SVASE CXO Leadership Forum: Intellectual Property – Unfair Advantage, or costly distraction? February 9, 2011

SVASE CXO Leadership Forum: Intellectual Property – Unfair Advantage, or costly distraction?

Start: 02/09/2011 - 11:30 am
End: 02/09/2011- 1:30 pm

Contact Info: Ram Sriram Email: [email protected]
Voice: 408 315 3873

Location: Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
390 Lytton Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94301

URL:-www.svase.org/events/cxo-leadership-forum-intellectual-property-unfair-advantage-or-costly-distraction

It has become fashionable to toss copyright, patents, and trademarks—three separate and different entities involving three separate and different sets of laws—plus a dozen other laws into one pot and call it “intellectual property”.

And according to at least one expert “There is no such unified thing as “intellectual property”—it is a mirage!”

So how concerned should startup founders be about “intellectual property?” Our panel of experts will look to answer the following questions, & more, in a lively discussion:

• As a startup founder, how concerned should I be about “intellectual property?” – both from the viewpoint of stuff my company creates, and stuff I may knowingly or inadvertently infringe on?
• How do I ensure that IP that moonlighting employees & consultants create for me, actually belongs to my company? What are the consequences if I don’t do that?
• When should I patent, & when should I use some other form of protection, such as a trade secret?
• What can I do if an outsourcing company I used in some other country produces their own product based on my IP?
• If a US based big company comes out with a product that seems to use technology we created, how do I go about stopping them from doing this, or at least getting a slice of the action?
• What’s the best way for me to develop a meaningful IP strategy for my business, without spending huge amounts of money?

This event is a collegial luncheon designed to foster discussion in a confidential format among founders, officers and managers (CEO, CFO, CTO, CMO) of startup technology companies. We request that participants be involved in the management of a technology company.

Guest Speakers (see below for bios):

William Ahmann, IP Attorney, Sheppard Mullins Richter & Hampton LLP
TBA

Advance registration only, limited to 25 registrants, no walk-ins admitted.

Pre-registration closes 11 AM the day of the event.

When: Wednesday, February 9, 2011
11:30–12:00 pm: Networking and Lunch
12:00-01:30 pm: Panel discussion and Q/A

Location: Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, 390 Lytton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Pre-Registered Rates (All Rates Include Lunch):
$20 SVASE members,$29 Affiliates who promote this event
$49 Non-members

This event is co-sponsored by Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, www.sheppardmullin.com.

Speaker Bios:
William Ahmann
Mr. Ahmann is Special Counsel in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the firm's Palo Alto office, where he focuses on intellectual property law in the fields of wireless networks, telecommunications, computers, software, electronics, security, business methods, and the Internet.

Other areas of his practice include patent prosecution, licensing, litigation, copyright, trademark procurement, and designs protection. Mr. Ahmann has worked with a number of clients, rendering patent opinions, including invalidity and noninfringement opinions, focusing on patent prosecution and patent analysis, and establishing internal patent procurement programs and competitive analysis.

Mr. Ahmann has drafted, supervised, and/or prosecuted approximately 600 patent applications. He has been involved in multiple litigation matters and monetization efforts. He also has served as primary counsel in many licensing negotiations.

In the wireless space in particular, Mr. Ahmann has drafted, supervised, and/or prosecuted nearly 100 patent applications; drafted or supervised opinion letters; analyzed extensive portfolios; and defended against licensing and litigation efforts of non-practicing entities ("patent trolls").

Education
• J.D., University of California, Hastings, 2001
• B.S., University of Missouri, computer science, 1993

Official Website: http://www.svase.org/events/cxo-leadership-forum-intellectual-property-unfair-advantage-or-costly-distraction