The AI Governance & Strategy Summit – Seattle

Chris Pothering is a Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Expeditors. Prior to that, she was a partner at Short Cressman & Burgess. She has a comprehensive real estate, global procurement and business background with a focus on complex real estate and commercial transactions, and acquisitions. Chris earned her J.D. from the Dickinson Law and B.S. in Economics from the Lewis & Clark College.

Dr. Paul A. Maltseff is a highly experienced professional in all aspects of intellectual property creation and management. He graduated as an electronic engineer from Mozhaysky Military Aerospace Engineering Academy (MMAEA), Saint Petersburg, Russia, and received Ph.D. and D.Sc. in applied cybernetics from MMAEA in 1981 and 1989 respectively, and was conferred Juris Doctor from a School of Law, Seattle University in 2005. Until 1992 he had been a professor in MMAEA and a head of laboratory in the National Academy of Sciences of USSR. During 1992-2014, Dr. Maltseff had been involved in R&D projects with Versatron Corp. and Intermec Technologies Corp. on senior engineering positions and as a chief intellectual property counsel. In January of 2014, he joined Datalogic as a chief intellectual property counsel. Dr. Maltseff holds 30 U.S. patents and authored more than 50 publications.

Kate Lipinski, MBA, CIPP-E, is a Principal Privacy Program Manager at HP. Inc. Before starting in privacy, she spent 10 years of her career working in experiential education and consumer research. This experience allows her to create interactive, consumer focused trainings and explain complex privacy concepts to a variety of audiences. Her focus areas include artificial intelligence, consumer applications and subscription management. When not talking about privacy – she spends time hiking, drinking coffee with her husband and reading with her cat.

Heather has worked in the Getty Images’ Seattle legal department since 1999. She’s not a lawyer and can’t give you legal advice, but she loves sharing her experience from analogue to digital and beyond. She works with a global crew of claims, litigation, and content specialists spending most of her time consulting with employees, content providers, customers, and the legal community at large on how to consider intellectual property rights during the content submission and licensing process, indemnification, and how to find elegant solutions to awkward legal situations.

Brittany Becker is Senior Product and Marketing Counsel at Turo, the world’s largest car sharing marketplace. She is a strategic and business-minded in-house counsel, with experience spanning product counseling, artificial intelligence, marketing and advertising, intellectual property, real estate, litigation, employment, and legal operations. Her past work includes nearly 7 years at Redfin, where she advised on various AI and generative AI products; before that she served as General Counsel at the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 367, and she started her career practicing labor and employment law and criminal defense in Washington and Nevada.

Brittany graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law, and the University of Nevada, Reno. She is licensed in Nevada, Washington and California. She serves as the founding Washington State Regional Chair of the Legal Mentor Network. When she’s not working, studying for another bar exam (just kidding), or volunteering, she spends time with her husband and two children.

Brian McMahon, Senior Copyright Counsel at Microsoft, currently serves as a member of the Open Innovation Counseling Team within Microsoft’s Intellectual Property Group. His responsibilities in that role include monitoring and reporting on global developments in Copyright Law, counseling and collaborating with various Product and Service teams across Microsoft on copyright-related issues, and assisting leadership with the development and promulgation of Microsoft policy and guidance. Prior to joining Microsoft, Brian spent the previous twenty years in private practice, focused primarily on intellectual property litigation, dispute resolution, and counseling.

Emmi is HP’s Principal Data Ethicist in Innovation and Emerging Technologies, and a Senior Fellow in Ethics and AI at the World Privacy Forum. Her work focuses on consent and the social impact of technological phenomenology. She speaks frequently on sensitive and health data, data ethics and the development of meaningful Privacy Enhancing Technologies.

Shelly is a Legal Counsel for the Trust and Growth team at Docusign, where she counsels on product led growth strategies, and digital marketing initiatives. In her role, she also manages the global trademark portfolio and often advises on issues of brand protection.

Prior to her current role, she served as a Commercial Counsel at Docusign, negotiating a high volume of commercial, technology, and data privacy agreements for the financial services, healthcare and SMB segments of the business.

Shelly earned her primary law degree in India, followed by an LLM in IP and Tech law from University of Washington, Seattle

Rose serves as the global head of the Legal Intellectual Property (IP) group at Expedia with responsibility for a team handling all IP matters across Expedia and its various brands.

Prior to coming to Expedia, Rose served as Global Trademark Counsel managing the Cummins global trademark portfolio, which including responsibilities for advising on marketing and advertising matters and management of the anticounterfeit program.

Rose also provided IP support for multiple different Cummins business units, including support for the global patent portfolio development for those business units.

Rose is experienced in advising on intellectual property strategies for and implementation of complex transactions.

Prior to her time at Cummins, Rose was a federal employee for fifteen (15) years at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where she established an Intellectual Property Law Practice Group within the Office of the General Counsel. Most recently, Rose was the Chief IP Counsel for DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), where she serves as the intellectual property subject matter expert for and on behalf of CISA.

Rose studied at George Washington University, New York University School of Law and Manhattanville College.  She has a Master of Law (LL.M.) in Intellectual Property, a Juris Doctor (J.D.), and Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.).  She is a registered patent attorney with a discipline in Physics.

