THE DIVERSE RAINMAKER SUMMIT: Excellence in Business Development (Virtual/West)

Jeannine Sano has nearly thirty years of experience trying cases in patent venues across the country in various technology fields, including mobile communications, video processing, graphics, operating systems, CPUs, chipsets, memory, LCD manufacturing, and medical devices.

She has tried cases in Texas, Illinois, Florida, and California, as well as  handling hearings at the ITC (including virtually during the pandemic), at the PTAB in IPRs and CBMs, and appeals before the Federal Circuit. In addition to her jury and bench trial experience, Ms. Sano presented an issue of first impression on the Uniform Trade Secrets Act before the California Court of Appeal, resulting in affirmance and award of attorneys’ fees.

Ms. Sano previously served in the ABA IP Law Section Leadership as Chair of the Patent Litigation Committee and Chair of the ITC Committee and was selected as an Early Neutral Evaluator for the Northern District of California. She has also been a guest instructor for Notre Dame Law School’s trial advocacy program and a judge for the mock trial and patent law programs at Stanford Law School.

Tom Chen is an experienced patent attorney who prides himself in being trusted and valued by his clients. Tom is dedicated to going above and beyond the standard attorney-client relationship by providing quality patent counsel and by taking the time to learn about the true business goals, strategies, and ambitions of his clients. Clients value Tom for his technical understanding and strategy with regard to their specific patent issues.

Under Tom’s lead, the firm handles patent matters for start-ups to Fortune 100 companies. Tom plays a major role in not just expanding his client’s patent portfolio, but more importantly maximizing its value to his clients. He provides his opinion and analysis, at least weekly, on patent related matters for his clients and regularly works with a large number of inventors, as well as various in-house counsel.

Tom’s experience is founded on multiple advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering and significant engineering work at Hughes Aircraft, covers a variety of technologies, including e-commerce, mobile payments, electrical circuits, semiconductor memories/processing, semiconductor equipment, fiber optic and wireless communications, televisions, mechanical devices, Internet-related applications, microprocessors and other computer architecture. Tom’s experience extends to patent litigation as well, including matters before the International Trade Commission and district courts. He has been involved in all phases of litigation, including discovery, depositions, expert reports and briefs.

Tom has presented alongside key decision makers from his clients’ companies, which has helped Tom strengthen his deep understanding of his clients’ core values. Additionally, he has written on various intellectual property issues and risk management, Supreme Court patent decisions and issues before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Aside from Tom being a skilled and insightful intellectual property attorney and member of the firm’s Board of Directors, he is an active member of Haynes and Boone’s Attorney Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee, which focuses on advancing the hiring, retention and promotion of diverse lawyers within the firm. Tom advocates the importance and necessity of a diverse law firm and truly strives to make Haynes and Boone a leader in law firm diversity. In fact, the firm appears in many “Top 100” rankings related to diversity and women issues, and is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Thomas L. Sager award. Tom is also a member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association where he attends events and contributes to meaningful initiatives.

Tom was recently selected by the Daily Journal, Daily Journal Corporation, as one of the 2016 Top 100 Lawyers in California.

Rishi Varma serves as General Counsel and oversees Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s legal department globally. Rishi and his team handle, among other things, HPE’s corporate governance, strategic acquisitions, divestitures and investments, litigation, intellectual property, commercial contracting, sales and supply chain issues, securities law compliance and disclosure, treasury and financing transactions, and certain other corporate transactions and restructurings, bankruptcy, credit and collections matters and employee compensation and retiree benefits. From 2013 – 2017, Rishi served as Deputy General Counsel overseeing HPE’s corporate, securities and M&A practice.

Before joining Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Rishi served as general counsel for two different publicly traded companies from 2005 to 2013 – TPC Group, Inc., a petrochemical company, and Trico Marine Services, Inc., a global subsea service provider. During his time at Trico, Rishi also served in additional management roles including chief operating officer and president. Prior to these companies, Rishi served as securities counsel and director of investor relations for EGL, Inc., a publicly traded global freight forwarder (2002 – 2005), and as a business associate in the New York office of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, LP (1998 – 2002).

He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and also graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Rishi and his wife, Michelle, have three children.

Samantha-Anne Horwitch Nadolny, Associate General Counsel for Select Water Solutions in Houston, Texas, is an accomplished, driven and business-savvy professional, experienced corporate lawyer, compliance professional and Human Resources leader with a demonstrated history in the multiple industries. Her background shows a consistent record of excellence in organizational leadership, corporate advisory, litigation and contract management, policy and process creation and implementation, team building and motivation, and corporate training. Samantha-Anne provides expertise in all aspects of corporate legal guidance, strategic business support, domestic and international regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation across relevant industries and sectors. She adapts quickly to evolving legislation and changes in the law, and educates colleagues and clients as a recognized subject matter expert. With extensive experience in public and private corporations, Samantha-Anne possesses instinctive business acumen and an understanding of how to protect and support a company, it’s mission, and it’s employees.  Prior to joining Select Energy in 2020, Samantha Anne served as General Counsel, Chief Compliance and Human Resources Officer for Citelum US-Groupe EDF, and Corporate Counsel for Sterling Construction Company, Inc.

Mindy Morton is a partner in Procopio’s Silicon Valley Office, and she focuses her practice on high-stakes litigation in the areas of trade secrets, health care, technology and internet law. She leads Procopio’s Trade Secrets practice as well as its Health Care practice. She serves as the co-chair for the ABA IP Section’s Trade Secrets Committee and also serves on the Steering Committee for the Sedona Conference Trade Secrets Working Group.  Mindy helps clients resolve disputes involving trade secret, privacy, trademark, copyright, computer fraud and other contentious issues. She represents healthcare providers throughout California in civil lawsuits and judicial review hearings. Mindy also litigates cutting-edge cases at the intersection of technology and free speech issues, defending internet companies against defamation, copyright, trademark and related claims on First Amendment, Communications Decency Act (CDA) Section 230, Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and US SPEECH Act grounds. She also leads Procopio’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, and is proud of the firm achieving Mansfield Rule Certified Plus status two years running.  Mindy earned her law degree from Yale Law School, serving as an editor on the Yale Law Journal, after a Political Science BA from UC Berkeley, graduating Phi Beta Kappa.

Jacqueline (“Jaci”) Lee represents America’s largest restaurant franchisee in a wide range of commercial, real estate, and tort disputes for over 1200 restaurants nationwide.  She is an experienced trial lawyer who has managed all aspects of litigation and has played a lead role in several jury and bench trials, as well as arbitration.  Jaci has written and spoken extensively on litigation strategy, IP damages, and diversity in the legal profession, and her contributions have been recognized by a number of legal publications, including The Legal 500 United States and Northern California Super Lawyers.  In 2015, Jaci was named to Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 2015 “Women of Influence” list.  Prior to joining Flynn Restaurant Group in 2018, Jaci was a partner in Jones Day’s Silicon Valley office.