International Women's Leadership Virtual Forum 2020

Elizabeth Weiswasser

Partner, Weil Gotshal & Manges

Elizabeth (“Liz”) Stotland Weiswasser is co-head of Weil’s nationwide patent litigation practice, co-head of the firm’s life sciences practice, and a member of the firm’s management committee. She has been litigating patent cases in the biological and pharmaceutical spaces for more than two decades.

Liz is lead counsel on behalf of some of the most sophisticated pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies in the world, both in federal courts and in inter partes and post-grant review proceedings before U.S. Patent Office. She has led patent cases across the full range of biopharma technologies, including biologics, small molecules, formulation, and drug delivery. Liz’s experience, along with her deep training in molecular biology and biochemistry, has made her a highly sought-after litigator and counselor in the life sciences space. Liz is a former law clerk to Judge Lourie on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and licensed before the U.S. Patent Office, where she was recognized as one of the top inter partes review practitioners in 2018 by Managing Intellectual Property, and as one of the inaugural “Top 50 Women in PTAB Trials” by the PTAB Bar Association in 2019.

Liz has received wide recognition from clients, her peers, and the broader life sciences industry as a leader in the life sciences and patent litigation fields, and particularly as one of the top women in the profession.

 Speaking session 

Leadership and building for the next generation during challenging times

September 17 - 11.45 EDT

Anna-lisa Gallo

Associate general counsel, IP, Lixil Americas

Anna-lisa is currently associate general counsel and head of intellectual property for Lixil Americas, the world’s largest global leader in sanitaryware, and she handles all aspects of IP, TCSA and EPA matters for various global businesses. Her responsibilities include IP strategies, policies, transactional, contentious, clearance and prosecution matters, and claim review and registration.

Prior to LWTA, Gallo was senior ip counsel for BASF Corporation. She was responsible for all aspects of IP for various global businesses including chemical intermediates, cosmetics, catalysts, coatings, colorants and Innovation and University Team. Prior to in-house positions, she was with Hoffman & Baron for over 11 years, where she focused on patents, trademarks and copyrights. Gallo holds a degree in chemical engineering from Villanova University and a JD from Seton Hall University School of Law with a concentration in IP. Gallo is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York, District of Columbia, the Federal District Court and Court of Appeals of New Jersey and USPTO.

 Speaking session 

In-house management of IP in a volatile and challenging landscape

September 16 - 09.45 EDT

Romy Horn

General counsel, W2O Group

Romy Horn is general counsel at W2O Group, a healthcare-focused, analytics driven, marketing communications agency. She currently leads the agency’s Legal and Business Affairs team and works hand in hand with the entire infrastructure group on a daily basis. Romy is fluent in global operations US, EMEA, and APAC with a heavy strength focus in IP, digital and integration across OpCo practices and departments. She leads the company’s legal strategy and execution which includes the responsibility to oversee M&A, streamline services, and improve relations with procurement departments to better meet client needs.

Prior to joining W2O, Romy was general counsel at 360i for seven years where she closely partnered with the senior leadership team to deliver a strong mix of risk prevention and protection and bring a true Value add across the network. Romy has over 14 years of litigation and arbitration experience and a broad knowledge of the key intricate legal issues that surface in an evolving digital arena. She has shared her knowledge and experience at many legal conferences including, NYSBA on Native Advertising, ACI’s Annual Summit on Digital Advertising Compliance and Corporate Counsel’s Annual IP Trademark, Copyright & Licensing Counsel Forum.

Romy is a Brooklyn resident, graduate of Adelphi University (BA History and Dance) along with a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. She spends her limited free time with infuriating multi-piece puzzles and has cultivated strong but well-informed opinions on the best Chinese noodles in NYC.

