The IP Strategy Summit: Los Angeles

Joslyn Garcia is a registered patent agent and engineer at American Honda Motor, where she strategizes protections over inventions, manages a growing patent portfolio, and improves IP workflow processes. She is passionate about and involved in the advancement, protection, and success of a variety of technologies at Honda, including aerospace, automotive, software, business processes, artificial intelligence, spatial computing, and more. Joslyn is a listed inventor for several pending Honda patents.

Previously, Joslyn was a Manufacturing Electromechanical Engineer at Northrop Grumman and Stellant Systems, serving as a lead engineer over the production of satellite microelectronic packages for various government programs. Prior to working in the space industry, Joslyn served in various engineering roles as a MATLAB instructor, roller coaster engineer (Disney Imagineering), test engineer (HP and Northrop Grumman), body design engineer (Toyota), and software engineer (NASA). Her breadth of exposure provides a diverse background for not only patent prosecution, but IP business strategy.

Joslyn received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), specializing in Design, Robotics, and Manufacturing. Joslyn is also a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) from the Project Management Institute.

Ajit Narang is a seasoned General Counsel and business executive with 21 years of commercial, intellectual property, and litigation experiences, currently serving as Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Solventum where Ajit leads legal matters for the $5B Medical Surgical division. Prior to Solventum, Ajit had a long tenure at Medtronic where he held various senior legal positions across the Diabetes and Pelvic Health divisions, contributing significantly to commercial execution, intellectual property enforcement, and strategic transactions. Ajit received his law degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law, and his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego.

Hector Agdeppa is a member in Dickinson Wright’s San Diego office and focuses his practice on intellectual property law, particularly preparing and prosecuting patent applications. With extensive experience in electrical, mechanical, and computer software arts, as well as medical device innovation, He leverages his industry knowledge to guide clients through patent portfolio management and, when desired, monetization strategies. Hector excels in inter partes review proceedings, technology transfer, licensing negotiations, and IP due diligence assessments. He also provides crucial support in patent litigation for a diverse clientele, from startups to major corporations. His technical background encompasses wireless communications, optical networking, multimedia delivery, blockchain technologies, artificial intelligence, automotive technologies, and various electromechanical and mechanical medical devices. Hector received his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law.

Zach Sinick has spent his career music supervising, producing, licensing, editing, and placing songs in film, TV, ads, trailers, and games. His work has garnered awards and nominations from Cannes, the Clios, the Emmys, the VMAs, and AICP. First he ran the award-winning music house Squeak E. Clean, followed by the sync licensing dept. at Universal Music’s KIDinaKORNER label. Now Zach helms his own sync and supervision shop WOOFER (a pun on his love for both music and dogs).

Over the years he’s collaborated with artists, directors, and producers like Imagine Dragons, Karen O, Kanye West, Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, and Alex Da Kid. Zach has also been a panelist at the Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Conference, California Copyright Conference, and a guest speaker at both UCLA and USC.

Sanjesh Sharma is Assistant General Counsel, Patents at Johnson & Johnson Vision, where she manages all aspects of intellectual property for the company’s Refractive Surgery and Laser Cataract Surgery product lines, including managing domestic and international patent portfolios, litigation support, opposition practice, product clearances, due diligence for asset acquisitions and licensing, as well as copyright and trademark compliance.  Before moving in-house, she worked at various national and global law firms, focusing mainly on patent and trademark litigation, licensing, due diligence, and counseling involving a wide range of technologies, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer electronics.

Sanjesh received her undergraduate degree in Microbiology from University of California, San Diego, and her law degree from Loyola Law School.  She currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Patent Interest Group for the IP Section of the California State Bar.  She regularly speaks on patents and in-house practice, and has been named Rising Star in Intellectual Property by Super Lawyers.

Brian Kim is an intellectual property attorney with expertise in patent licensing, IP portfolio strategy, and complex technology transactions. Currently serving as IP Licensing Counsel at Philips, he negotiates with Fortune 50 companies, manages global patent acquisitions and litigation strategy, and has driven portfolio growth in AV technologies, SEPs, AI, and healthcare. Brian has managed IP portfolios and navigated technical and commercial discussions for SEP-related licensing frameworks, including for standards such as wireless power and genomics compression.

Previously, Brian was a key contributor at Fish IP Law LLP, where he oversaw international IP portfolios across industries such as AR/VR, medical devices, and aerospace. He is known for transforming underperforming portfolios into high-value assets. He began his career as a patent attorney at IBM and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, focusing on software, machine learning, and e-commerce patents for major clients including Walmart and Watson Health.

