunity to Shield Your Patents from IPRs.” Gerald Hrycyszyn represents clients in a wide variety of intellectual property matters, including patent, trademark, and trade secret litigation, licensing, and postgrant proceedings. He has litigated disputes in district courts across the country, at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and before the International Trade Commission. His extensive experience ranges from the electronics industry to consumer products to pharmaceuticals. Jerry previously served as an officer in the US Navy. He was with Naval Reactors, where he was responsible for directing research and development of naval nuclear propulsion systems.   Rich Giunta chairs the firm's PostGrant Proceedings Group. Rich has successfully represented patent owners and petitioners in more than 100 contested matters before the US Patent Office, including inter partes review (IPR), covered business method (CBM) review, and inter partes and ex parte reexamination. Rich’s track record of success is first-rate. He has prevailed on issues of first impression numerous times, and in matters with more than one billion dollars at stake. In its inaugural IPR Intelligence Report in 2017, Patexia Inc. ranked Rich in the top 1 percent of all attorneys in the United States based on winning percentage in IPR proceedings. Rich is also one of the most experienced IPR practitioners in the country, ranking in the top 1 percent of all attorneys by number of IPRs handled in Patexia’s 2017 report. He represents a full spectrum of clients, including industry leading multinational corporations like EMC, Sony, Google, Nuance Communications, C.R. Bard, and Smith & Nephew, and leading academic institutions like the University of Florida and the University of Minnesota. In practice for almost 30 years, Rich also has extensive patent prosecution, counseling and litigation experience. He has advised clients on the development of commercially valuable patent portfolios, and led the firm’s Electrical and Computer Technologies practice group for more than 15 years. He has written and prosecuted patents that have been successfully asserted in litigation and withstood post grant attacks, and has successfully architected the infringement and validity aspects of patent litigation. As a former senior design engineer, Rich is particularly skilled at handling all types of computer and software related technologies. He has also handled other technologies in the electrical, medical device, and consumer products fields, including storage systems, digital rights management systems, automatic availability systems, databases, automatic speech recognition, text-to-speech generation, natural language understanding, semiconductor processing, imaging devices, healthcare systems, wireless networking systems, computer aided tomography, explosive detection devices, graphics systems, guidewires, stents, catheters, surgical patches, suture anchors and endoscopes.   The program will be held at the Graduate Club, located at 155 Elm Street, New Haven on March 28, 2018 with a reception beginning at 6pm and dinner at 7 pm.   We hope to see all of our members and their guests for what will be an engaging and insightful discussion on Sovereign Immunity and its importance to IP.   If you are interested in joining us, please fill out and return the reservation form. Please be sure to include your meal choice, contact information, and membership status.

