The Patent Committee will hold a kick-off meeting for the 2026 calendar year on Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at noon ET.  The Patent Committee is an integral part of the State Bar of Georgia’s IP  Section and is actively seeking new members, especially those who have not been involved before (e.g., new patent attorneys, associates, in-house counsel). The Committee typically plans and hosts approximately 2-3 CLEs per year focused on patent topics, coordinates engaging speakers (such as district court or PTAB judges, or international lawyers), and organizes social events for its members and the wider Georgia patent community. The Patent Committee also encourages flexibility and welcomes new ideas for other patent-focused events or programs that may be of interest to the membership.

For access information for the Teams call on January 14th or for additional information about the Patent Committee, please contact the co-chairs David Reed at DReed@ktslaw.com and Devan Knapp at Devan.Knapp@finnegan.com.

Welcome the New Year with friends and fellow practitioners at the State Bar of Georgia’s IP Section’s New Year’s Party!

This will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the start of 2026, reconnect with colleagues and enjoy an evening of camaraderie with our vibrant IP community.

Event Details:

• What: State Bar of Georgia | IP Section | New Year’s Party
• When: January 8, 2026, 6 – 9 p.m.
• Where: Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta

Click here to register. We kindly request that you utilize the valet service for parking. At the conclusion of the evening, please inform the valet staff that you are with the State Bar of Georgia. The Section will be covering the parking costs on your behalf.

We look forward to celebrating with you and kicking off the New Year together!

At the State Bar Center in June, the IP Section held its first Annual Conference in many years.  The resumed Annual Conference was a tremendous success with nearly 90 people registered to attend and a day full of insightful and engaging presentations.  Attendees started the morning with a panel called Copyright and AI 2025.  Alcide Honore (Honore Law LLC) and Jelani Miller (The Miller Law Group, LLC) discussed recent efforts by courts and legislators to address the interplay of AI and copyright law. This 2025 update also included practical guidance regarding disclosure of AI-generated content and contract drafting considerations.

The copyright presentation was followed by a trade secrets panel called Winning Early: Do’s and Don’t’s When Applying for TRO’s and Preliminary Injunctions in Trade Secrets.  This panel was moderated by Neil Weinrich (Berman Fink Van Horn) and featured Alison Ballard (Buchalter), Lea Dearing (Berman Fink Van Horn), and Michael Elkon (Fisher Phillips). The panel provided an overview of options and considerations for early relief in trade secrets cases in light of the fact-specific nature of litigating both the existence of a trade secret and whether it has been misappropriated.  The presentation also covered practical considerations for avoiding trade secret misappropriation claims and discussed the interplay of trade secrets and restrictive covenants. 

A panel of in-house attorneys presented next in a session called Navigating Ethics while Protecting Intellectual Property; Legal Issues and Updates from an In-House Perspective.  This panel featured Pratik Jhanb (World Pay), Elizabeth Lester (Equifax), and Allen Torng (Southwire Company) and was moderated by Justin Charles Ward (Blue Force Gear, Inc.). This ethics presentation focused on the AI-related challenges presented to companies and provided an in-house perspective on managing this rapidly evolving technology. The panelists discussed the importance of in-house counsel adopting policies and educating business people regarding use  of AI and duties to disclose such use.  

After lunch, Josh Curry (Lewis Brisbois) moderated a panel called Patent Damages at a Crossroads.  The panel featured Brandon McFarland (J.S. Held) and Mitch Stockwell (Kilpatrick) discussing an overview of patent damages, including a review of recent Federal Circuit Cases.  The panelists walked through the methodologies for calculating and proving damages in a patent case, as well as a practical analysis of the relevant factors in calculating a reasonable royalty. 

Doug Isenberg (Giga Law) addressed the group in the next session entitled State of the Uniform Domain Dispute Resolution Policy: Where Domain Disputes Stand After 25 years.  Mr. Isenberg discussed both the history of the UDRP and its likely future.  He also provided the group with practical guidance on the timing, costs, and logistics of UDRP proceedings.  The presentation included a review of recent UDRP cases, as well as statistical data on where UDRP claims are being filed and the outcomes.

The last session of the day was a professionalism presentation with judges from the United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia. The presentation entitled A View From the Bench: Balancing Zealous Advocacy with Civility in Complex Civil Litigation featured panelists Hon. Leigh Martin May, Hon. William M. Ray, II, Hon. Sarah E. Geraghty, and Hon. Tiffany R. Johnson and was moderated by Jason H. Cooper (The Sladkus Law Group) and David Hricik (Mercer University).  The panelists discussed common issues with written discovery, including related to proportionality and appropriateness of responses and objections, and depositions, including improper instructions not to answer and unprepared 30(b)(6) designees.  The judges also discussed use of AI by practitioners and provided a word of caution to attorneys who utilize AI to prepare documents submitted to the court.

Attendees also had opportunities throughout the day to socialize and network with presenters and other attendees, including at a reception at the Glenn Hotel following the presentations. 

Registration is now open for the annual conference of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia.

