IPWatchdog LIVE 2023 Recap: Video of Judge Newman’s Powerful Remarks and What Sets the LIVE Meeting Apart

We just concluded our Third Annual Meeting – IPWatchdog LIVE 2023, which I can proudly say was a great success. People often ask me what makes IPWatchdog LIVE different from other programs within the industry. The IPWatchdog LIVE 2023 line-up of speakers, as well as its attendees, is a who’s who of people within the industry.

Here are just a few of the major highlights from the program.

On Sunday, September 17, 2023, Gene and I, alongside Judge Paul Michel, awarded Brian O’Shaughnessy with the 2023 Paul Michel Award. The Paul Michel Award is awarded annually to a respected industry leader and advocate who has served the best interests of the community and the intellectual property system itself. The Paul Michel Award recognizes advocacy, leadership, mentorship, sacrifice and selfless service, all characteristics commonly associated with the award’s namesake, Judge Michel.

Brian is the third recipient of the award, with David Kappos receiving the Paul Michel Award in 2021 and Andrei Iancu in 2022.

On Monday, September 18, Gene and I, alongside Judge Pauline Newman, awarded Bristol Myer Squibb Senior VP And Deputy General Counsel, Henry Hadad, with the Inaugural 2023 Pauline Newman Award. The Pauline Newman Award will be given each year to recognize the unique achievements of one patent attorney who has achieved at the highest levels. The award recognizes excellence, influence, integrity, vision and wisdom—all characteristics commonly associated with the award’s namesake, Judge Newman.

But before doing so we took the opportunity to surprise Judge Newman by inducting her into our IPWatchdog Masters Hall of Fame. After presenting Judge Newman with her award, she received a lengthy, and well-deserved standing ovation. Judge Newman took to the podium and eloquently addressed attendees as she accepted our award, and spoke on the importance of getting the balance right when it comes to IP law and jurisprudence. “If the time comes – as it does apparently every 30 or 40 years according to history – for another major look, and if need be, another major upheaval, in how we structure our Article III and the position in the nation for the future, for the greater good and for the necessity of the nation, then let’s do it,” she said. Judge Newman also went on to thank IPWatchdog and those in attendance for doing more than just “wringing our hands” by taking action toward change.

Those in attendance during this monumental moment in IPWatchdog history included Former CAFC Chief Judge Paul R. Michel; Former CAFC Chief Judge Randall R. Rader; U.S. District Court Judge for the Central District of California, Judge John W. Holcomb; U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Ryan T. Holte; Former Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Gerald E. Rosen; Former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, Judge Susan G. Braden; Former Administrative Law Judge of the ITC, Judge Theodore Essex; Former Director of the USPTO and the 2022 Recipient of the Paul Michel Award, Andrei Iancu; Former Acting Director and Solicitor of the USPTO, Joseph Matal; Former ITC Commissioner, F. Scott Kieff; Former Commissioner for Patents at the USPTO and partner at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, Robert Stoll; Chief Judge of the PTAB, Scott R. Boalick; Vice Chief Judge of the PTAB, Melissa A. Haapala; Vice Chief Judge of the PTAB, Michael Tierney; and PTAB Administrative Patent Judge, Grace Obermann, among many others.

During lunch on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, Kathi Vidal joined Gene Quinn for a candid and Fireside Chat. They discussed topics such as the USPTO’s advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM), as well as the potential issues with emerging technology, and Artificial Intelligence in particular. Throughout the entire discussion, the Director stressed the importance of transparency and integrity in her decision making, and doing what is right for the country as a whole, rather than for any particular industry or technology.

Throughout the program, we had many top industry experts, as well as top in-house counsel from companies recognized around the world, join us to discuss intellectual property topics in multiple industries both in the United States and around the world. These speakers included Samsung Corporation Principal Legal Counsel, Matthew Bathon; Skeps General Counsel, Elina Cohen ZimVie; Techtronic Industries Chief IP Counsel, Carlo Cotrone; Associate General Counsel, Cynthia Deal-Mitchell;  DivX Chief Legal Officer, Noel Egnatios; Zoeller Company General Counsel, Jeffery Langer; Sunsweet Growers General Counsel, Mark Leonard; Brunswick Corporation, Chief IP Counsel and Associate General Counsel, Ken Lemke; Logitech Associate general Counsel, Kevin McLintock; Senior Director of Legal for Samsara, Inc., Joss Nichols; NXP Semiconductors, Senior Vice President, Chief IP Officer, Changhae Park; DrFirst Deputy General Counsel, Chen Qian; Surgalign Spine Technologies Associate General Counsel and Chief IP Counsel, Jennifer Russell; Novartis VP and Global Head of IP Affairs, Corey Salsberg; The Duracell Company Chief IP & Associate General Counsel, Leo White; and T. Rowe Price VP and Managing Legal Counsel, John Zevitas, just to name a few.

I am so proud of what we are building at IPWatchdog, and our annual meeting, IPWatchdog LIVE is one of my favorite of our many accomplishments. Throughout the program, I heard comments such as “the panels and topics are not the same old thing over and over, but are new and refreshed.” Even those topics we’ve covered before still had a new spin on them. The panels we put together, and the speakers we match together, have such great synergy. Even those with opposing views have fun and clearly respect one another, despite having different opinions. Our attendees were amazed at how comfortable and candid our speakers are during our programs versus other programs in which the same speakers participate. When you are with us, you are amongst friends, in a safe space. And one of my favorite remarks was that our programs have such a personal touch to them.

