The IP Strategy Summit: Palo Alto

October 7, 2025
Palo Alto

The IP Strategy Summit
Palo Alto • October 7, 2025

 

In the heart of Silicon Valley, innovation moves fast—and so do the risks to your intellectual property. AI is transforming the pace of invention. Competitor disputes are escalating into high-stakes battles. And global supply chains are exposing sensitive IP like never before. For today’s legal leaders, staying ahead requires more than traditional playbooks—it demands bold, future-focused strategies.

The IP Strategy Summit: Palo Alto brings together in-house IP leaders, trailblazing counsel, and industry experts for a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities defining 2025 and beyond. From building resilient prosecution and portfolio management strategies to navigating the complex realities of trade secrets, enforcement, and litigation funding, this summit delivers actionable insights to help you protect innovation while driving enterprise growth.

This is where strategy meets execution. Engage in candid, peer-driven discussions on managing patents in the age of AI, leveraging litigation funding to pursue big-ticket claims, and preparing your organization for disruptive IP threats across competitors, vendors, and markets.

Designed for IP professionals ready to turn challenges into their competitive edge.

+ CLE Pending Approval CA

Key Topics
  • Prosecution & Portfolio Management: Building Resilient IP Strategies
  • Patent Management in the Age of AI
  • Trade Secrets: Hope is Not a Strategy
  • Defensive Litigation in a High-Stakes Environment: Lessons from Recent Cases
  • Strategic Patent Enforcement for Operating Companies
  • Funded IP Litigation: What Funders Want & What In-House Counsel Must Know
Attendees
  • Chief IP Counsel
  • Chief Legal Officer
  • VP & Director of IP Strategy
  • Chief, Deputy, Associate and/or Assistant General Counsel
  • General Counsel
  • Intellectual Property, Trademark, and Copyright Counsel
  • Head of Litigation
  • Head of Risk Management
  • Head of Trade Secret Protection
  • Director of Business and Legal Affairs
  • Director/VP of Intellectual Property
  • Director/VP of Licensing
  • Director/VP of Litigation Finance
  • IP Counsel
  • Patent Counsel
  • Corporate Counsel
  • Investment Manager – Litigation Funding

Agenda

7:50 am
Registration Opens + Breakfast + One-to-One Meetings

One-to-One Meetings begin. If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com

8:50 am
Opening Comments
9:00 am
Prosecution & Portfolio Management: Building Resilient IP Strategies

As innovation cycles accelerate and geopolitical and regulatory pressures mount, in-house IP teams must evolve their prosecution and portfolio management practices to build resilience. It’s no longer about filing volume—it’s about aligning filings with business priorities, anticipating litigation risks, and ensuring your portfolio remains a strategic asset in an uncertain environment. This panel explores how leading organizations are leveraging data analytics, global insights, and proactive portfolio pruning to drive value and mitigate vulnerabilities. Gain actionable strategies to strengthen your IP posture while optimizing resources for long-term success.

This Panel will Explore:

  • Developing prosecution strategies that reflect corporate and innovation goals

  • Streamlining global portfolio management for efficiency and impact

  • Using analytics to identify strengths, gaps, and cost-saving opportunities

  • Preparing portfolios to support enforcement, licensing, and M&A objectives

James LaFleur
Senior Manager
Autodesk Inc.
Subroto Bose
Assistant General Counsel, IP
Marvell Technology
Andrew Borja
Senior Patent Agent & Portfolio Architect
pSemi, A Murata Company
9:45 am
Patent Management in the Age of AI

AI technologies are not only transforming innovation but also challenging the very foundations of patent law. From questions of inventorship under DABUS-style cases to enforcement complexities where AI-generated inventions blur lines, in-house counsel must navigate untested legal and ethical terrain. This session dives into managing AI-related IP risks, adapting patent strategy for AI-heavy portfolios, and anticipating changes in global regulations. Gain clarity on protecting AI innovations while preparing for potential litigation and legislative shifts.

This Panel will Explore:

  • Legal implications of AI inventorship and ownership disputes
  • Strategies for drafting robust AI-related patents amid shifting standards
  • Global trends in AI patentability and enforcement challenges
  • Best practices for mitigating risks in AI-heavy R&D pipelines
Thomas George
Associate General Counsel, Head of Patent Group
Samsung Research America
Tao Zhang
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, IP & Product
Juniper Networks
Martin Arastafar
Assistant General Counsel, IP
Veeva Systems
David Sanker
Founder
Sanker IP
10:30 am
Networking Break + One-to-One Meetings

If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com

11:10 am
Trade Secrets: Hope is Not a Strategy

Trade secret protection has become a critical pillar of IP strategy as companies face rising threats from employee mobility, digital collaboration, and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Recent high-profile misappropriation cases and legislative changes like the EU’s new Trade Secrets Directive and U.S. DTSA updates underscore the need for proactive, cross-functional programs to safeguard sensitive information. This panel will explore how in-house teams can move beyond passive policies to implement robust trade secret identification, management, and enforcement strategies that hold up under litigation. Learn how leading companies are embedding trade secret protection into their corporate culture, contracts, and vendor relationships to stay ahead of theft and inadvertent leaks.

