ABA-IPL eNews December 2024

Register today!

IPLSPRING – 2025 ABA-IPL Section Annual Meeting

April 30 - May 2, 2025
Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel, Arlington, VA

Mark your calendars, and register for IPLSPRING, April 30-May 2, 2025. Watch the Section website for complete information as it becomes available.

At IPLSPRING, you can learn the latest developments in intellectual property law. The conference will provide two full days of CLE programming, networking events, business meetings, attorney wellness activity, and more!

The conference will also feature a special plenary. In addition to the outstanding and comprehensive array of educational programs, the conference will feature luncheons with informative guest speakers. The Mark T. Banner Award will be presented at the luncheon on Thursday, May 1.

Sponsors are invited to participate in the conference. Maximize the advantages of sponsorship by signing up now to be included in IPLSPRING marketing and publicity outreach. For more information, contact Christopher Meacham, at [email protected].

Announcing the Mark T. Banner Award Recipient

The ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law
is proud to announce the 2025 Mark T. Banner Award Honoree

Horacio Gutierrez

Horacio E. Gutierrez, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Legal, and Chief Compliance Officer of The Walt Disney Company, will be the recipient of the 2025 ABA IPL Mark T. Banner Award. This prestigious accolade will be presented during our 2025 ABA IPL Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., from April 30 to May 2, 2025 and will recognize Mr. Gutierrez for all his contributions to the legal field, including being named one of the "Top 50 Most Powerful Latino Leaders" and a leading in-house lawyer by various legal publications.

Join us during the Section Luncheon with 2025 Mark T. Banner Award Presentation

IPLSPRING
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel
Arlington, VA

The Mark T. Banner Award, established in honor of the late Mark T. Banner, former ABA-IPL Section Chair, is presented to an individual or individuals who have made an impact on IP law and/or practice. Winners of this award have expressed a clear passion and enthusiasm for, and advanced the practice, profession and/or substance of IP law through extraordinary contributions to, among, other things, teaching, scholarship, innovation, legislation, advocacy, bar or other association activities, or the judiciary. Learn more about the Mark T. Banner Award.

2025 Judicial Intern Opportunity Program Applications Now Open

Apply Today!

The Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP) is a summer internship program open to all first- and second-year underrepresented law students. Selected students intern for six weeks or more during the summer with a participating state or federal judge. The program offers a $2,000 award to each selected student. Students can also elect law school credit.

We began accepting Summer 2025 applications for all students on November 4, 2024. The deadline for applying is January 10, 2025. Last year, we offered internships to 171 law students representing 68 different law schools in locations throughout the country. Our goal is to place 160 students during Summer 2025.

Please see our program information, including a program description and frequently asked questions for more details. The program application and detailed program information is available on the JIOP website. Applications are only accepted electronically through the JIOP website. Contact JIOP Program Director Gail Howard with additional questions.

Sign Up to Screen Judicial Intern Opportunity Program Applicants

The Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP) provides opportunities to students who are members of groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession, including students from minority racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, veterans, students who are economically disadvantaged, students who identify as LGBTQ+, women, and others. JIOP is seeking attorneys to volunteer their time to conduct initial screening interviews for its 2025 program. Volunteers play a critical role in the screening process and assist in identifying the best candidates for judicial consideration. Interviews take place either in-person or virtually from December through February. Sign up now!

Donate to the Judicial Intern Opportunity Program (JIOP)

Your donation to the Judicial Internship Opportunity Program (JIOP) helps ensure that funding is available for students who are members of racial and ethnic groups, and others that are traditionally underrepresented in the profession, including students with disabilities, students who are economically disadvantaged, students who identify as LGBT, women, and veterans.

Last year, more than 770 students applied to the program. JIOP placed 186 students with 139 judges. Students placed represented 79 different law schools. The JIOP IP program continues to grow with 28 judges requesting students with background or interest in intellectual property law. 130 of the 770 applicants showed interest with 58 of those students attaching additional background and statements supporting their experience. We placed a total of 32 IP students.

All ABA-IPL Section members are encouraged to show their support and donate to the Judicial Internship Opportunity Program.

ABA-IPL Section co-sponsors IP CLE Conference
(CLE & Ski) in January

January 8-11, 2025

The ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law is happy to once again co-sponsor the IP CLE Conference, January 8-11, 2025 at the Grand Hyatt, Vail, Colorado. Hear from distinguished intellectual property experts including regulators, judges, and in-house counsel in the morning and late afternoon, and enjoy Vail and the world-class slopes during the day.

Expert presenters will engage in lively discussions about the hottest topics in IP law. In addition, two hours of programming for ethics credit will be offered. Topics will cover the range of IP law, including copyrights, trademarks, patents, AI, in-house perspectives, antitrust and IP, and others.

Participants can earn MCLE credit, make connections, and broaden their knowledge. Visit the IP CLE website for program and registration information, and to register.

