LES Annual Meeting to Feature Inside Look at the Supreme Court Decision

LES (USA & Canada) Annual Meeting to Feature Inside Look at the Supreme Court Decision by Myriad General Counsel and All-Star Executive Panel Debate on Patent Trolls
Meeting will be held September 22-25 at the Marriott Philadelphia

WASHINGTON, DC, June 25, 2013—The U.S. Supreme Court's June 13th ruling on the patentability of DNA marks just one of many complex issues brewing in the intellectual property (IP) space. From life science to high tech, businesses, government and the courts are scrambling to keep up with issues such as: the implications of the Myriad decision; what makes a patent troll; and what's next in technology convergence. Global leaders in IP, licensing, and business development will share insights and answers at the Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc., Annual Meeting, September 22-25 in Philadelphia, PA.

"We are witnessing the most dynamic period in licensing in decades – the final implementation of the America Invents Act (AIA), groundbreaking precedent from the Supreme Court, and pending legislation all show that technological innovation has a profound affect on markets and society" said Brian O'Shaughnessy, LES Annual Meeting Chair, and V.P. for Public Policy. "The LES Annual Meeting is by experts for experts with new strategies and tactics, extensive networking, and personal access to global leaders offering perspectives on key issues in our rapidly-evolving profession."

The meeting will draw presenters and attendees from leading companies, research institutions, government labs and other technology-oriented organizations including: AbbVie Biotech Ventures, Advent, BlackBerry, Boeing, Canon, Celgene, DuPont, FTC, Gilead, IBM, Intel, John Deere, Kimberly-Clark, Merck, Microsoft, NIH, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Princeton, Shell Americas, Takeda, USPTO, The Wharton School and others.

Meeting Highlights (click here to view the meeting brochure)
The Supreme Court's Myriad decision will have a profound affect on innovation generally, especially in the biotechnology industry. Myriad's General Counsel Richard Marsh will discuss the decision's far-reaching implications, along with lessons learned in bringing the company from concept to reality in a highly-anticipated keynote address.

An all-star panel of IP executives will debate 'To Troll of Not to Troll? Legislative, Judicial and Market-Based Solutions' featuring: Robert Heath, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, RPX Corp.; Richard Rainey, Executive Counsel, IP Litigation, GE; Yoav Roth, Senior Managing Director/ Portfolio Manager, Hudson Bay Capital; Julie Samuels, Staff Attorney and The Mark Cuban Chair to Eliminate Stupid Patents, Electronic Frontier Foundation; Jim Skippen, President & CEO, WiLAN; Erich Spangenberg, Chief Executive Officer, IP Navigation Group; Joff Wild, Editor, IAM Magazine (Moderator); and Timothy Wilson, Senior IP Counsel, SAS Institute.

In addition, Ger Brophy, General Manager, New Product Development  for GE Healthcare Medical Diagnostics, will focus on innovation and technological convergence in 'How Innovation is Driving Improvements in Healthcare.'

The 9th annual LES Deal of Distinctiontrade; Awards will be presented to the most outstanding IP-based licensing and business deals of the year in four industry sectors: High Technology; Chemicals/Energy/ Environment and Materials; Industry-University-Government Interface and Life Sciences. Company deal teams from two of the award-winning deals will be on hand to present an inside look at their transactions.

Both industry-specific and cross-sector mini-plenary sessions will cover an array of topics including valuation, tackling multi-disciplinary deals, IP in M&A, and how to use licensing in resolution of disputes.  In addition, numerous interactive workshops and roundtables will delve into real-world successes, failures, lessons learned and best practices. And, as with every LES meeting, there will be numerous networking opportunities, including a reception at the National Constitution Center.

Register by June 30th to save $200. www.LESannual.org. Attendees are entitled to receive CLE, CLP and CPE credits.  

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About the Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc.
Established in 1965, the Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. (LES) is a professional society comprised of nearly 5,000 members engaged in the transfer, use, development and marketing of intellectual property. The LES membership includes a wide range of professionals, including business executives, lawyers, licensing consultants, engineers, academicians, scientists and government officials. Many large corporations, professional firms, and universities comprise the Society's membership.

Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. & Canada), Inc. is a member society of the Licensing Executives Society International, Inc. (LESI), with a worldwide membership of more than 10,000 members in 32 national societies, representing over 90 countries. For more information on LES, see www.lesusacanada.org.