 Speaking session 

COVID-19: IP responses and mitigation tactics

September 16 - 11.15 EDT

Kim Jessum

Chief IP counsel, US associate general counsel, Heraeus

Kim specializes in providing practical legal advice in commercial transactions, intellectual property, and general matters, including:

• License, supply, development, service, distribution, confidentiality and other commercial agreements
• Global patent and trademark strategies
• Freedom to operate, noninfringement and invalidity analyses
• U.S. and international patent portfolio management
• M&A transactions, including due diligence reviews, IP valuation, and implementation
• Management of litigation
• Employee training
• FDA and other regulatory advice
• Corporate compliance and governance
• Trade secret protection

 Speaking session 

Work-life conflict

September 17 - 09.00 EDT

Maria Maras

Senior legal counsel, IP litigation, Accenture

Maria Maras is a senior intellectual property counsel at Accenture, a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology, and operations. Accenture’s worldwide intellectual property portfolio includes highly differentiated technologies in areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, quantum computing, and analytics.

Maria successfully resolves IP-related litigation and disputes for Accenture and implements innovative strategies to protect Accenture’s IP and mitigate IP-related risks related to Accenture’s operations in more than 120 countries. She also leads Accenture’s inventor recognition program and annual “Invention of the Year” competition. Before joining Accenture, Maria tried high-stakes IP cases as a partner for Kirkland & Ellis. She earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago.

 Speaking session 

Work-life conflict

September 17 - 09.00 EDT

Christine Streatfeild

Partner, Baker McKenzie

Christine is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Washington DC Office. She serves as a steering committee member of the firm's North America trade secrets practice, and focuses her practice on trade remedies and unfair competition cases, including antidumping and countervailing duty cases, safeguard measures, duties imposed for national security purposes (Section 232 duties), and Section 337 intellectual property and trade secrets disputes. Streatfeild regularly appears before the US International Trade Commission (ITC), US Department of Commerce (DOC), and in state and federal courts. She is on the 2020 NAFTA Dispute Settlement Panels Roster (on behalf of the United States), a position she has held since 2019, and has served as an adjunct professor at the Krieger School, Johns Hopkins University, where she taught global trade, policy and competition.

Prior to joining Baker McKenzie, Streatfeild served as the acting deputy director of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and in the environment and natural resources division of the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

 Speaking session 

COVID-19: IP responses and mitigation tactics

September 16 - 11.15 EDT

Helen Tieh

Director of legal, Looker Data Sciences, a subsidiary of Google

Helen Tieh is director of legal at Looker Data Sciences, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Google. At Looker, Tieh was responsible for all legal work for product and intellectual property, supporting the engineering, product and design teams and managing the patent, copyright, trademark and open source programs for the company.

At Google, Tieh continues to support the Looker business unit while working on integration work streams and serving as product counsel for other Google data analytics products. She has a J.D. from the Duke University School of Law and a B.A. from Stanford University.

 Speaking session 

Work-life conflict

September 17 - 09.00 EDT

Sara Vinarov

Global legal head of intellectual property, Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas

As global legal head of intellectual property for Tate & Lyle (headquartered in London, England), Dastgheib-Vinarov is responsible for educating and engaging employees to foster a culture of innovation, directing IP strategy, portfolio management, monetization efforts and guiding global defense and enforcement of Tate & Lyle’s worldwide intellectual property assets for all business platforms. 

Dastgheib-Vinarov is a registered attorney with the US Patent & trademark Office and has over 20 years of experience in the intellectual property field.  Prior to joining Tate & Lyle, Dastgheib-Vinarov was in private practice, as a partner in the Intellectual Property group of the national law firm Quarles & Brady, where she primarily advised universities and emerging companies in the biotechnology field, specifically, stem cells, structural genomics and proteomics.  Notably, in 2004, she wrote a seminal paper on the patentability of structural genomics and proteomics, and was invited to the National Academy of Sciences, where she shared her global insights with the nation's policy makers. 

Sara earned a B.S. in biochemistry from Trinity University in Texas, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Notre Dame and a law degree from Marquette University.  Dastgheib-Vinarov lives in downtown Chicago with her family.

 Speaking session 

In-house management of IP in a volatile and challenging landscape

September 16 - 09.45 EDT

Lauren Dienes-Middlen

SVP, assistant general counsel – IP, World Wrestling Entertainment

Biography coming soon.

