

Participate in active Interest Groups focusing on Patent, Trademark, Copyright, Trade Secrets, Licensing & Technology Transactions, IP Litigation, Entertainment & Sports, International IP, In-House Counsel, IP Legislation, Cannabis, and Technology, Internet & Privacy. Interest Groups offer frequent webinar presentations and community discussions of hot topics and practice tips.
The Interest Groups of the IP Section are open to all IP Section members interested in participating. The groups have regular meetings open to all members of the IP Section. They also present educational programs focused on the needs of various IP practices.
All of the interest groups send periodic e-mail bulletins to their members. As an IP Law Section member, you can sign up to receive notifications in all areas that interest you.
For more information, contact the officers for the Interest Group(s) of your choice (scroll down for the contact information), or contact the Intellectual Property Law Section at IP@calawyers.org.
Announcements of meetings and CLE programs are included in Inevitable Disclosures, which is sent to all members of the Section.
Upcoming Interest Group Calls
June 1, 2023 @ 12 noon | Cannabis Interest Group Call
Thursday, June 1, 2023, 12 noon
Monthly open call of the Cannabis Interest Group. We’ll discuss upcoming webinars and conferences, opportunities for members to get involved and Hot Topics.
This meeting will take place by way of the Zoom platform. To participate in the meeting by phone, the dial-in number is (669) 900-6833. For the zoom audio-video link, please refer to the most recent issue of Inevitable Disclosures emailed to members of the IP Section. If you no longer have that Inevitable Disclosures email, please contact IP@calawyers.org and request the Zoom link.
June 7, 2023 @ 12 noon | Copyright Interest Group Call
Wednesday, June 72023, 12 noon
Monthly open call of the Copyright Interest Group. We will present the latest copyright law developments over the past month in a collegial, no-pressure, and sometimes humorous setting. Please consider joining!
This meeting will take place by way of the Zoom platform. To participate in the meeting by phone, the dial-in number is (669) 900-6833. For the zoom audio-video link, please refer to the most recent issue of Inevitable Disclosures emailed to members of the IP Section. If you no longer have that Inevitable Disclosures email, please contact IP@calawyers.org and request the Zoom link.
June 9, 2023 @ 12 noon | Licensing & Technology Transactions Interest Group Call
Friday, June 9 2023, 12 noon
This meeting will take place by way of the Zoom platform. To participate in the meeting by phone, the dial-in number is (669) 900-6833. For the zoom audio-video link, please refer to the most recent issue of Inevitable Disclosures emailed to members of the IP Section. If you no longer have that Inevitable Disclosures email, please contact IP@calawyers.org and request the Zoom link.
Monthly “All Hands” Licensing & Technology Transactions IG conference call. We’ll discuss upcoming webinars and conferences, opportunities for members to get involved and Hot Topics.
Artificial Intelligence in Pharma and Biotech – Navigating Key Intellectual Property Issues
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are revolutionizing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Their unparalleled power to make predictions based on large data sets is advancing our understanding of diseases, accelerating drug discovery and development, improving diagnostics, and making clinical trials faster, less costly, and more successful. AI is critical to remaining competitive in these areas.
This presentation will address how AI is being used in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and critical IP issues that companies in those industries face when using AI, including:
- Uses of AI in the pharmaceutical industry, today and in the future;
- How to draft strong claims that can exclude competitors and survive invalidity challenges;
- How companies can protect their data and trade secrets (often among their most valuable assets) when collaborating with other companies on AI projects.
Speaker: Charles Collins-Chase
Charles Collins-Chase uses his chemical engineering background to assist clients in district court patent litigation and appeals. He has particular expertise helping innovator pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies protect their inventions in Hatch-Waxman (ANDA) and Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA) litigations. Charles also represents clients using artificial intelligence systems for drug discovery.
Charles has handled litigations at every stage, from pre-litigation through trial. Charles also serves as lead counsel in appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, where he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Kimberly Moore.
Contact the Interest Group
Cannabis
Chair: David Branfman, Solano Beach
Vice-Chair: Elizabeth J. Rest, San Francisco
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. Providing IP legal services to the legal cannabis industry requires knowledge and experience in all the major sub-categories of IP law: trademarks; copyrights; patents; trade secrets; rights of publicity; and IP licensing.
The Cannabis Interest Group of the Intellectual Property Law strives to educate lawyers in intellectual property law principles and the business and legal aspects of servicing the burgeoning legal cannabis industry, including, but not limited to, the creation, protection, acquisition, and licensing of brand names and content, domain names, label design, trade secrets, and patents – all pursuant to the complex web of U.S., California and foreign laws – as well as the licensing and sale of those IP assets.
