• IP Section Social 

    Join us Wednesday, October 22, 2025 for the IP Section Social to kick off the Bar year. We hope you can join us for an evening of networking, great conversation and the opportunity to get involved with the IP Section of the State Bar of Georgia!

    What: IP Section Social to Kick Off for the 2025-26 Bar Year

    When: Wed. Oct. 22, 2025 from 6 – 9 p.m.

    Where: Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall

    Registration link: Click here to register.

    Heavy appetizers and beverages will be served. All attorneys and professionals are invited to attend this social event to learn more about the IP Section. You do not need to be a member of the IP Section to attend this social.

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  • IP Section Resumes Annual Conference With Full Day Meeting at Bar Center

    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. 

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  • Intellectual Property Law Section | Annual CLE Conference

    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
    • 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)
    • 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

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  • IP Section Kicks Off Bar Year With a Social Event

    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.

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  • “The FTC Rule”

    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.

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  • Intellectual Property Law Section | The Right to Repair: New Trends in Legislation and Lawsuits

    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)
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  • Intellectual Property Law Section | Recent Updates on European Patent Law

    Please join the Patent Committee of the IP Section of the State Bar of Georgia for a 1-hour lunch CLE presented by Berggren Oy on recent developments in patent law in Europe.  The presentation will touch on patent prosecution strategies, the latest statistics on opt outs and the selection of Unitary patents with comparisons of different technology areas, licensing implications under the new system, and a review of some of the early decisions of the Unified Patent Court including granting of the first pan-European preliminary injunction.

    Lunch will be provided.

    Location: Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP; 1100 Peachtree Street NE; Suite 2800; Atlanta, GA   30309-4528

    Date/Time: February 15, 2024, 12 noon

    Click here to register. 

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  • IP Section Members Volunteer to Help Local Animal Shelter

    On Saturday, March 2, 2024, 18 members of the IP Section of the Georgia Bar volunteered at PAWS Atlanta. PAWS Atlanta is Georgia’s oldest no-kill animal shelter having started in 1966 as the DeKalb Humane Society. The shelter has found homes for more than 49,000 dogs and cats in the past almost 60 years!

    Section members rolled up their sleeves to help the PAWS Development Team with their St. Pittie’s Day campaign. Section members also picked up branches and sticks on the walking trail and throughout the shelter, which allows the PAWS volunteers and staff to walk the dogs safely and provides adopters and fosters a nice environment to meet their new best friend.

    Check out PAWS Atlanta here . . . https://www.pawsatlanta.org/

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