The Intellectual Property Law Section of the California Lawyers Association is presenting the full day in person Cannabis IP Law Conference on April 19, 2023, at the Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica. More than half of the states (plus Washington, D.C.) in the United States – including California – have either significantly de-criminalized the cultivation, possession, and sale of cannabis for medical purposes or have legalized it for use by adults over the age of 21 (a/k/a “recreational” use). This has resulted in a multi-billion dollar industry. Intellectual Property law has proven to be one of the most critical areas of the law as investors and entrepreneurs enter the cannabis space and try to determine how to protect and leverage their investments. In addition to outstanding educational programming relating to cannabis intellectual property litigation, licensing, parodies, trademark and patent filing strategies, and ethical considerations when representing cannabis companies, the conference will offer several networking opportunities. Information and registration available here: https://calawyers.org/event/ip-cannabis-law-conference/.

**NOTE THIS MONTH'S LUNCHEON OCCURS ON A TUESDAY** In Partnership with the OCBA IP and Technology Section. Special Guest Speaker: World Intellectual Property Organization Director General, Daren Tang Date: Tuesday, May 23, 2023 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Andrei's Conscious Cuisine, 2607 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614 Registration: Member: $55.00 Non-Member: $80.00     Our Speaker Daren Tang, a national of Singapore, began his six-year mandate as Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on October 1, 2020. Prior to his appointment as WIPO Director General, he served as Chief Executive of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), driving the strategic transformation of IPOS in support of Singapore’s innovation-based economy. Between 1997 and 2012, before joining IPOS, Daren Tang held different legal positions within the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore. In 2016, he received the Public Administration Medal from the Prime Minister's Office Singapore for outstanding efficiency and competence in the service of his country. Daren Tang is a graduate of the National University of Singapore (Bachelor of Law, Honors) and the Georgetown University Law Center (Master of Laws, Distinction). He also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. […]

Guest Speakers: Raquel Dachner and David Flyer, Flyer & Flyer, PLC Topic: Trying an Unregistered Trade Dress Case Date: Thursday, September 21, 2023 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Andrei's Conscious Cuisine, 2607 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614 Registration: Member: $55.00 Non-Member: $80.00 Student Member: $20.00     Our Speakers Raquel Flyer Dachner Raquel received her bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California, then went to law school at UC Davis School of Law graduating in 2011. She is a partner at Flyer and Flyer, PLC, and has been lead trial counsel on eight jury trials involving trade dress infringement, breach of contract, and other civil matters. Recently, on July 28, 2023, the jury returned a verdict in favor of her client, a physician's group, against a fortune 150 company-machine manufacturer.  The manufacturer sold the physician's group a blood and tissue assay machine which failed to operate as warranted, where the manufacturer claimed that the physician's laboratory technicians failed to maintain and operate the machine as described in the owner's manual.  Both sides retained experts, and a key piece of evidence according to the jury, was an edited video presentation depicting both maintenance and operations. The matter was heard by the Honorable Sherilyn Peace Green, […]

Topic: Monitoring and Enforcing Your Brand Against Online Counterfeiters Aaron and Jonathan will discuss evolving trends in online counterfeiting, including new techniques infringers use to evade detection, and will offer insights into building an effective enforcement program. Date: Thursday, October 26, 2023 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Andrei's Conscious Cuisine, 2607 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614 Registration: Member: $55.00 Non-Member: $80.00 Student Member: $20.00     Our Speakers Aaron Fennimore has been advising clients for more than 15 years on the protection, management and enforcement of trademarks, copyrights and domain names, as well as in the areas of marketing and advertising, rights of publicity and privacy. He currently serves as Director and Senior Legal Counsel for Western Digital Corp., a leading provider of data storage products, where he focuses on a range of brand protection issues, including trademark infringement, anti-counterfeiting and fraud. Jonathan Tudryn is a Brand Protection Program Manager at Western Digital, specializing in online enforcement and overseeing day-to-day enforcement efforts in many countries across the globe. With over a decade of experience dealing with infringers in the online space, he’s seen it all! Applying his background in mathematics and computer science, Jonathan loves studying trends and finding new ways that infringers try to take […]