Mahesh Ganesamoorthi is a seasoned software engineer and technology leader with over 12 years of experience in the tech industry. Currently a Senior Software Engineer at Expedia, he specializes in building conversational intelligence products and driving innovation in system design. Prior to this, Mahesh worked at Amazon, where he was recognized with multiple awards, including ‘Invent and Simplify’ and ‘Insist on the Highest Standards.’ He also served as a Bar Raiser, ensuring the hiring and development of top talent.

Mahesh holds a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Southern California and actively contributes to the tech community as an IEEE reviewer, conference paper reviewer, and judge for the Globee Awards for Women in Business. His research interests include A/B testing, automated license plate recognition (ALPR), and generative AI applications.

David M. Cohen is an IP attorney specializing primarily in software. David’s professional expertise includes creating complex IP protection strategies, agreement work, IP enforcement, and mitigating AI and open-source software risks. David also spends part of his time consulting in-house as a seconded attorney for a leading software technology company resolving legal issues that are on the forefront of innovation.

Eric Tuttle is a partner in the Seattle office of Wilson Sonsini. He is a seasoned litigator with broad experience tackling the most difficult problems clients face from prelitigation counseling through trial and appeal. Eric graduated from Caltech and studied machine learning at the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Lab in London, and he combines deep technical expertise with sophisticated legal acumen. Eric currently represents Google in a putative copyright class action challenging the use of publicly available information to train generative AI models. He has also counseled companies on various issues relating to generative AI, including IP and risk mitigation. He has twice received the California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year award and is named among Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America.

As GitHub’s Head of Privacy and Data Governance, Glory leads the team responsible for navigating AI regulation and data protection for the world’s largest software development platform. She plays a pivotal role in developing the governance framework for GitHub Copilot, one of the first enterprise AI coding assistants to reach mass market adoption.

Previously, as Zoom’s first privacy lawyer during the pandemic, she built privacy programs during unprecedented platform growth. A dual-qualified US and Swedish attorney with CIPP certifications in Europe, US, and Privacy Program Management, she brings unique insights into transatlantic approaches to AI governance.

Manja Sachet is partner in charge of Wilson Sonsini’s Seattle office and head of the firm’s technology transactions practice. She primarily works with technology innovators leading the transition to a low carbon economy. Manja has extensive experience structuring and negotiating complex agreements for development and commercialization of groundbreaking technologies and the many novel business models deployed with those technologies. She has 25+ years of experience in the tech industry, having worked at software, internet, and streaming media technology companies prior to her law practice.

Manja also counsels clients on IP and commercial issues arising in venture financings and strategic investments, M&A transactions, spin-outs, joint ventures, and IPOs. Complementing her client practice, Manja is a founder and leader of the Wilson Sonsini’s cross-practice advisory groups on artificial intelligence and sustainability; a founding member of the firm’s internal sustainability task force; and has served on several firm committees.

Qian Huang advises major players in technology sectors on intellectual property matters. An experienced attorney with a solid technical background, Qian handles patent matters for clients ranging from Fortune 500 to startup companies, advising on patenting strategy and procurement, legal opinions, freedom to operate, IP due diligence in business transactions, and litigation. With a Ph.D. specializing in AI, Qian has handled a large volume of AI related patent matters over the years, especially in the recent wave of AI, on inventions relating to machine learning models, generative AI, distributed learning, selective training for specialization, big data analytics, and AI-enabled applications, such as personalized services, data mining, unman vehicle, drug discovery, presurgical planning and AI-guided robotic in-surgery navigation, etc. Before becoming an attorney, Qian was a postdoctoral fellow at IBM Research, a research scientist at Siemens Corporate Research and Bell Labs at AT&T with a research focus on machine learning models and applications thereof. Qian calls upon this experience to provide valued legal services to high tech clients.

Ryan Ward is a patent attorney specializing in the Artificial Intelligence (AI), software, Internet, medical device, and telecommunications fields. An electrical engineer by trade, he began his career testing, building, and debugging low-power RF transceivers. Before law school, he worked full-time as a systems engineer for L-3 Communications, assisting with design, integration of both satellite and line-of-sight communication systems in the U.S. and overseas in support of the U.S. military. Ryan has written and prosecuted hundreds of AI and machine learning patent applications over his career, particularly since generative AI and Large Language Models became mainstream.

Malgorzata “Gosia” Kulczycka is an experienced attorney in the firm’s San Jose office with a broad-based IP law practice. With more than 15 years of legal experience, Gosia works to protect and support her client’s intellectual property through patent preparation and prosecution and by employing trademark and brand protection strategies for and against infringement claims.

Inventor herself, Gosia practices in various IP areas and technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, communication technologies, complex software, and more.

Gosia also has extensive experience in computer graphics and computer networks. She has procured and managed large IP client accounts in computer graphics and AI.