 Speaking session 

Leadership and building for the next generation during challenging times

September 17 - 11.45 EDT

Kim Youngberg

Former general counsel, Screenvision Media

Kim started her legal career working in the glory days of music for 16 years, first at Davis Shapiro & Lewit, a boutique music law firm, with luminous clients such as LL Cool J, Black Eyed Peas and Cheap Trick.  Then she became SVP Business and Legal Affairs at Wind-Up Entertainment, an indie record label and music publisher.  Kim helped launch a merchandising company while at Wind-Up and lead the label through the transition from analog to digital music consumption.  Next Kim jumped into cinema advertising and, trial by fire, learned how to advance an entirely different industry.  Creatives love the glory of the 40-foot movie screen.  At Screenvision Media in addition to the normal blocking and tackling as a general counsel, Kim created deals for emerging technologies, digital and programmatic advertising, digital insights and audience analytics for advertisers and exhibitors.  She also developed deals for AR and VR in theater lobbies.  COVID-19 has taken a toll on the movie industry, and the return to normal attendance in movie theaters will be slow. 

Now a free agent, after 9 years at Screenvision Media, Kim welcomes a new chapter.  While society faces challenging social justice, health and environmental issues, Kim is open to suggestions and is exploring opportunities to pivot once again and support companies that make this new world a better place. 

 Speaking session 

Work-life conflict

September 17 - 09.00 EDT

Katie McKnight

Partner, Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner

Katie McKnight, a partner in Finnegan’s Washington, DC office and a former attorney at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, brings a unique perspective to the firm’s trademark group. As an interlocutory attorney, Katie was responsible for researching, drafting and collaborating with administrative trademark judges on eight precedential decisions and issuing orders on non-dispositive procedural and substantive motions. Motion practice and strategy before the TTAB remains an important part of Katie’s practice at the firm, where she also focuses on strategic portfolio management and enforcement counseling. Her private practice experience includes advising clients ranging from startups to multinational corporations.

Virginia Carron, a partner in Finnegan’s Atlanta office, practices patent and trademark litigation and counseling. Her broad client base includes a large food and beverage company; a company involved in refining, chemicals and biofuels, forest and consumer products, fertilizers, polymers and fibers, pollution control and glass; an international manufacturer of hand-made cigars; and numerous international clients in various fields. She has been recognized as one of WIPR’s Top 100 Most Influential Women in IP, an IP Star Top 250 Women in IP and a patent and trademark IP Star in Georgia by Managing Intellectual Property, as well as a leader in Georgia by Intellectual Asset Management. Virginia counsels clients on intellectual property litigation, licensing, and related transactional matters in both trademarks and patents for several Fortune 500 companies. Her practice also includes inter partes review (IPR) procedures before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). On a pro bono basis, Virginia has represented numerous disabled military veterans challenging disability compensation decisions in appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. She was recognized by the Federal Circuit Bar Association and its Charitable and Education Fund for pro bono service contributions, particularly for work on behalf of veterans.

Sydney English focuses her practice on brand management, product development, and marketing.  Her practice includes trademark, design patent, and false advertising litigation as well as trademark and design patent prosecution, portfolio management, and enforcement in the United States and abroad.  She also advises clients on advertising and packaging claims as well as claim substantiation.  Sydney draws on her education and experience in fashion, textile technology, and product development to work with many Fortune 500 clients in the apparel, footwear, personal care, food and beverage, and pet care industries.  During law school, Sydney served as a law clerk for Finnegan and a judicial intern for the Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Before law school, Sydney worked as an assistant product manager developing private label brands and product lines. 

 Speaking session 

Designing your IP career

September 16 - 09.00 EDT

Sydney English

Associate, Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner

Biography coming soon.

 Speaking session 

In-house management of IP in a volatile and challenging landscape

September 16 - 09.45 EDT

Andrea Cannon

Deputy general counsel, Nestle Purina

Andrea Cannon is Vice President, Deputy General Counsel IP at Nestlé Purina PetCare.  Andrea leads the Nestlé Purina IP group and is responsible for all aspects of its global IP portfolio, including, clearance, maintenance, enforcement, litigation, licensing and M&A support.  After working at a large law firm in Chicago as an IP attorney, Andrea has spent nearly 20 years as in-house IP Counsel at large companies.  Before Nestlé Purina, Andrea worked at Anheuser-Busch InBev and Sears.