  Thanks to Dan Conley for these great photos!  (DanConley@NJAngels.net) Video for 'Pac-Man' Cancer Treatment The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that we will welcome Dan Conley, Coordinator of Entrepreneurs University Programs and an active Angel Investor, Dr. Razmic Gregorian, a senior partner at the strategy, marketing, and pricing consulting firm Simon-Kucher & Partners, and Avi Cohen, the CIO, CFO, and Director at GFO Solutions, for a networking reception, dinner, and panel discussion on January 31, 2018, beginning at 6 pm at the Graduate Club. Beginning at 4 pm and prior to the 6 pm reception, CIPLA will be hosting a pre-event workshop for Investors, Entrepreneurs and Attorneys! The pre-event workshop will feature David Light, CEO of Valisure. Our workshop will include presentations regarding IP Battles in CAR-T Therapies' and Drug Validations'. Dr. Slanetz and Mr. Light will discuss the importance of novel approaches and how they are utilized in competitive landscapes. The cost of the pre-event workshop is included in the event, but we ask that you specify whether you will also attend the workshop. Dan Conley will present on “The Role of IP in Funding Startups.” Dan is an active Angel Investor who has made over a dozen Angel investments in private early stage life science companies, beginning in 2001, when he helped bring $12.5M together for a Connecticut-based robotics & automation based proteomics company. Currently he's helping another team of successful entrepreneurs with their startup companies in the area of stem cells and all cell-based therapies. Dan's own Conley Family Office takes an active Angel lead role in DealScreening, DealScrubbing, VenturEvaluations, and Formal Due Diligence steps to an investment. For more information on these investments, visit www.NJAngels.net.  In addition to Dan's Angel investments, Dan has produced hundreds of monthly day-long Entrepreneurs University Programs, with over 2,000 CEO Forums for over 25 years,. In these programs CEOs gain feedback and support by Angels, Coaches, & Experts who provide sources of capital leads, resource connections, and introductions. More information about Entrepreneurs University Programs   www.EntreUniv.org.  Dr. Razmic Gregorian, PhD, a senior partner of the international strategy, marketing, and pricing firm Simon-Kucher & Partners will present on “Drug pricing in the presence and absence of IP—a global perspective.” Razmic has 20 years of experience in pricing and positioning pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device products in the US, Europe, Asia, Canada, Australia, and Latin America. His primary interest is in guiding pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to address value demonstration requirements of the most price- and value-sensitive customers—specifically third-party and government payers. He works across therapeutic areas as well as across the product lifecycle from concept to loss of exclusivity, but most enjoys the Phase II/III transition. Although most of his work is for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, he has written policy analysis for the US Department of Health and Human Services, advised the Kauffman Foundation on policy issues relating to repurposing drugs, and delivered a master class on international generics pricing policies to the Korean National Health Insurance Company. He also makes regular contributions to the Patient Reported Outcomes literature in a variety of therapeutic areas. Dr. Gregorian received a BS with honors in Chemistry from Duke and completed a Ph.D. in biophysical chemistry at Yale. More information about Simon-Kucher & Partners and their breadth of services and industry expertise can be found at www.simon-kucher.com. Avi Cohen brings years of strategic, financial, capital markets, and operational experience to small and mid-market businesses, investment funds, and family offices, improving performance, driving growth, and optimizing results. With the unique perspective of a lead investor, analyst, banker, corporate CFO, and most importantly an entrepreneur who built a business from $0 to $25M and from 3 people to 3 countries, Mr. Cohen spearheads GFO Solutions’ consulting efforts by parachuting down into various roles including COO, CFO, Head of Corporate Development and Strategy, Chief Investment Officer, and Board Member in a diverse array of client companies and sectors including high tech, healthcare, biotech, medical diagnostics, transportation, and heavy machinery. Until recently Mr. Cohen served as CIO of the Rappaport Family Office where he oversaw the investment of over $500m in assets allocated among a diversified mix of outside managers and an internally managed PE and long-short mostly equity portfolio.  Mr. Cohen developed GFO Solutions as an outgrowth of his work with the Rappaport Family Office.  Previously Mr. Cohen founded and managed Avian Securities, LLC, a brokerage boutique delivering fundamental investment research to industry leading hedge fund and mutual fund clients.   The meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 31, 2017 at the Graduate Club, located at 155 Elm Street in New Haven (www.graduateclub.com), with a reception beginning at 6 pm, dinner at 7 pm, presentations and Q&A beginning at 8 pm.  We hope to see all of our members and their guests for what will be an engaging and insightful discussion on pricing and financing intellectual property! 

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that we will welcome Robert J. deBrauwere of Pryor Cashman LLP on November 21, 2017.  Partner Robert deBrauwere will present on “Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality & the Law.” Robert is the co-chair of Pryor Cashman’s Digital Media Group and a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property, Media + Entertainment and Litigation Groups. His extensive knowledge of the interplay between IP, technology, media, entertainment and music has earned him the role of trusted advisor to cutting-edge companies and influential artists and songwriters. A former computer programmer and sound / lighting engineer, he possesses a keen understanding of how technology and entertainment intersect in the digital world. Robert serves as outside general counsel to start-ups, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) companies, digital publishing companies, artists, writers and even Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. He has continuously been named to the Super Lawyers - New York Metro list in IP and media + advertising since 2013, and is recognized as a leading attorney in the field of IP, specifically on complex issues pertaining to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), fair use, unfair competition and false advertising laws, among others. deBrauwere’s presentation will examine augmented and virtual reality, and IP law, particularly some of the challenges they raise and how technology companies can navigate these complexities in the digital era. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at the Graduate Club, located at 155 Elm Street in New Haven (www.graduateclub.com), with a reception beginning at 6 pm and dinner at 7 pm. We hope to see all of our members and their guests for what will be an engaging and insightful discussion on digital media and intellectual property!  More information about Pryor Cashman LLP can be found on their website at www.pryorcashman.com.  