Those who have attended IPWatchdog LIVE over the last three years have had nothing but positive things to say about the program. Here are just a few of the direct quotes we have received:

“I have so much to thank you and Gene for over many years and most recently at LIVE 2023. First, I feel so honored by your granting an annual award in my name. I am sure Judge Newman now feels the same thrill and pride. Directors Kappos and Iancu and now Brian O’Shaughnessy were worthy recipients. Participating in the suitable award ceremony with Brian was another satisfying moment. Second, being inducted into the IPWatchdog Hall of Fame still warms my heart, as I am sure it now does for Polly Newman. Given the court’s trashing of her, your timing could not have been more appropriate or helpful. To top it all off Brian gave a very fine acceptance speech and judge Newman topped that which says a lot. 

That IPWatchdog covered both speeches so prominently added impact for the benefit of the deserving awardees and comfort to the entire IP community. LIVE 2023 truly exceeded the high quality of the earlier two events. They were already my favorite conferences of recent years, and the newest version sets an American record of frank, informed and valuable discussion of key current issues by an all-star team of real experts. To say they were all “thought leaders” understates the reality of their stellar exploration of the issues addressed. No one can top 2023, except you and Gene with LIVE 2024. I will be there for sure. 

I applaud you for avoiding power-point slides and subtly discouraging “canned speeches.” The audience is always as impressive as the panelists—another measure of IPWatchdog’s ever-expanding stature and credibility. Who else could assemble such an array of experts, on the stage and in the audience? No one at any other conferences. Like your Master series, LIVE is simply the best, most useful conference, anywhere in America. What an achievement! Another hallmark of both series that I applaud is the attention to quality over sheer size. Other conference organizers can pack more folks into a room, but none can command the willing participation of presenters of this quality. So, I conclude by simply saying: “Hats off to Gene and Renee Quinn!”

-The Honorable Paul Michel, Retired Chief Judge, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

“IPWatchdog LIVE again proved to be a great conference, and a welcome opportunity to convene with the leaders in IP.  The panel discussions were informed and insightful, and the networking in the hallways and at the receptions was stellar.  You consistently do a magnificent job of bringing together a collegial yet diverse group of speakers, articulating a variety of alternative, and sometimes conflicting, perspectives, but all in the spirit of improving our IP system.  It’s an event where insightful commentary and a healthy contest of ideas plays out to everyone’s benefit.”

– Brian O’Shaughnessy, Partner and Chair of IP Transactions & Licensing Group at Dinsmore & Shohl

“It was a privilege to join top practitioners in our field at IPWatchdog Live 2023 to speak about the most important current topics in intellectual property law.  Both the exchange of ideas during the panel discussions and the ad hoc discussions among the attendees advance our practice and progress on policy matters.  Thanks to Gene and Renee Quinn and their IPWatchdog staff for organizing an impactful event.”

-Mark Vallone, Chief Patent Counsel, IBM Americas

“IPWatchdog presents amazing conferences – this one had over 250 attendees from all over the world, and a wide variety of presentations on cutting-edge IP issues. It’s the brainchild of Gene Quinn and Renee C Quinn. I congratulate them and their hard-working staff on their achievement. I learned a tremendous amount regarding litigation trends and substantive law developments in AI, trade secrets, litigation funding, and other subjects, all of which will help me hit the ground running in upcoming IP mediations. I hope my panel contributed a bit to the learning as well.”

-Jeff Kichaven, Jeff Kichaven Commercial Mediation

“IPWatchdog puts on the best IP conferences, bar none. The conferences have first class speakers, first class topics, first class networking, even first class food and drink. People really respond to the warm and friendly family atmosphere and they open up in ways I never see at other conferences. You really feel like a part of the IP family when attending their conferences and I try to never miss one. I also learn far more practical tips for my practice than all the other conferences combined. Highly recommended to anyone in the IP industry!”

– John Rogitz, Managing Partner, Rogitz & Associates

“If you want to meet a who’s who of the IP world and have an opportunity to talk with the leading experts, then this is the place to be.”

– Llew Gibbons, Distinguished University Professor of Law, University of Toledo College of Law

“The quality of the attendees, topics, AND dialogue is a true standout relative to other IP conferences. And the down-to-earth, “friends and family” tone makes it personally satisfying.”

– Carlo Cotrone, Chief IP Counsel, Techtronic Industries (TTI)

IPWatchdog LIVE 2024 will be held on September 29 – October 1 2024 at the Rennaisance Capital View Hotel in Arlington VA.

In 2025 we will transition the annual meeting back to March, where it was always supposed to be.  IPWatchdog LIVE 2025 will be held on March 2-4, 2025 at the Rennaisance Capital View Hotel in Arlington VA

For reports on some of the 32 total panels conducted during the meeting, see the articles below – but to get the real LIVE feel, you’ll just have to attend in person next year!

Third Annual IPWatchdog LIVE Commences with Paul Michel Award, Pleas to Get U.S. IP System Back on Track

House Judiciary Chief IP Counsel Tells IPWatchdog LIVE Attendees Eligibility Companion Bill to Be Introduced Soon

Judge Newman Gets Standing Ovations During Induction into IPWatchdog Masters Hall of Fame; Presents First Ever Pauline Newman Award

LIVE Panelists Predict Little Hope for Major Change from PTAB Rulemaking and Legislation

Vidal Stresses Importance of Transparency and Integrity in Agency Decision-Making on Final Day of IPWatchdog LIVE

Weighing the Risks and Rewards of Generative AI for Legal Departments

Tips From In-House IP Counsel on Developing a ‘Rational IP Strategy’ at IPWatchdog LIVE