The Corporate IP Institute
Two days of CLE and candid exchange among the people who run corporate IP.
In Person on Thursday October 29th at Georgia State University College of Law
Virtual on Friday October 30th
Thank you to our 2026 sponsors
We are grateful to these organizations for supporting this year’s Corporate IP Institute and our corporate IP community.
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DATES
Thu 29 & Fri 30 October 2026
Day one in person, day two virtual -
VENUE
Knowles Conference Center
GSU College of Law, 85 Park Place NE, Atlanta -
CLE
Approved for Georgia CLE
Includes Ethics (1.5) &
Professionalism (1)
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AUDIENCE
In-house IP counsel
One of the highest concentrations in the region
About CIPI
Twenty years of the room where corporate IP gets discussed honestly
CIPI 2025, Knowles Conference Center.
CIPI is the annual CLE and networking conference of the Georgia Intellectual Property Alliance, held at Georgia State University College of Law. Since 2007 it has brought corporate IP teams together with outside counsel and consultants to compare what is actually working: portfolio strategy, enforcement, licensing and monetization, international practice, and the places where IP now runs into AI, data and regulation.
Sessions are led by practitioners rather than presenters, and the program is built so that most seats on every panel belong to in-house participants.
20th
Year of the Institute 218
speakers hosted between 2019-2025108
companies represented by those speakers
Two days, ten panels
Six panels in Atlanta on Thursday. Four virtual panels on Friday. Explore the schedule, then meet the practitioners leading each discussion.
All times Eastern. Select a panel for its topic and speakers.
Thursday, October 29
Knowles Conference Center, GSU College of Law, Atlanta
- Registration and breakfast
- Welcome and awards
- Identifying and Protecting IP in the Business
- Networking break
- Artificial Intelligence, Real Trademarks: Emerging Issues in Brands, Brand Protection and Enforcement
- Networking break
- Navigating Red Flags in IP Due Diligence When the Business Wants to Do the Deal
- Lunch
- What In-House Counsel Need to Know About Litigating Patent Disputes Overseas
- Networking break
- Professionalism in Advising the General Counsel and C Suite
- Networking break
- Managing Enforcement Risk in Both Directions
- Reception
Friday, October 30
Online · Zoom links sent to registrants
Panel by panel
Corporate perspectives, practical questions, and the people bringing them to the table.
Identifying and Protecting IP in the Business
How do businesses identify intellectual property and decide how to protect it? This panel explores internal IP programs, offensive and defensive strategies, selecting countries in which to seek protection, and choosing between patents and trade secrets.
- 01Identify IP
- 02Choose protection
- 03Build business strategy
- Panel organizerL. Clint CrosbyBaker Donelson
- PanelistTyler FowlerCEOMountville Mills
- PanelistDiego NunezCEOTwelve South
- PanelistBrendan MullinsCTOEpic Tech
- PanelistDelaney LewisVice PresidentWatershed Geo
Artificial Intelligence, Real Trademarks: Emerging Issues in Brands, Brand Protection and Enforcement
Generative AI is changing how brands are created, protected and enforced. This panel considers ownership and documentation for AI-assisted marks, policing infringement and counterfeiting, use in commerce, and the risks surrounding AI-branded products and services. The discussion draws on prosecution, TTAB and litigation experience.
- 01Create brands
- 02Protect marks
- 03Address AI infringement
- ModeratorMichael D. HobbsPartnerTroutman Pepper Locke LLP
- PanelistAdam VillanuevaCounsel-IPStripe
- PanelistBrent M. RadcliffAssociate General Counsel, Brand and Intellectual PropertyBlue Cross Blue Shield Association
Navigating Red Flags in IP Due Diligence When the Business Wants to Do the Deal
IP due diligence can reveal risks just as the business is ready to close a deal. This session follows the process from the term sheet through signing and closing: scoping requests, checking ownership and encumbrances, reviewing open-source and third-party dependencies, and addressing employee and contractor assignments. Panelists will discuss dividing the work with outside counsel, preparing a clean sell-side file, and translating findings into deal terms, indemnities and purchase-price decisions.
