Tips for Submitting a Workshop or Add-on Proposal for an LES Meeting

Go to the meeting webpage and provide the information requested.

When developing a proposal, think about what makes a good program and then make sure that those items are apparent in the proposal title and description.

Here are some program characteristics that have helped programs be selected in the past:

• The program topic is related to the meeting's announced theme and subthemes
• The program presents issues and recommendations that will assist the attendees to take action in the short term (rather than provide something that is simply interesting to think about)
  • - E.g., how the recent changes to the law should affect your strategy in selecting patents to license rather than "what should the patent law be like in an ideal world"
• New topics (which have not been covered before in other seminars or on which most attendees may already have a firm view)
• If the subject matter is a long-standing element of licensing (portfolio mining, valuation, negotiation, etc.), move very quickly to -- and focus on -- the distinctions offered in the proposed program. Avoid a program such as, "Why Portfolio Management is Important," as this is not likely to draw attendees and, thus, would not receive the most favorable support from a Program Committee.
• Programs relating to controversial issues or new events
• Planned interaction with audience: plenty of time planned for Q&A, exercises, roundtable discussions
• An informative (non-commercial) presentation about a very different way to look at an issue, perform a function, or undertake an operation
• A speaker who individually, or through his/her organization, is a luminary leader in the particular event or the subject of the program
• For mini-plenary program:
  • choose a topic that is of broad interest or specifically crossapplicable to multiple industry segments, technologies, organization types
  • invite speakers from diverse types of organizations

Top Three "Don'ts":

• Commercial promotions (including a service or tool provider talking about their unique product or service)
• Multiple speakers from the same firm
• All the speakers having the same perspective: better to mix licensors and licensees, service providers and manufacturers/IP holders, etc.