When: Friday, June 13, 2025

Where: State Bar of Georgia (CLE) & The Glenn Hotel (Reception)

Agenda & Program Overview:

• 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. – Sign-in & hot buffet breakfast

• 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. – Copyright Presentation: Copyright and AI 2025 – A look at the latest cases and legislative efforts in copyright law and artificial intelligence, including practical contract drafting considerations.    
  
  Speakers – Alcide Honore (Honore Law LLC) and Jelani Miller (The Miller Law Group, LLC)

• 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Trade Secrets Presentation: Winning Early: Do’s and Don’ts When Applying for TRO’s and Preliminary Injunctions in Trade Secrets Cases
  
  Moderator – Neal Weinrich
  Speakers – Michael Elkon (Fisher Phillips); Lea Dearing (Berman Fink Van Horn); Alison Ballard (Buchalter)

• 11:30a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Ethics Presentation: Navigating Ethics while Protecting Intellectual Property; Legal Issues and Updates from an In-House Perspective
  
  Moderators – Justin Charles Ward (Blue Force Gear, Inc.) and Joe Staley (Perilla Knox & Hildebrandt LLP)
  Speakers – Elizabeth Lester (Equifax), Pratik Jhanb (World Pay) and Allen Torng (Southwire Company)

• 12:30 – 2 p.m. – Hot Buffet Lunch

• 2 -3 p.m. – Patent Presentation: Patent Damages at a Crossroads – As the Federal Circuit considers en banc the question of damages and the admissibility of expert testimony in EcoFactor Inc. v. Google LLC, we sit at a crossroads when it comes to patent damages. Our distinguished panel will discuss recent developments and trends in patent damages. The discussion will include developing issues surrounding reasonable royalty models and expert testimony and their impact on patent licensing.
  
  Moderator – Josh Curry (Lewis Brisbois)
  Speakers – Mitch Stockwell (Kilpatrick); Brandon McFarland (J.S. Held)

• 3 – 4 p.m. – Trademark Presentation: State of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy: Where Domain Name Disputes Stand After 25 Years
  
  Speaker – Doug Isenberg (Giga Law)

• 4 – 5 p.m. – Professionalism Presentation: A View From the Bench: Balancing Zealous Advocacy With Civility In Complex Civil Litigation
  
  Moderators – Jason H. Cooper (The Sladkus Law Group); David Hricik (Mercer Univ.)
  Speakers – (USDC, Northern District of Georgia): Hon. Leigh Martin May; Hon. William M. Ray, II; Hon. Sarah E. Geraghty; Hon. Tiffany R. Johnson

• 5:15 – 7:30 p.m. – Reception at The Glenn Hotel (drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres)

Registration Fees:

• Section Members: $75
• Non-Members: $100

This is a fantastic opportunity to earn 6 CLE hours (including ethics and professionalism credits), enjoy a light breakfast and lunch and network with colleagues over drinks and hors d’oeuvres at The Glenn Hotel.

Click here to register

On October 23, 2024, the IP Section held a social at Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall in Atlanta.  The weather, venue, and turnout were all great for the first Section social to kick off the Bar year. 

The IP Section of the State Bar of Georgia plans educational and social events throughout the year for its members and the Georgia IP community. Getting involved in the IP Section is a great way to get to know other IP professionals, to give back to the IP community, and to foster personal and professional growth.

Make plans to join us Wednesday, June 26 from 12 – 1:30 p.m. at the State Bar Conference Center, or via Zoom, for an exciting CLE. This past May 7, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published its promulgated rule (“the FTC Rule”) banning restrictive covenants, subject to certain exceptions. This means that the FTC Rule will, barring the granting of intervening injunctive relief in pending litigation challenging the rule, take effect on September 4, 2024. 

The program will introduce the FTC Rule, including its exceptions, and will provide an update on the status of the litigation challenging its enforcement. The program will then discuss practical issues that currently confront decision-makers in considering how to begin preparing for September 4 as organizations await a decision in the pending litigation, to include implementation of reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of trade secrets. The speakers include two in-house counsel as well as outside counsel who focus on advising on and litigating restrictive covenants and trade secret theft. Collectively these speakers will provide valuable insight on the FTC Rule and its significant implications for employers across all industries. 

The program cost is $15 for section members and $25 for non-members. 1.5 hours of general CLE credit will be given (pending approval). 

Speakers:

• Benjamin I. Fink, Shareholder, Berman Fink Van Horn P.C.
• William Morris, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, The Wencor Group
• Susan Radcliffe, General Counsel – Americas, Kemira
• Neal F. Weinrich, Shareholder, Berman Fink Van Horn P.C.

Moderator:  Neal F. Weinrich, Shareholder, Berman Fink Van Horn P.C. 

To attend IN-PERSON or VIRTUALLY, click here to register. The Zoom link for all virtual attendees will be emailed 6/25/24 by noon.

Please join the Copyright Committee of the Intellectual Property Law Section to learn about the Right to Repair. Speaker: Courtney Lytle Sarnow, Partner, Culhane Meadows When: Friday, April 26th from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Where: State Bar of Georgia                  Bar Center, Meeting Room #3                  104 Marietta Street NW                  Atlanta, GA 30303 The fee is $10. Click here to register. 1 hour of general CLE credit will be given. (pending approval)