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that in conjunction with Open World, a Congressionally-sponsored international exchange program, and the Rotary Club of New Haven that we will be welcoming a group of Delegates from the country of Belarus. The Belarussian's Delegation will be at Cantor Colburn LLP's Hartford office, located at 20 Church St, 22nd Floor on October 31st at 3:00pm.  CIPLA members are invited to attend this rare opportunity, which is being provided free of charge.   Open World is the largest international exchange program within the legislative branch of the federal government. All Open World delegates are competitively selected and vetted by the U.S. Embassy due to their promising career trajectory, and their potential for positive collaboration with U.S. entities following the program. These emerging leaders are experts in the field of intellectual property rights, specifically in Belarus and many European countries. Additionally, these delegates are available to establish contacts with U.S. organizations that are interested in protecting their intellectual property rights in Belarus, and in improving the overall intellectual property infrastructure of the country. At the meeting, Taylor Coon of Cantor Colburn LLP will present an overview of US intellectual property practice, including trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. This presentation will begin at 3:00pm at 20 Church Street, 22nd Floor. Parking can be validated at the meeting. For directions and additional information, please visit their website, which is provided below. The meeting location is: Cantor Colburn LLP                                       20 Church Street, 22nd Floor        Hartford, CT 06103    www.cantorcolburn.com  This will be an extraordinary occasion that will allow you to network with experts in the field of Belarus and European intellectual property rights, as well as an opportunity to engage in a cultural and learning experience and to be a positive influence on these young professionals. If you are interested in joining us, please fill out and return the attached reservation form with the appropriate date. DO NOT MAKE A PAYMENT AS THIS PRESENTATION IS BEING PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. For more information on Open World and The Rotary Club of New Haven, please visit their websites, which are linked below. www.openworld.gov www.newhaven-rotary.org

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that we will be welcoming Professor Janet Freilich of Fordham University School of Law on October 17, 2017 at the Graduate Club, located at 155 Elm Street, New Haven. The reception will begin at 6:00 pm and dinner at 7:00 pm.  Professor Freilich will present on “An empirical analysis of prophetic examples in patents.” Ms. Freilich’s research concentrates in patent law, with a focus on the life sciences. Her research has been published in several periodicals, including the Iowa Law Review, the SMU Law Review, the Stanford Technology Law Review and the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology. She has been acknowledged as an innovator in the field of intellectual property and has won the Samsung-Stanford Patent Prize, as well as the Irving Oberman Memorial Award in Intellectual Property. In addition to Prof. Freilich’s extensive research, she has previously served as a Patent Litigator and Prosecutor at Covington & Burling LLP. We hope to see all of our members and their guests for what will be an engaging and insightful discussion on various intellectual property topics! 

CIPLA is pleased to announce its first meeting of in the 2017-2018 schedule, which will take place on September 26, 2017 at the Elm City Club, formerly the Graduate Club, located at 155 Elm Street, New Haven. The reception will begin at 6 pm and dinner at 7 pm. We will be joined by Professor John Thomas of Quinnipiac University. Professor Thomas will speak on "The intellectual property implications of Kalamazoo Gals: A Story of the Extraordinary Women and Gibson’s “Banner” Guitars of WWII (American History Press, 2013)." Kalamazoo Gals is a book Professor Thomas wrote about women who built guitars during WWII. The company for which they worked covered up the story during that time and refuses to talk about the topic to this day. The BBC produced and hour-long documentary on his book, NPR, NBC, Voice of America, etc. also featured stories on the book, and a young playwright recently won a Kennedy Center award for a play based on the book. We hope to see all of our members and their guests for what will be a night filled with music, history, and discussions about their relation to intellectual property law!