Stay Connected…

ABA-IPL Action Groups

Access leadership opportunities and amplify your voice by joining and becoming involved in one of the ABA-IPL Section Action Groups. Engage with your peers in one or more Action Groups for immediate networking and leadership opportunities.

Section Action Groups include:

Connect with ABA-IPL Ambassadors

Discover how Section leaders received more from ABA-IPL membership on our Ambassador page. The featured testimonies provide insights into how ABA-IPL members strengthened their intellectual property (IP) network and made an impact through ABA-IPL Action Groups and Committees. Each action group and committee has a corresponding community on IPL Connect, where Section members can network and engage in lively discussions. Whether you’re interested in receiving updates on the latest in IP law or getting involved in key IP policy decisions—committee and action group involvement offers opportunities to learn, connect, and/or present.

Learn more about how to maximize your ABA-IPL membership.

Donate to the Foundation for Advancement of Diversity in IP Law

ABA-IPL Section members are encouraged to donate to the Foundation for Advancement of Diversity in IP Law (“the Foundation”, or “FADIPL”) to help support its mission.

The Foundation’s mission is to offer career-preparation, career-readiness, and career-advancement support to individuals who identify as members of racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in intellectual property law profession in the United States.

The Foundation’s Programs work toward:

Recruiting individuals who identify as members of racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the IP law profession to consider exploring careers in patent law and other areas of IP law.
Providing career-preparation and career-readiness support, as well as financial support, to individuals identified as members of racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the IP law profession who demonstrate an interest in a career in IP law.
Accelerating the development of a more diverse IP professional community through networking, counseling, and mentoring efforts aimed at fostering career advancement of individuals identifying as members of racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the IP law profession in the United States.

Individuals interested in donating can visit the FADIPL support page.

ABA-IPL webinars are free to Section members

All IPL Section webinars are free to Section members. Don’t forget to register and check them out.

ABA-IPL provides compelling CLE-accredited webinars that cover a broad range of IP issues. Mark your calendars for these upcoming webinars. Watch the events page on the Section website for information on all upcoming programs and events, and to register. As a special benefit of your membership in the ABA-IPL Section, you are able to participate in all ABA-IPL Section webinars for free.

January 29th, 2025

Differentiating Patent Value From Patent Damages

This presentation will explore the similarities and differences between patent value and patent damages. In particular, we will explore how the three different traditional valuation approaches - Cost, Market, and Income - are implemented differently in a valuation versus damages context. We will also refer to patent damages case law to show how the Federal Circuit and U.S. District Courts have addressed the use of patent value as part of the determination of patent damages.

Join an ABA-IPL Committees for 2024-2025

All Section members are encouraged to review the committees and select and join those on which they wish to serve, and which are of interest to them. If you are already a member of one of the existing committees, you are carried over as a member in the new association year.

Patents Division

Patent Legislation Committee [join]
International Patent Laws Committee [join]
USPTO Ex Parte Patent and Policy Practice [join]
USPTO Post Grant Patent Practice and Policy Committee [join]
Chemical and Life Science Patent Committee [join]
Patent Litigation Committee [join]
Patent System Planning Committee [join]
High Tech and Software Patent Committee [join]

Trademarks Division

Trademark Legislation Committee [join]
International Trademark Laws Committee [join]
USPTO Trademark Practice and Policy Committee [join]
Trademark Litigation Committee [join]
Trademarks and the Internet Committee [join]
Advertising and Marketing Law Committee [join]

Copyrights Division

Copyright Legislation Committee [join]
International Copyright Laws Committee [join]
Copyright Office Affairs Committee [join]
Visual Arts and Dramatic Works Committee [join]
Copyright and Social Media Committee [join]
Copyright and Emerging Technology Committee [join]
Music and Performing Arts Committee [join]
Copyright Litigation Committee [join]
Literary Works Committee [join]

Specialized IP Law Division

Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee [join]
Antitrust Interface Committee [join]
Trade Secrets and Interferences with Contracts Committee [join]
Design Rights Committee [join]
Privacy and Publicity Rights Committee [join]
Digital Games and New Media Committee [join]
Information Technology Committee [join]
Fashion Committee [join]

Professional Issues Division

Law Practice Management Committee [join]
Pro Bono Committee [join]
Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee [join]
Attorney Wellness Committee [join]

Business and Trade Division

IP Transactions and Licensing Committee [join]
International Trade Commission Committee [join]
China IP Issues Committee [join]
Government IP Rights Committee [join]
Monetization and Valuation of IP Committee [join]
In-House IP Committee [join]
Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Committee [join]

Become a Voting Committee Member for 2024-2025

Take advantage of an opportunity to participate in developing Section policy and sign up as a voting member of your committee. Voting members will be asked to study the policy issues of the committee and vote on the reports in a timely and responsive manner. Any lawyer member of a committee is welcome to sign up to be a voting member of the committee.

Committee members who choose not to enroll as a voting member can still participate in all other committee activities and receive any committee updates and information.

