The IP Strategy Summit: Los Angeles

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.

JP Shih is Director, Associate General Counsel at Rivian and leads an attorney team that handles the company-wide legal strategy for Privacy, Cybersecurity and AI. JP also serves on Rivian’s AI Advisory Committee and Rivian’s Cybersecurity Steering 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 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 previously an Associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where he practiced in the Intellectual Property, Data Privacy & Technology departments. JP was also 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Adam P. Daniels is a shareholder in Polsinelli’s Intellectual Property Department. Adam brings a unique perspective that combines creative problem-solving and deep technical experience from his prior career in aerospace engineering, where he designed and tested avionic systems for Black Hawk helicopters. Adam advises clients on all aspects of intellectual property, including prosecution, litigation, post-grant proceedings, licensing, and strategic portfolio development, and across industries such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, semiconductors, medical devices, and consumer products. Admitted in CA, NY, CT, and MA and registered before the USPTO, Adam earned his J.D. from the University of Connecticut and his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He has been recognized as a “Legal Visionary” by the Los Angeles Times and named a Super Lawyers Rising Star.

Arka Chatterjee is an IP counsel Natera where he handles a full spectrum of IP needs for multiple business units, as well as Natera’s trademark estate. He has managed numerous major litigations for the company and also supervises prosecution of several sectors of its growing patent estate. Prior to joining Natera Arka was an IP litigator at several law firms including Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Irell & Manella, and Russ August & Kabat. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of California, San Diego and a J.D. from Columbia University.

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.

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.

As one of Google’s first lawyers focused on generative Al, James has driven the legal strategy for landmark Al launches (including Gemini API, Al Studio, and NotebookLM) and pioneering AI ventures like the AI Futures Fund and next-generation agents like Project Mariner and Jules. He is also a co-inventor on pending GenAl patents.

In addition to his work as a product counsel, James co-leads the team responsible for Google’s global Terms of Service, governing the use of core Google services by billions of users worldwide. He also enhances legal operations by creating templates, online agreements, and Al tools used across the legal department.

James brings a strategic and multifaceted legal perspective informed by deep experience in technology and entertainment law (ex-Warner Bros.), IP litigation and tech transactions (Orrick), and a federal clerkship with the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers (N.D. Cal.). His approach is further informed by his background as a former programmer, journalist, and startup co-founder. He is a graduate of Johns Hopkins and Stanford Law School, where he served as the Stanford Law Review’s inaugural Senior Online Editor.

Nick Janda is a technology and intellectual property attorney at Dentons in Los Angeles. He advises content platforms, game publishers, and AI companies on copyright, licensing, and user-generated content issues. Nick has deep experience litigating disputes involving emulators, DMCA enforcement, and unauthorized distribution, and he regularly counsels clients on the fast-evolving challenges around AI-generated works and NIL rights. His practice bridges both litigation and strategic counseling, helping content owners protect and commercialize their IP across interactive entertainment and emerging technologies.

Ilissa Samplin is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Los Angeles office, where she co-chairs the Media, Entertainment and Technology Practice Group and is a member of the firm’s Litigation, Intellectual Property, and Trials groups. She represents companies and individuals across the media, entertainment, and technology sectors in complex commercial litigation, trials, and IP disputes, including matters involving contracts, unfair competition, copyright, trademark, trade secrets, and antitrust. She also advises clients on IP compliance, policies, licensing, life rights, and profit participation issues.

Widely recognized for her expertise, Ilissa has been ranked by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, Lawdragon, Benchmark Litigation, and Super Lawyers, and featured by outlets including The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and the Los Angeles Times. Recent honors include Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America (2023–2025), The Daily Journal’s Top Trade Secrets Lawyers in California (2024), The Hollywood Reporter’s “Power Lawyers” (2025), and Variety’s Legal Impact Report (2020–2025). She was also part of the Gibson Dunn team recognized for a top verdict in AMC’s profit participation case involving The Walking Dead.

Taylor King is an Assistant General Counsel at Western Digital, where he assists in overseeing and managing strategy for worldwide litigation matters covering nearly all subjects, including IP litigation matters.  During his time at Western Digital, Taylor has overseen patent litigation matters as the patentee and as the defendant.  Prior to joining Western Digital, Taylor worked at Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher, where he spent significant time working on patent and other IP litigation matters for plaintiffs and defendants.  Taylor also clerked for the Honorable Kathleen M. O’Malley at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.