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that the 2017 CIPLA Lobster Bake will be held on the evening of Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at Penfield Pavilion II (Jacky Durrell Pavilion) on Penfield Beach in Fairfield, CT. The Lobster Bake will serve as CIPLA's Annual Meeting and Election of Officers. Click here to view the 2017 Nominating Committee Report which includes the proposed slate of Officers, Board of Governors and Committeemen up for consideration. The business portion of the event will be kept relatively short, and we welcome and encourage spouses and significant others to attend.  If you're interested in joining us, please RSVP using the form below, or by emailing Ben White, by Wednesday, June 7, 2017. Please be sure to include your meal choice and current contact information (especially your e-mail address -- as it is our only means of communication). Note that this is a BYOB event! Feel free to bring an alcoholic beverage of your choice. Non-alcoholic drinks, ice, etc. will be provided. I also hope that everyone considers inviting a colleague or friend who is not currently a CIPLA member to help promote our meetings and general membership.

Registration Form

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its sixth meeting in the 2016-2017 schedule. We are welcoming Colm Dobbyn (General Counsel, Intellectual Property at MasterCard), Mark Costello (General Patent Counsel, Chief Strategy Counsel at Xerox), and our own Tim Johnson (Deputy General Counsel at Edgewell Personal Care) for a panel discussion of  IP issues currently impacting their businesses and work.  We expect the discussion to include the panelists' perspectives on topics such as: managing a large patent portfolio, the impact of the AIA and other developments in patent law, and the value brought to their businesses by patents.   The meeting will be held on Thursday, April 6, 2017 at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by April 4, 2017 on the CIPLA website or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ben White at bwhite@ssjr.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its fifth meeting in the 2016-2017 schedule. We are welcoming James Dabney of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLC. Mr. Dabney is counsel for the petitioner in the Supreme Court case TC Heartland LLC v. Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC, No. 16-341.  The question presented in TC Heartland is whether the patent venue statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1400(b), is the sole and exclusive provision governing venue in patent infringement actions, and is not to be supplemented by the broad definition of corporate "residence" found in 28 U.S.C. § 1391(c). In TC Heartland, the petitioner is asking the Supreme Court to construe 28 U.S.C. § 1400(b) as protecting domestic corporate defendants against suit for alleged patent infringement except in districts (i) where the defendant is incorporated or (ii) where the defendant maintains a regular and established place of business and has committed an act of alleged patent infringement. The petitioner's opening brief is currently due on January 30, 2017.  The meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at the Elm City Club in New Haven. Please RSVP by February 17, 2017 on the CIPLA website, or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ben White at bwhite@ssjr.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association is pleased to announce its 2017 Judge's Dinner.  CIPLA will welcome Judge Jimmie V. Reyna of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit as our keynote speaker. Judge Reyna joined the Court in 2011 after being appointed by President Barack Obama. Judge Reyna has authored hundreds of opinions during his tenure including the recent opinion in McRo, Inc., DBA Planet Blue v. Bandai Namco Games America Inc. et al. concerning subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101. Prior to his appointment, Judge Reyna was an international trade attorney and shareholder at Williams Mullen.  The Judge's Dinner will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at the Quinnipiack Club in New Haven.

Sponsorship Opportunities

We are pleased to offer several sponsorship levels for the event:  • Gold Sponsor ($1,000): 8 tickets (incl. at least one seat at a judge’s table), full page in Program Booklet. • Silver Sponsor ($500): 4 tickets, half page in Program Booklet. • Bronze Sponsor ($250) 2 tickets, recognition in Program Booklet. If you are interested being a sponsor, please contact Ben White (bwhite@ssjr.com; 203-541-4503) or Ben Lehberger (blehberger@ssjr.com; 203-541-4540).  To register and pay online without sponsorship, please complete the form below.