Details of Committee Voting Membership:

Committee members may sign up throughout the entire year. Once a committee begins deliberations on a particular resolution, no new voting members will be allowed to subscribe for the purpose of voting on that particular resolution. The committee chair determines the date on which deliberations have begun.

Members may opt out of being a voting member at any time by notifying the Committee Chair. Those opting out of voting membership will still retain their membership in the committee.

A valid vote on a committee resolution will consist of a majority of a quorum of the voting committee members. There is no upper limit, nor lower limit to the number of people who may subscribe to be voting members on a particular committee.

Only lawyer members of the committee are eligible to be become voting members of the committee.

Voting members will receive a communication from the Committee Chair once voting begins, requesting a vote by a date-certain. Voting members not submitting a vote by a requested date for two successive resolution vote calls will revert to regular membership of the committee, and will need to re-subscribe as a voting member.

The committee rosters, including the roster of voting committee members will roll over to subsequent years. There is no need to re-subscribe as a voting committee member with each new Association year.
Voting members who do not vote two times in a row will be removed from the voting member roster.

Please remember to notify the ABA if your email address changes by logging in to your “myABA” page on the ABA website or calling the ABA Member Service Center at (800) 285-2221.

Topic Suggestions?

We welcome your feedback on topics you would like to see covered in E-News. Please email Mike Winkler at [email protected] with your suggestions.

New From ABA-IPL Publishing

Principles of Patent Claim Drafting and Patent Claim Analysis: Cases, Material, Questions, and Problems

Section 337 Investigations Before the U.S. International Trade Commission

Part of the What Is series by the ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law

What is Trademark - Fifth Edition

Kenneth L. Dorsney and Cortlan S. Hitch, Editors

ABA Bestseller

Fourth editions of this popular series for you and your clients.

What is a Copyright, Fourth Edition

A Comprehensive Patent Practice Form Book

The Practitioner's Guide to the PCT (Second Edition)

Patent Claim Drafting Practice: Tactics, Strategy, and Analysis

ABA membership available for groups

Firm, Company, or Government Group Membership

When your firm or organization chooses to join the American Bar Association, we provide resources for making membership in the ABA easier.

Over 2,000 firms and organizations have already joined the program to enjoy many benefits:

Reduce administrative paperwork through a single annual invoice for all members of your organization; say goodbye to individual employee reimbursements!
Enjoy dedicated account service from a team of ABA specialists to serve your unique needs

For further information and to enroll your firm or company in the full-firm membership program, check out the special enrollment form.

Promote Yourself as a Proud Member of the ABA

Put your ABA Membership to work by displaying the new ABA Member Logo to signify your commitment to excellence in the practice of law.

As an ABA Member in good standing, you are encouraged to use this distinguished mark in professional activities to set yourself apart from non-member practitioners in the marketplace.

The ABA Member Logo may appear on:

Business cards
Brochures
PowerPoint presentations
Letterhead
Envelopes
External and internal communications
Webpages
Social media
Print advertising
Email signatures

Start Using the New ABA Member Logo Today!

Be sure to stay connected!

Does the ABA have your email address?

You may be missing out on important e-mailings from both the ABA and the ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law. Please be sure your email address is on file and up-to-date!

By phone: ABA Member Services at 1.800.285.2221 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., CST

By USPS: ABA Membership Services, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-7598

By e-mail: [email protected]. or go to ABA "contact us” link.

Online: (1) Go to the ABA homepage (www.americanbar.org), (2) Login, (3) Locate MyABA link (top left of the page), (4) EDIT within the profile module, and (5) update email address .

Section Officers:

Chair

Susan E. McGahan
AT&T
Bedminster, NJ

Chair-Elect

Robert Lytle
Microsoft
Redmond, WA

Vice-Chair

Joshua Simmons
Kirkland & Ellis
New York, NY

Secretary

Paul Morico
Baker Botts LLP
Houston, TX

Financial Officer

Richard Stockton
Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
Chicago, IL

Revenue Officer

Tammy Pennington-Rhodes
Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, LLP
Washington, DC

Membership Officer

Rivka Monheit
Pabst Patent Group LLP
Atlanta, GA

Diversity Officer

Nicole D. Galli
ND Galli Law LLC
Philadelphia, PA

Publications Officer

Adrienne R. Fields
The Law Offices of Adrienne R. Fields
New York, NY

CLE Officer

Christopher Ponder
Sheppard Mullin
Palo Alto, CA

Section Delegates to
The House of Delegates

Lisa A. Dunner (2025)
Dunner Law PLLC
Washington, DC

Adriana Suringa Luedke (2026)
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Bethesda, MD

William L. LaFuze (2027)
McKool Smith
Houston, TX

Immediate Past Chair

Steven P. Caltrider
Eli Lilly and Company
Indianapolis, IN

Contact Us

ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law
312.988.6254
[email protected]
www.americanbar.org/iplaw

Renew Your ABA Membership

American Bar Association TM American Bar Association