With a proven track record across law firm and in-house environments, Brian offers a unique blend of legal acumen and technical insight to help businesses navigate IP risks, unlock value, and accelerate innovation.

Angelique Kaounis is a partner in the Century City office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher where she practices in the firm’s Litigation Department, with a focus on intellectual property and technology-related issues. Angelique is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property; Trials; Media and Entertainment; Antitrust and Trade Regulation; and Privacy, Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection Practice Groups.

Angelique has successfully represented clients in a broad range of litigation matters, including trade secret misappropriation cases, antitrust and unfair competition matters, business tort cases, contract disputes, and class actions in a number of areas, including the high-tech, entertainment, financial services, and healthcare industries. Angelique represents clients in all aspects of litigation, including jury trials, arbitrations, and mediations, and advises in connection with protecting trade secrets, proposed business practices/collaborations, and existing contractual obligations.

Chambers USA has recognized Angelique as one of the country’s leading attorneys for Intellectual Property: Trade Secrets, with clients describing her as “an excellent trial lawyer”—noting her “mastery of trade secret law” and “ability to navigate complex litigation with precision and tenacity.” The Legal 500 USA lists Angelique as a “Recommended Lawyer” in Trade Secrets, and she has been honored three times by Law & Politics and Los Angeles magazines as one of Southern California’s “Rising Stars.”

Ryan Lapine is an accomplished litigator and first-chair trial lawyer. He has never lost a jury trial, with significant wins for both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts.

Despite considerable experience and comfort trying complex matters, Ryan prides himself on reaching beneficial settlements for clients whenever possible and achieving their litigation goals.

Ryan’s subject matter expertise crosses various industries. He has deep knowledge of legal matters involving digital currencies and tokens, artificial intelligence, the entertainment and music industry, insurance, business torts, and real property transactions.

Ryan has represented cryptocurrency foundations, investors and investment syndicates, and trading platforms, being one of the first legal practitioners to focus on this emerging market. He has annually presented at PLI on legal issues surrounding the advent and evolution of artificial intelligence. For years, Ryan has represented renowned musicians, visual artists, production companies, and studios in intellectual property, right of publicity, and royalty disputes. He has trial experience in complex insurance coverage matters involving third-party claims and has litigated first-party claims involving surety and errors and omissions policies. Ryan has litigated complex business and real estate disputes ranging from complex real estate financing agreements to Ponzi schemes involving the defrauding of investors.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Ryan enjoys playing football and FaceTiming with his nephew in his free time, and holding onto an increasingly irrational belief that this will be the Cleveland Guardians’ year.

Kevin currently serves as Associate General Counsel, Patents for Meta, where he has pioneered new ways to increase patent submissions from underrepresented inventor groups at Meta. He also counsels on legal issues related to the development of augmented and virtual reality products, including the Meta Quest line of VR products. Kevin currently resides in Southern California. His hobbies include golf and teaching his four-year-old son how to surf.

JP Shih is Director, Associate General Counsel at Rivian and is the company-wide legal lead for Privacy and Cybersecurity. JP also serves on Rivian’s AI Advisory Committee. Prior to Rivian, JP was Strategy Counsel at Google, where he oversaw a cross-functional team of legal and compliance professionals that strategized on company-wide/high-stakes issues across Alphabet. Before Google, JP was Associate General Counsel and legal lead for Meta’s suite of Media, Gaming, and Strategic Community products from concept through launch.

JP was also formerly the head attorney for EA Los Angeles (regional legal team) and served as primary counsel for many premium product development studios at EA, including Maxis (Sims/SimCity), BioWare (Mass Effect), Respawn (Apex Legends, Titanfall), PopCap (Bejeweled, Plants v. Zombies), The Simpsons: Tapped Out, Scrabble, Monopoly, and more.

JP was formerly an Associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where he practiced in the Intellectual Property, Data Privacy & Technology departments. JP was also previously associated with Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, as well as Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Before law school, JP was a management consultant in the financial services and health care industries where he specialized in managing the development and execution of business turnaround plans.

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.

Neil Yang leads global (ex-China) IP strategy and litigation for NetEase Games. His practice spans high-stakes disputes, portfolio management, and product counseling on emerging issues such as generative-AI policies. Before NetEase, Neil spent more than a decade at Activision Blizzard managing all aspects of IP. He began his legal career in O’Melveny & Myers LLP’s IP & Technology litigation group and, before law, engineered processors at Intel Corp.