- 01Scope diligence
- 02Find red flags
- 03Shape deal terms
- ModeratorGreg CarlinPrincipalMeunier Carlin & Curfman LLC
- PanelistClark WilsonLead CounselAvanos Medical
- PanelistAvi SchwartzVP, IP CounselEdwards Lifesciences
- PanelistJennifer MillerVP, Chief Intellectual Property CounselScout Motors Inc.
- PanelistChris KellyDirector, Intellectual PropertyRheem Manufacturing Company
What In-House Counsel Need to Know About Litigating Patent Disputes Overseas
In-house counsel and practitioners from Germany and China examine the realities of managing patent disputes across borders. The discussion covers parallel proceedings, differences among U.S., German, Chinese and UPC practice, working with foreign counsel, and making strategic decisions across jurisdictions.
- 01Coordinate jurisdictions
- 02Work with local counsel
- 03Manage dispute strategy
- ModeratorIvona ReljaAssociateLee & Hayes
- PanelistVictor FetscherAttorney at LawBoehmert & Boehmert
- PanelistPing GuEquity PartnerZhong Lun Law Firm
- PanelistRyan GentesSenior Corporate CounselDoosan Bobcat
Professionalism in Advising the General Counsel and C Suite
Drawing on Georgia’s A Lawyer’s Creed and Aspirational Statement on Professionalism, this session examines independent legal advice in conversations with the general counsel and C-suite. Hypotheticals explore candor about uncertainty, professional independence, respectful disagreement, mentoring, and informed decisions under pressure.
- 01Advise independently
- 02Communicate uncertainty
- 03Disagree respectfully
- ModeratorScott FrankGIPA / Venadar
- PanelistAuma ReggyManaging Chief Counsel, Intellectual PropertyMcKesson
- PanelistStephanie AdamsDirector, Intellectual Property and GrantsMicron Biomedical
- PanelistStacy FredrichVice President, Chief Intellectual Property CounselNewell Brands
Managing Enforcement Risk in Both Directions
Asserting or answering an IP claim raises questions about a lawyer’s professional responsibilities as well as business strategy. This session examines investigation practices, the accuracy of demands, supervision of investigators and enforcement vendors, and responses to aggressive enforcement. Brand protection and defensive patent licensing scenarios will connect those operational decisions to relevant legal-ethics duties.
- 01Investigate carefully
- 02Supervise enforcement
- 03Respond responsibly
- ModeratorLarry KuninMediator and ArbitratorJAMS
- PanelistCourtney FerriVice President, Paralegal, IP LegalBlackRock
- PanelistByron HolzNokia
- PanelistAmelia Marie PetrosinoAssociate General CounselGeorgia State University
Inventor Rewards and Recognition Survey: Results Panel
This workshop will present key findings from IPO’s recent survey on inventor rewards and recognition programs. The session will highlight emerging trends, benchmarking insights, and practical considerations for designing and evolving effective recognition programs across global organizations.
- 01Survey findings
- 02Benchmark programs
- 03Recognize inventors
- SpeakerCarey JordanChair, Intellectual Property GroupVorys
- SpeakerToby MakRegistered Chinese Patent AttorneyTee & Howe Intellectual Property Attorneys
- SpeakerPeter MatteiAssociate General Counsel, Innovation and TechnologyTenneco
- SpeakerLisa FultonSolventum
AI Governance and Business Risk
How can legal teams turn AI policies into practical guidance for the business? Panelists will discuss evaluating uses, allocating responsibilities, reviewing vendors and creative agencies, protecting company and customer data, documenting human contributions, and establishing review and escalation practices.
