It’s that time of year again: registration for the LES 2021 Annual Meeting is open. The four-day virtual event, Reimagining the Future, kicks off on Monday, September 27th and features a program packed with informational and educational sessions spanning all aspects of IP and Licensing. This year we’re proud to have 35+ sessions confirmed with 100+ speakers from a wide range of companies and institutions, including Biogen, Columbia University, Deloitte, GE, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, NASA-Johnson Space Center, the NFL Players Association and more.

There’s so much happening that we couldn’t fit it all into our regularly scheduled programming, so we’re getting started early with a couple of “can’t miss” pre-conference webinars. First, join us on Tuesday, Sept. 21st at 12pm ET for our Women in Licensing Event, Get Over Yourself: Managing Power and Politics in Organizations. During the session we’ll explore issues related to gender and power in the organization, as well as how COVID-19 has impacted power dynamics. On Thursday, Sept. 23rd, log-in for the Top Ten Court Decisions of the Year Affecting Licensing, one of our most popular annual meeting presentations. Our speaker, Russ Levine, will review the most significant court decisions since the last annual meeting and how they impact the way we negotiate and draft patent license agreements.

The meeting officially kicks off on Monday, September 27th with our first full day of sessions. There’s so much content to choose from that regardless of your sector or industry, you should be able to build your own personal agenda of interest. Below we’ve outlined a few daily sessions that we felt had some broad appeal across all sectors of LES. The full program of topics and sessions is available here, and we encourage you to build your schedule ahead of time to ensure you get as much as possible out of the event.

Day 1: Monday, September 27th

Keynote Presentation and Panel Discussion: The State of IP Rights in Washington
12pm-1pm ET
During this opening session, keynote speaker Senator Thom Tillis will share his perspective on the state of IP in Washington. The topics will include the USPTO’s request for input on 101 guidelines and its response to the Supreme Court’s Arthrex decision, administrative and legislative proposals regarding the PTAB, and more.

The Licensing Profession in 2030 – What Does the Future Hold?
1pm – 2pm ET
Join an interactive panel of senior licensing professionals for a discussion of all things licensing and its role in driving business development. The panel will also speak to the importance of licensing in both academia and the commercial sector and how it might change in the coming decade.

Hindsight is 2020 – A Year of License Agreements in U.S. Courts Specific to Intellectual Property
2pm – 3pm ET
Log-in to this session for a look at recent intellectual property court decisions and an exploration of their relevance to licensing drafting and interpretation to avoid potential litigation risk.

Reaching All Inventors: A Conversation About Diversity & Inclusion in the Invention Ecosystem
3pm – 4pm ET
This panel will explain why every organization with IP assets should assess where their inventions are coming from. It will also look at the participation of female and ethnic minority members in the space as well as the steps being made to broaden diversity and inclusion.

Collaborative Innovation in the Era of IoT and 5G
3pm – 4pm ET
Join this session for a discussion around the rise of IoT and 5G and what this could mean for collaborative innovation created by the interdependencies between enterprises and vendors along the supply chain. The panel will dive into the opportunities and risks of innovation by vendors, as they gain increasing access to real-time data from their corporate clients.

5G SEP Licensing
4pm-5pm ET
Join this fireside chat with John Han of 5G leader Qualcomm to learn more about how Qualcomm has enabled accelerated 5G global deployment with its world class technology licensing program and about SEP licensing in the real world.

Day 2: Tuesday, September 28th

What is Intellectual Capital and What Should I do with it?
12pm – 1pm ET
This workshop will explain the differences between intellectual capital and intellectual property. It will also explain the disciplines, methods and tools used to manage intellectual capital and explore how to deploy them through an operating company.

Where Do We Go From Here? The Role of Federal Funding in Moving Techs from Academia to Industry
1pm-2pm ET
Put this session on your calendar if you’re interested in the role of federal funding in the commercialization of early-stage technologies. Speakers will examine the federal resources currently available and their success as well as look at high-level federal policy coordination, legislative and regulatory matters.

Tools of the Trade: Trends and Developments in IP Valuation and Dealmaking Data and Internet Tools
2pm-3pm ET
In this session a panel of IP valuation experts and data providers. will share the “tools of the trade” and provide a deep dive into some of the currently available state-of-the-art IP and internet-related data tools and how to utilize them.

Keynote Panel: Lessons in Licensing from the NFL Players Association; and Comparisons with Technology Licensing
3pm-4pm ET
Dial-in to this keynote to hear directly from NFL Players Association representatives about their experiences with a different kind of intangible property licensing: personality and image. You’ll hear war stories and strategies that have helped open up substantial new revenue streams for professional athletes, and the presentation will be followed by a discussion comparing image licensing and technology licensing.

Startup Pitch Event
5pm-7pm ET
Join this event for a look at the process of start-up pitches and working with angel investors. You’ll have the chance to hear some actual startup pitches and the questions and conversations they spur with our panel of investors.

Day 3: Wednesday, September 29th

The University Technology Licensing Program (UTLP) – Lowering the Barriers to High Tech Licensing
12pm-1pm ET
This session will cover the recent launch of the University Technology Licensing Program (UTLP), the first non-standard essential patent pool of approximately 600 patents established to help lower the barrier to licensing for universities. Panelists will share details on the goals of the program as well as the challenges that had to be met to bring together 15 universities to form an LLC.

Optimizing Licensing and Exit Strategies: Opportunities and Pitfalls
1pm-2pm ET
Check out this panel of biotech startup founders, venture fund leaders and university representatives as they discuss the process of commercializing early-stage technologies, sharing tips for success and common pitfalls.

Keynote Speaker: It’s Time for Transformative Change! Bridging the Digital Divide
2pm-3pm ET
Join our keynote speaker, Shaloo Garg of Microsoft, for a look at how the recent crisis changed the way millions of us work, learn and live our lives, as well as the digital divide that has been spotlighted as a result. Speakers will also look at what’s being done to bridge this divide, from education, policy and technology standpoints.

The Transformative Effect of Emerging High Technologies in the Healthcare Industry: A New Paradigm
3pm-4pm ET
This session will dig into the immense changes we’ve seen in healthcare technology in recent years and how these groundbreaking advancements are transforming the space. It will also explore the need for a paradigm shift in healthcare, a fact that has been underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic.

IP and Licensing Implications for a Greener Energy and Chemicals Ecosystem
3pm-4pm ET
This panel will discuss the numerous innovative technologies that are helping pave the way for a greener, lower carbon world. It will look at some of these technologies being developed, licensed or acquired by existing energy players and their influence on a “greener” future.

Clearly, there’s no shortage of intriguing sessions on the docket. Whatever your sector or interest leaning, you’re sure to find plenty to fill your schedule during the event. We encourage you to peruse all the sessions and assemble the agenda that’s right for you. If you haven’t yet registered for the event, you can sign up here. We hope to see you there!

Until then learn more about LES membership here, and be sure to follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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