 Speaking session 

In-house management of IP in a volatile and challenging landscape

September 16 - 09.45 EDT

Kristin Westgard

Deputy general counsel, Kochi Companies Public Sector

Kristin leads the Litigation and Intellectual Property teams within the Koch Legal Capability, which provides legal support across the various Koch Companies.  Kristin was previously Associate General Counsel for Litigation and Intellectual Property at INVISTA, a Koch Company.  Kristin received her BA in International Relations, with high honors, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School. 

 Speaking session 

In-house management of IP in a volatile and challenging landscape

September 16 - 09.45 EDT

Virgina Carron

Partner, Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner

Biography coming soon.

 Speaking session 

In-house management of IP in a volatile and challenging landscape

September 16 - 09.45 EDT

Rekha Hanu

VP, associate general counsel & chieft IP counsel, Akorn Pharmaceuticals

Biography coming soon.

 Speaking session 

COVID-19: IP responses and mitigation tactics

September 16 - 11.15 EDT

Lauren Fornarotto

Principal, McKool Smith

Biography coming soon

 Speaking session 

IP litigation in review and its effect on your litigation strategy

September 17 - 10.30 EDT

Andele Frankel

Head of IP program, Flatiron Health

Biography coming soon.

 Speaking session 

Leadership and building for the next generation during challenging times

September 17 - 12.10 EDT

Lauren Mandell

Assistant general counsel, Henkel Corporation

Biography coming soon.

 Speaking session 

Leadership and building for the next generation during challenging times

September 17 - 11.45 EDT

Caren Khoo

VP & deputy general counsel, Verizon

Biography coming soon.

 Speaking session 

Leadership and building for the next generation during challenging times

September 17 - 11.45 EDT

Virginia Cervieri

in-house legal counsel, Cipriani group

Virginia Cervieri is responsible for managing the worldwide portfolio of the Cipriani group's brands around the world and developing the business and global strategy for the company in terms of IP matters.

She has been working with the group for more than 5 years and is in charge of managing the global strategy in terms of brand protection and especially litigation. In total, 682 brands under her and her team’s control, including the famous “Harry’s Bar” and “Bellini” trademark.

In addition, she works in the defense of cancellation actions, opposition proceedings, trademark infringement trials, and piracy defense in various countries around the world.

 Speaking session 

IP litigation in review and its effect on your litigation strategy

September 17 - 10.30 EDT

Ksenia Takhistov

Co-chair, director and legal counsel, CME Group

Biography coming soon.

 Speaking session 

COVID-19: IP responses and mitigation tactics

September 16 - 11.15 EDT

Hiba Zarour

Head of IP, global division, Hikma Pharmaceuticals

Hiba Zarour is the Head of Intellectual Property at Hikma Pharmaceuticals- Global Division, her focus is the emerging and European markets. She holds a BSc. degree in Pharmacy from the University of Jordan, an LLM degree in Intellectual Property and a Juris Doctor degree with high honors (Magna Cum Laude) from Pierce Law, one of the top ten law universities in intellectual property in the US. Hiba is a member of the New York and Massachusetts state bar associations. She is also certified in “Executing Strategy in Strategy Focused Organizations using the Balanced Scorecard” and the “Essentials of Leadership” by the London Business School.

Before becoming the Head of Intellectual Property-Global Division, Hiba held several managerial positions in the Marketing, Regulatory Affairs and Legal departments at Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Jordan. From October 2016-February 2018, in addition to her position as Head of Intellectual Property, Hiba was also asked to head Hikma R&D on an interim basis. Her main task was to restructure the department to prepare Hikma for the challenges of innovation and the changing world of pharmaceuticals.

She is a member of the trade committee of the International Generic Pharmaceutical Association (IGPA) and the IP committee at the Jordanian Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and the Saudi National Committee of Pharmaceutical Industries. Hiba has been invited to speak on intellectual property by various national and international organizations like WIPO and CPhI Russia

 Speaking session 

IP litigation in review and its effect on your litigation strategy

September 17 - 10.30 EDT

Dana Vallera

Senior counsel, litigation (IP), Corning Incorporated

Biography coming soon.

 Speaking session 

IP litigation in review and its effect on your litigation strategy

September 17 - 10.30 EDT