- 01Evaluate AI uses
- 02Set responsibilities
- 03Manage vendor risk
- PanelistAndrew Q. LebaChief Innovation CounselBlackRock
- PanelistPrathyusha ChenjiCorporate CounselEdible
- PanelistBonnie GrantSenior Director, Intellectual Property, Product, and AI LawArctic Wolf
- PanelistAshley NightingaleAssociate General CounselThe Lumistella Company
Recent Developments in IPR Proceedings
Recent changes to inter partes review practice are reshaping how companies assess patent challenges and coordinate proceedings before the USPTO and the courts. This panel examines discretionary denial, settled expectations, parallel litigation, Sotera stipulations and the Director’s institution process. The discussion will address how these developments affect petitions, patent-owner responses, requests for Director Review and broader patent-dispute strategy.
- 01Institution decisions
- 02Parallel proceedings
- 03Patent-dispute strategy
- ModeratorAndrew SaulLee & Hayes
- PanelistJames SteinPartnerLee & Hayes
AI-Enabled Invention, Disclosure and Patent Strategy
From AI-assisted invention and disclosure intake to prior-art review and portfolio decisions, this session follows the in-house IP workflow. Panelists will discuss documenting human contributions, protecting confidential invention information, reviewing AI-assisted work, and setting expectations for outside counsel on transparency, supervision, quality and value.
- 01Capture inventions
- 02Review AI-assisted work
- 03Guide patent strategy
- PanelistNatasha LanderyVP, Assistant General Counsel 2 – Intellectual PropertyTruist
- PanelistRob CuryloSenior Counsel, Intellectual PropertyCox Enterprises
Who has taken the podium
Explore the 2026 panels above. These speakers from recent programs reflect the range of perspectives at CIPI.
In-house IP leaders from these organizations have spoken in recent years:
Interested in speaking at CIPI 2026?
Most panel seats go to in-house participants, and panelists are not required to be attorneys. Speakers receive complimentary registration for the full program.
Georgia CLE, including Ethics and Professionalism
The 2026 program is approved for Georgia CLE and includes sessions focused on Ethics and Professionalism.
- Ethics and Professionalism hours included in the program
- Certificate of Attendance provided for reporting in other states
- Attendance is confirmed through a short post-event survey
Reserve your seat
Registration covers both days, all sessions, breakfast and lunch on Thursday, the evening reception, and access to the Friday virtual sessions.
Early registration
- Register before October 1
- Both days, all sessions
- Full CLE hours available
- Reception included
Standard registration
- Register on or after October 1
- Both days, all sessions
- Full CLE hours available
- Reception included
Discounts and complimentary registration
- Corporate IP Roundtable members: free registration for two registrants
- Diamond CIPI sponsors: three firm registrants and three client registrants
- Platinum CIPI sponsors: two firm registrants and two client registrants
- Gold CIPI sponsors: one firm registrant and one client registrant
- GIPA General Sponsors: $50 off for two registrants
- Speakers: free registration
- Students: $25
Contact pooya.shoghi@leehayes.com for registration and discount codes.
Networking breaks are scheduled between every session.
Reach the corporate IP community
Sponsoring CIPI puts your organization in front of one of the highest concentrations of in-house IP attorneys at any metro Atlanta CLE conference, and gives your team the chance to lead a panel while slots remain.
Diamond
- Welcome remarks during a meal
- Full-page ad in the program
- Marquee signage and preferred booth
- Drive and moderate a CLE panel
- Three registrations, plus three for clients
Platinum
- Half-page ad in the program
- Table top display and event bag logo
- Luncheon sponsorship
- Drive and moderate a CLE panel
- Two registrations, plus two for clients
Gold
- Logo on website, signage and materials
- Breakfast or break sponsorship
- Drive and moderate a CLE panel
- Marketing material for attendees
- One registration, plus one for a client
GIPA General Sponsors receive 10 percent off, and a further 10 percent is available for early purchase, stacking to 20 percent.
Organizations that have taken part
Nearly two hundred companies, firms, universities and agencies have sent speakers or attendees over the life of the Institute.
A selection. The full list is available on request.
Contact Us
For any questions, please reach out using the contact information below.
Pooya Shoghi
IP and Technology Partner, Lee & Hayes
Member of the GIPA Executive Committee
Office: 404.736.1858