Topic: Unified Patent Court: Initial Cases The Unified Patent Court (UPC) entered into force on June 1, 2023 in the European Union. Hundreds of cases have been filed there, already. In a few cases, the Court has issued preliminary injunction decisions that have been favorable for patent owners. This presentation will review the initial cases, including trends in the divisions being used, the parties accessing the court, and the substantive decisions made so far. The presentation will also consider the structure and incentives of the court in comparison to U.S. tribunals and will consider more generally how the launch of the UPC aims to transform the global patent litigation market. The presentation will also consider the expected impact of the Court on due diligence exercises in transactions and valuations. Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Virtual Event (zoom link to be provided) Registration: Member: $20.00 Non-Member: $20.00 Student Member: $20.00     Speaker: Charles (Chuck) Larsen, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery (Boston, London) As a US lawyer and English solicitor, Charles (Chuck) Larsen provides clients sophisticated multi jurisdictional counsel in intellectual property portfolio strategy, transactions and disputes, with a particular emphasis in bioengineering and the medical technology space. […]

  You're Invited! We are pleased to announce the OCIPLA 2023 Holiday Celebration on December 12, 2023. Join us at Courtyard at The Boardwalk for an evening of holiday cheer. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served. The event will be held outdoors. Members are free and must register for the event. Non-member and guest tickets are $25. We look forward to seeing everyone there, OCIPLA Board of Directors   Event Details DATE: Tuesday, December 12, 2023 TIME: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. LOCATION: The Boardwalk - Courtyard: 18575 Jamboree Rd., Irvine, CA 92612 Registration: Member: Free Non-Member: $25.00 Guest: $25.00    

Topic:  Ethics in Review – Hot Topics for IP Attorneys Join Emil J. Ali of McCabe & Ali, LLP as he returns to OCIPLA to present on current ethics issues that IP attorneys should be aware of.  From the use of artificial intelligence in patent prosecution and IP litigation to the USPTO’s war on foreign trademark filings, this CLE will provide information on recent areas of focus for the USPTO’s Office of Enrollment and Discipline, the State Bar of California, as well as some best practices to avoid missteps in client relationships. Date: Thursday, January 18, 2024 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Andrei's Conscious Cuisine, 2607 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614 Registration: Member: $55.00 Non-Member: $80.00 Student Member: $20.00     Our Speaker Emil J. Ali is a partner at McCabe & Ali, LLP where he focuses his practice on helping lawyers understand their obligations under state and federal law.  As a registered patent attorney, a significant focus of his practice involves advising lawyers and law firms on all aspects of the intersection of IP and ethics matters.  Emil’s work includes counseling clients on lateral transitions, malpractice avoidance, expert opinion and testimony, and respondent’s defense work before various bars and courts.  You […]

Topic:  Steamboat Willie Enters The Public Domain. What does this mean for IP Protection of Mickey Mouse? Richard Gilmore will discuss the history of copyright protection, Disney’s IP rights for the character, the impact on Disney’s enforcement now that the character has entered the public domain and the potential impact of these recent events on copyright and trademark laws. Date: Thursday, February 15, 2024 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Andrei's Conscious Cuisine, 2607 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614 Registration: Member: $55.00 Non-Member: $80.00 Student Member: $20.00     Our Speaker Richard Gilmore is a partner at Maschoff Brennan Gilmore Israelsen & Mauriel LLP, and a registered patent agent. He is involved in all aspects of intellectual property law, with a focus on patent and trademark application preparation and prosecution domestically and internationally. He represents large and small clients from a diverse range of industries and often works directly with in-house counsel to develop and maintain their worldwide patent and trademark portfolios. His patent practice includes utility and design patents, appeals to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Board of Appeals and Interferences, and reexamination proceedings. Rick speaks each year at the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) Annual Trademark Boot Camp, and has also taught many law school classes on patent and trademark issues. Rick is a three-time […]

**PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO THURSDAY, MARCH 28TH** Topic: The Supreme Court’s Amgen v. Sanofi decision and the USPTO's new guidance on enablement resulting from the Amgen decision Description: Jeff Morton will discuss the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Amgen, Inc. v. Sanofi (Amgen) as well as the USPTO's new (January 2024) guidance on enablement that has resulted from the Amgen decision. The decision sent shock waves through the patent world, particularly in the chemical and biotech segments, due to its invalidation of Amgen patents based on a lack of enablement. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has now issued much-anticipated patent examiner guidance that takes into account the implications of the Amgen decision, and it appears that the decision may have a more muted impact than originally anticipated. Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024 Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Andrei's Conscious Cuisine, 2607 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614 Registration: Member: $55.00 Non-Member: $80.00 Student Member: $20.00    

Topic:  Patent Year in Review Description: Mark Lemley is the William H. Neukom Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and the director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology. He is also a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and affiliated faculty in the Symbolic Systems program. In addition to teaching, he also litigates and counsels clients in all areas of intellectual property, antitrust, and internet law as a founding partner of Durie Tangri LLP. Date:  Monday, April 15, 2024 Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm Location:  Virtual Presentation (Zoom link will be provided) Registration: Member: $20.00 Non-Member: $30.00 Student Member: $20.00