Registration Form

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its third meeting in the 2016-2017 schedule. We are welcoming author, lawyer, and producer, Ron Fierstein. Mr. Fierstein has enjoyed a long career in the entertainment industry managing recording artists and the business and legal interests of his brother Harvey Fierstein, and co-producing the hit Broadway musical Kinky Boots. He started out as an intellectual property attorney at Fish & Neave where he was on the team of litigators representing Polaroid in its epic patent battle with Eastman Kodak over instant photography technology. Mr. Fierstein will speak about his experiences on this case as chronicled in his book, A Triumph of Genius: Edwin Land, Polaroid, and the Kodak Patent War. The meeting will be held on Thursday, December 8, 2016 at the Elm City Club (formerly Graduate Club) in New Haven. Please RSVP by December 2, 2016 on the CIPLA website, or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ben White at bwhite@ssjr.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its fourth meeting in the 2016-2017 schedule. We are welcoming David Kappos of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. Mr. Kappos served as the Under Secretary of Commerce and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office from 2009 to 2013. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at the Elm City Club (formerly Graduate Club) in New Haven. Please RSVP by January 19, 2017 on the CIPLA website, or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ben White at bwhite@ssjr.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its second meeting in the 2016-2017 schedule. We are welcoming Robert Raskopf of Quinn Emanuel. Mr. Raskopf has been chief outside intellectual property, litigation and licensing counsel to the NFL and its member clubs for more than three decades. He will be speaking about: Registration of "Disparaging" Trademarks and the Ongoing Dispute Over the Washington Redskins The meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at the Elm City Club (formerly Graduate Club) in New Haven. Please RSVP by October 14, 2016 on the CIPLA website, or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ben White at bwhite@ssjr.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its first meeting in the 2016-2017 schedule. We are welcoming two speakers from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Our keynote speaker will be Maria Nuzzolillo, Legal Advisor at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Ms. Nuzzolillo will be speaking about: Recent Guidance from the USPTO Regarding Subject Matter Eligibility Under 35 U.S.C. 101. We will also be joined by Gautam Prakash, Assistant Patent Pro Bono Coordinator at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Prakash will speak about the patent pro bono program and opportunities for local firms and practitioners to participate. Mr. Prakash will also be visiting firms in Connecticut the day of the event to discuss the patent pro bono program. If you are interesting in meeting with him, please contact CIPLA President Ben Lehberger (blehberger@ssjr.com) or CIPLA Program Chair Ben White (bwhite@ssjr.com) for more information. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at the Elm City Club (formerly Graduate Club) in New Haven. Please RSVP on the CIPLA website, or by emailing CIPLA Program Chair Ben White at bwhite@ssjr.com.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce that the 2016 CIPLA Lobster Bake and Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 1, 2016 at Penfield Pavilion II (Jacky Durrell Pavilion) on Penfield Beach in Fairfield, CT. The Lobster Bake will serve as CIPLA's Annual Meeting and Election of Officers. The business portion of the event will be kept relatively short, and we welcome and encourage spouses and significant others to attend. A slate of Officers, Board of Governors and Committeemen will be up for consideration at the 2016 annual meeting. If interested in joining us, please rsvp by Monday, May 23, 2016. Please be sure to include your meal choice and current contact information (especially your e-mail address -- as it is our only means of communication). I also hope that everyone considers forwarding this e-mail to a colleague or friend that is not currently a CIPLA member to help promote our meetings and general membership.

We are welcoming Martin I. Kaminsky, the General Counsel of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, New York, NY. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at the Graduate Club in New Haven.

Mr. Kaminsky will speak on: Conflicts of Interest in Patent Prosecution and Maling V. Finnegan. 

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its fourth meeting in the 2015-2016 schedule. We are welcoming Tracy G. Durkin, from Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C., Washington D.C. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at the Graduate Club in New Haven. Ms. Durkin will speak on: Current Hot Topics in Design Patent Law in the US and Abroad.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association is pleased to announce its first meeting in the 2015-2016 schedule. We are welcoming Michael Levine, from The United States Department of Justice. The meeting will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2015 at the Graduate Club in New Haven (www.graduateclub.com). Mr. Levine will speak on IP Theft and Cybercrime: A Team Effort If you are interested in joining us, please fill out and return the attached reservation form by Thursday, September 10, 2015.  Please be sure to include your meal choice, contact information, and membership status.

The Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) is pleased to announce its third meeting in the 2014-2015 schedule. We are welcoming Michael Gilleran, partner with Alder, Pollock & Sheehan P.C. The meeting will be held on Thursday, January 29, 2015 at the Graduate Club in New Haven (www.graduateclub.com). Mr. Gilleran will speak on: Seven Years After KSR – The Federal Circuit Test for Nonobviousness If you are interested in joining us, please fill out and return the attached reservation form by Friday, January 23, 2015.  Please be sure to include your meal choice, contact information, and membership status.