The Cannabis Interest Group offers educational programs focused on cannabis intellectual property issues. The Cannabis Interest Group also has regular and lively Zoom meetings the first Thursday of each month at 12:00 PT where we discuss recent cannabis intellectual property cases, cannabis-related trademark and copyright filings, cannabis companies in the news, and other hot cannabis-related topics. We also welcome members to bring their questions and concerns to the group for us to work through together.
Copyright
Chair: Marcus Peterson, Los Angeles
Co-Vice Chair: John R. Wierzbicki, San Francisco
Co-Vice Chair: Angus MacDonald, Oakland
The Copyright Interest Group offers educational programs focused on recent copyright developments. The Copyright IG has regular, lively Zoom meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 12pm PT, where we discuss the most recent copyright decisions, policy issues, Copyright Office rules, interesting cases, and other hot topics related to U.S. copyright law. We also welcome members to bring their questions, topics, and perspectives to the group.
Entertainment & Sports
Chair: Jonathan Lurie, Sacramento
Vice Chair: Elizabeth Rest, San Francisco
Programming Chair: Michelle Ferri, Nicasio
In-House Counsel
Chair: Angus McDonald, Oakland
Vice-Chair: Sanjesh Sharma, Irvine
Programming Chair: Sophie Cohen, San Francisco
The In-House Counsel Interest Group organizes educational programming including webinars and panels at conferences on contemporary issues and topics of interest pertinent to in-house IP counsel and other in-house counsel interested in learning more about intellectual property law
Inevitable Disclosures
Editor-in-Chief: Emily Yu, San Jose
International Law
Chair: David H. Tseng, Seattle WA
Vice Chair: Mariana Noli, Oceanside
Vice Chair of Programming: Leaf Williams, Redwood City
The International Interest Group offers educational programs and written content focused on recent developments in intellectual property worldwide. The International IG is always seeking the opportunity to examine and compare the developments of IP topics in the different jurisdictions outside the United States. The International IG has regular leadership Zoom meetings on a monthly basis, where we discuss the most recent decisions, policy issues, interesting cases, and other hot topics related to international intellectual property law. We also welcome members to bring their questions, topics, and perspectives to the group.
Legislation
Chair: D. Benjamin Borson, Lafayette
Vice Chair: Mark R. Leonard, Sacramento
Licensing & Technology Transactions
Chair: Sean Hogle, San Rafael
Co-Vice Chair: Ryan E. Long, Santa Monica
Co-Vice Chair: James S. Parkhill, San Francisco
Co-Vice Chair: Matthew Dedon, Dublin
Litigation
Chair: Anne-Marie Dao, San Diego
Vice Chair: Katie Lafferty Ignash, San Diego
The Litigation Interest Group offers educational programming including webinars and panels at conferences on current and developing issues pertinent to litigators practicing intellectual property law.
New Matter
Editor in Chief: Thomas A. Ward, Contra Costa
Acquisitions Editor: Amanda Nye, Marin
Co-Production Editor: Anthony Craig, San Diego
Co-Production Editor: Leaf Williams, Vancouver
Senior Articles Editor: Robert Dabney Eastham, Mendocino
Patent
Chair: Sanjesh Sharma
Programming Chair: Nate Camuti
Communications Chair: Mieke Malmberg, Los Angeles
The Patent Interest Group offers educational programming including webinars and monthly calls on current and developing issues pertinent to Patent practitioners. The Patent IG’s webinar programs focus on patent prosecution, litigation, licensing and transactions, and/or any of the three California specialty credit requirements. The IG is also responsible for planning the IP Section’s The Patent Office Comes to California flagship program.
For example, a new leadership slate, etc.
Technology, Internet, & Privacy Law
Chair: Michele Ferri, Nicasio
Vice Chair: Kieran de Terra, San Diego
Vice Chair of Programming: Soody Tronson
Trademark
Chair: Bob Payne, San Jose
Vice Chair: Dana Brody Brown, San Jose
The Trademark Interest Group focuses on prosecution, licensing, administrative oppositions and litigation of trademarks. Our primary effort is devoted to programming.
Trade Secrets
Chair: Robert Milligan, Los Angeles
Vice Chair: Angelique Kaounis, Los Angeles
Communications Chair: Catherine Lui, San Francisco
Interest group focused on the intricacies of trade secret law in California from a transactional and litigation perspective.