Jonathon Talcott is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s Scottsdale office who specializes in intellectual property. An experienced IP counselor and trial attorney, he handles high-stakes patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, and complex commercial disputes. He also advises on IP portfolio management, licensing, and related transactions.
With a background in electrical engineering, Jonathon has broad technology industry experience, including software, communications, aerospace, optics/photonics, and now the latest in generative AI. Committed to pro bono service, Jonathon has served on the Arizona Technology Council for many years and has successfully represented pro bono clients in clemency, military, and pandemic-related legal matters.
Along with Jonathon’s nearly two decades of legal experience, he leverages Buchalter’s national, full-service business law practice to address a wide range of clients’ business needs.

David leverages more than 20 years of experience in privacy and security to guide clients through the challenge of complying with rapidly multiplying and complex laws in a multi-jurisdictional environment. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of the full spectrum of federal, state, and international privacy and data protection laws, David advises clients regarding a wide range of difficult privacy questions and helps them understand and manage risk. He works closely with clients to understand their unique needs and concerns and to develop tailored and pragmatic solutions that meet their legal and business requirements.

David counsels clients in many different industries, including cloud services, business-to-consumer/B2C, marketing, communications and networking, app development, health care, entertainment, gaming, sports, artificial intelligence (AI/ML), and education. A longtime leader in privacy and security law, David is an accomplished author and a prolific presenter at conferences, trade organizations, and bar associations. He also conducts in-house training and coaching for clients.

James focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, growth equity, and private equity transactions, strategic investments, and corporate governance matters. He represents clients ranging from technology startups to private equity firms. James also has a depth of experience with payments commercial contract negotiations and payments M&A.
James has gained a reputation for being adept at communicating complex legal issues and translating legal risk into business options. He leverages his experience as an ordained clergy and legal/social ethicist in his M&A and governance practices, counselling clients through their most difficult challenges with precise legal acumen and identifying creative solutions to novel problems.
James uses his depth of experience advising clients in a variety of sectors, including fintech, privacy (CCPA/CPRA/GDPR), data security/cybersecurity, SaaS, and payments.

Alexandra Martinez is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group, specializing in all phases of patent preparation and prosecution. With extensive expertise in medical devices and computer-based inventions within the fintech and insurance sectors, she has a broad and impactful practice. Alexandra is proficient in handling patents for various technologies, including implantable and non-implantable devices, MRI machines, computer network architecture, payment networks, autonomous vehicles, drones, sensors, and artificial intelligence. She also provides invaluable guidance to clients on patentability analyses, landscape searches, patent strategies, and freedom-to-operate opinions. Recently, she was honored to be selected for the State Farm® Law Department 2025 Rising Star Academy, reflecting her exceptional contributions to the field.

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Nicholas Lagerwall is focused on helping clients protect their technology, creating and managing valuable patent portfolios for companies in both the electronics and mechanical technology spaces. He is a partner in Foley’s Electronics Practice.
Nicholas has significant patent prosecution and counseling experience in the areas of artificial intelligence and machine learning; medical and imaging devices; communication protocols/systems; optical networks, computer hardware and software; semiconductor devices/fabrication; control systems; financial, insurance, and health care services; and mechanical devices.
Nicholas also has substantial IP due diligence experience in the context of M&A, early-stage investment, and licensing.
In addition, he has extensive experience in post-grant proceedings before the USPTO, as well as in district court and Federal Circuit appeals litigation. This experience includes inter partes review proceedings, post-grant review proceedings, covered business method proceedings, reexamination proceedings, and reissue applications.

Lucas Amodio is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. The majority of his practice focuses on high-technology and computer-related matters involving patent law and cybersecurity.

A former software engineer and patent examiner, Lucas guides in-house counsel, inventors and patent examiners in applying for and protecting U.S. and foreign patent applications. In a variety of fields, he counsels through the distinctive stages of product design and development to ensure consistency. Lucas is also a Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH) through the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC Council). This certification enhances his ability to provide guidance about security flaws and techniques to protect data.

Lucas actively participates in litigation support for disputes involving patents as well as in U.S. patent re-examination proceedings. He assists clients on patent infringement issues, preparation of non-infringement and invalidity opinions and patentability, due diligence, and patent landscape analyses. In these instances, Lucas conducts searches, evaluates the results and provides ideas on going forward or modifying designs to alleviate risk. As both a computer engineer and attorney, he deals with the issues that arise due to the increased interconnectivity and vulnerability of devices, i.e., the Internet of Things.

Lucas frequently writes on the topics of cybersecurity, hacking and the Internet of Things. He publishes content on LinkedIn and has also been featured in Law360. To view recent articles, visit his LinkedIn page. Or follow him on Twitter @DarthAttorney.

*Lucas is licensed as shown under “Admissions”; not licensed in New York.

Maggie Szewczyk is a litigator in the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group, representing clients in complex intellectual property matters in federal and appellate courts throughout the United States and at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. She also has experience representing clients in matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Maggie prosecutes and defends against claims of infringement for patents, copyrights and trademarks encompassing a wide array of industries and technologies. In addition to handling all aspects of pre-trial litigation, including preparing noninfringement and invalidity opinions, Maggie is also instrumental in all phases of litigation including taking and defending depositions, drafting dispositive motions, and trial. She also counsels clients on a variety of other intellectual property matters, including patent and trademark counseling, due diligence and licensing.