This Panel will Explore:

  • Building a defensible trade secret program: identification, classification, and protection
  • Legal and operational tools to minimize risk during employee departures and vendor engagements
  • Preparing for trade secret litigation: evidence preservation and early action strategies
  • Global trends shaping trade secret enforcement in the U.S., EU, and Asia
Peter Jovanovic
Legal Director, IP
Dell
Iti Negi
Senior Patent Engineer
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc.
Stanley Gibson
Partner, Chairman, Patent Litigation Group
Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell
11:55 am
Defensive Litigation in a High-Stakes Environment: Lessons from Recent Cases

High-stakes defensive IP litigation requires proactive strategies to mitigate risk and protect brand integrity. Drawing from recent landmark cases—such as PTAB decisions using “settled expectations” to deny late-filed petitions and key trade secret losses—this session reveals how companies are reshaping defense playbooks amid procedural shifts. Hear how data-driven litigation analytics (e.g., Lex Machina) inform forum selection, motion timing, and strategic settlements. We’ll dissect practical approaches to anticipate threats, manage disclosure risks, and turn liability exposure into leverage for favorable outcomes.

This Panel will Explore:

  • Leveraging litigation analytics for venue strategy and defense prep
  • Lessons learned from new PTAB discretionary denial criteria
  • Defensive tactics in trade secret disputes post-misappropriation
  • Strategies for converting defensive posture into settlement leverage
Gail Su
Senior Counsel, Patent Transactions
Google
12:35 pm
Lunch + Networking + One-to-One Meetings

If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com

1:20 pm
Presentation: Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Kristopher Kastens
Partner
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
James Hannah
Partner
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
2:00 pm
Strategic Patent Enforcement for Operating Companies

For operating companies, patent enforcement isn’t just about winning cases—it’s about advancing business objectives while managing risk in an increasingly aggressive IP landscape. As in-house teams face rising litigation costs, forum shopping, and the growing influence of PTAB decisions, they must develop enforcement strategies that align with corporate priorities and anticipate defensive and reputational challenges. This session explores how in-house counsel are driving smarter enforcement decisions, balancing litigation with licensing opportunities, and leveraging partnerships with outside counsel and litigation funders to achieve results. Attendees will gain practical insights into building resilient enforcement frameworks that protect innovation without overextending resources.

This Panel will Explore:

  • Aligning patent enforcement with corporate strategy and competitive positioning
  • Evaluating when to litigate, license, or pursue alternative dispute resolution
  • Managing litigation risk and reputational concerns as an operating company
  • Optimizing collaboration between in-house teams, outside counsel, and funders
Caity Ross
Associate General Counsel, Global IP & Robotics
SharkNinja
Brett Sandford
Partner
Latham & Watkins LLP
2:45 pm
Funded IP Litigation: What Funders Want & What In-House Counsel Must Know

Litigation funding has become a critical tool for operating companies pursuing high-stakes IP enforcement while managing budget pressures and risk. But to secure funding, in-house counsel must understand what investors are looking for—from strong case merits and enforceable patents to realistic damage models and jurisdictional considerations. This session dives into the funder’s perspective, offering insights on how to position cases for approval and avoid common pitfalls that derail funding applications. Attendees will gain a roadmap for navigating the funded litigation process and ensuring alignment with corporate goals.

This Panel will Explore:

  • The funder’s checklist: key factors for approving IP litigation investments

  • Preparing your case and portfolio for funder due diligence

  • Drafting agreements that protect company interests and preserve control

  • Managing relationships with funders to ensure strategic alignment

3:20 pm
Networking Break + One-on-One Meetings

If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com

3:30 pm
Cocktail Roundtables

Rotating, 20-minute discussions hosted by a topic expert

 

Roundtable 1: Hosted by Sanker IP

Roundtable 2: IP Risk in the Supply Chain: Innovation Leakage, Joint Ventures & Vendor Relationships

Roundtable 3:  Competitor vs Competitor Litigation

4:50 pm
Closing Comments

Speakers

Kristopher Kastens
Partner
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
James LaFleur
Senior Manager
Autodesk Inc.
Martin Arastafar
Assistant General Counsel, IP
Veeva Systems
Andrew Borja
Senior Patent Agent & Portfolio Architect
pSemi, A Murata Company
Thomas George
Associate General Counsel, Head of Patent Group
Samsung Research America
Tao Zhang
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, IP & Product
Juniper Networks
Subroto Bose
Assistant General Counsel, IP
Marvell Technology
Peter Jovanovic
Legal Director, IP
Dell
Iti Negi
Senior Patent Engineer
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc.
Gail Su
Senior Counsel, Patent Transactions
Google
Caity Ross
Associate General Counsel, Global IP & Robotics
SharkNinja
David Sanker
Founder
Sanker IP
Stanley Gibson
Partner, Chairman, Patent Litigation Group
Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell
James Hannah
Partner
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Brett Sandford
Partner
Latham & Watkins LLP

Sponsors

Venue

TBA
Palo Alto, CA

Pricing

Register By In House Counsel Law Firms & Vendors
Oct. 7th, 2025 $395.00 Contact info@centerforceusa.com
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