Schedule LESI Conference 2020

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  • Day 1

    Sun, May 17, 2020

  • Day 2

    Mon, May 18, 2020

  • Day 3

    Tue, May 19, 2020

  • Optional Day 4

    Wed, May 20, 2020

  • Optional EPO Trainer the Trainer

    Wed, May 20, 2020, Crowne Plaza, to be booked directly through LESI (Click here!)

  • In this session LES will introduce to Young Members and First Time Attendees what LES is all about. What is the Young Member Congress (YMC), what are the different committees and how can anyone actively contribute to the success and development of LES. A number of officials and representatives of LESI and their committees will provide a short introduction into the work and life of LES. In a second part a speed networking opportunity arises so that all participants can engage with the representatives from the various LESI committees.
    Workshop 1
    Where
    Break Out Room 1

  • Join all the participants of the IMDM plus all the LESI2020 attendees and speakers for a warm welcome at the Station, Berlin.
    Evening Reception
    Where
    Station, Berlin

  • Welcome Speeches
    Plenary
    Where
    Plenary Room

  • Dr. Margaretha Sudhof will welcome all national and international participants and introduce the main topic of the conference "data as assets" from a government perspective.
    Plenary
    Where
    Plenary Room

  • The speaker will give an excellent key note in the field of innovation and modern day licensing in a world full of data in industry.
    Plenary
    Where
    Plenary Room

  • Enjoy networking and meeting opportunities during the coffee break
    Coffee Break
    Where
    Central Meeting Area

  • Experts from the European Union, the US and Japan will give an overview on the latest developments in an excellent panel.
    Plenary
    Where
    Plenary Room

  • The IP and licensing industry has been disrupted before and some experienced professionals have seen it happen. These experienced professionals can share their insight to younger professionals as to what lies ahead for the future of the IP/licensing and practice. Will the use of disrupting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain disrupt the licensing practice? How are these new tools going to affect the everyday practice of IP/licensing professionals, from in-house counsel to tech-transfer office professionals and private practice attorneys? Will the value of professional services be calculated with other means than hourly rates, if everyone uses powerful tools? Will some tasks of the IP/licensing practice be completely automated in the future? The very diverse panel composed of young and experienced in-house and private practice professionals, as well as of LegalTech company representatives, will discuss these challenging issues and will try to predict the licensing practice of the future, while learning from past disruptions!
    Workshop 1
    Where
    Break Out Room 1

  • Enjoy networking and meeting opportunities during the coffee break
    Coffee Break
    Where
    Central Meeting Area

  • Digital Health deals sit at the intersection of data, technology and life sciences and reflect the full range of business models, from SaaS to clinical treatment. As AI and Digital Health technologies are set to transform the healthcare industry, licensing contracts carve out new partnerships with new forms of derived data, push the boundaries of patentable subject matter, and implicate new issues in data provenance,and scope of permitted use while new consumer data sources are used as health indicators. Panelists will discuss emerging issues related to protecting and licensing data and IP from the perspectives of diverse sectors and jurisdictions.
    Workshop 1
    Where
    Break Out Room 1

  • Autonomous vehicles are now being developed in major metropolitan areas around the world. Because of their market value, these critical metro “Mega-Cities”, with their unique needs, could challenge the traditional role of national authorities for autonomous vehicle regulations, vehicles design and mobility services offered. We will discuss how more localized rulemaking and development for key metro areas could impact IP ownership and Licensing. This panel is composed of licensing & IP professionals, technical experts and members of rulemaking bodies and regulators, assembled to discuss serving these key "islands of autonomy". Success in creating volume applications for vehicles and services in these key markets for vehicle manufacturers and service providers is fundamental to their future viability. The stakes are high and the changes to markets are potentially significant. A recent KPMG study coined the term "islands of autonomy" made the observation that "we calculate a massive decline in personally owned sedans in the United States as a result of these islands, dropping from 5.4 million units (sold annually) today, to 2.1 million (annually) by 2030. This astonishing decline will lead to greater overcapacity in supply and further disruption in the market". Success in quickly identifying true needs in these mega-markets and providing high volume solutions will determine long term winners in this hugely expensive undertaking for auto makers, systems suppliers, services providers and IP owers/licensors.
    Workshop 4
    Where
    Break Out Room 4

  • In this era of open science and open access, knowledge transfer activities between public research and industry encounter new challenges and opportunities. Knowledge transfer offices are confronted with new imperatives such as exclusivity versus non-exclusivity in transferring and exploiting research findings, the impact of grand societal challenges on the economic agenda they pursue, the universal nature of scientific insights that are to be transferred in a multipolar world etc. Those evolutions offer a rich ground for debate that will be at the heart of our panel discussion.
    Plenary
    Where
    Plenary Room

  • This session will see knowledgeable and engaging speakers with deep knowledge of consumer products and consumer brand markets who will share their individual outlooks into the future of how retail, marketing and connected devices will shape the future market. Big players of today might become redundant tomorrow. Manufacturers of today become service providers. Retailers become manufacturers – and vice versa. Gaining market share with individual ecosystems will be balanced against the aim to achieve technological standardization. Data and connectivity shifts market powers. Who will benefit, who will suffer, and who will be the market leaders 2030?
    Workshop 2
    Where
    Break Out Room 2

  • Trademarks used to protect classic indicators of origin such as words and logos. Designs on the other hand were meant to protect the appearance of a product or parts of it. With the emergence of non-traditional marks (such as shape marks) and the acceptance of logos as designs, the clear demarcation between trademarks and designs has become more and more blurred. This provides challenges as well as opportunities for companies looking for protection of their brands and products. Developing a sound strategy resting on both designs and trademarks can make or break the success of a new product. This workshop will look into some of the key aspects of the two IP rights and their effective use in forming a coordinated protection strategy.
    Workshop 2
    Where
    Break Out Room 2

  • For many years, Germany has probably not been the first jurisdiction to come to people’s minds regarding compulsory licenses – most likely because there has not been a single case for decades. Two recent requests for compulsory licenses have now put a focus on this legal institution provided by the German Patent Act once again. This is also due to the fact that there is an ongoing debate on injunctive relief, which is granted by law in Germany if patent infringement is determined, i.e. the decision is not left to the discretion of the court, for example by taking into account considerations regarding proportionality or third-party interests. Compulsory licenses are seen as a possible counterbalance and potential remedy to these automatic injunctions. The panelists of this workshop were involved in the two aforementioned recent cases and will explain and discuss the requirements for compulsory licenses in Germany on the basis of the guidance provided by these decisions.
    Workshop 3
    Where
    Break Out Room 3

  • We have the exceptional opportunity to dine, network, meet and greet in the surrounding of the Naturkundemuseum, right under the dinosaur bones.
    Evening Reception
    Where
    Naturkundemuseum, Berlin

  • Open Source Software is included in all new software tools and programs. While it provides tremendous opportunities it also poses new compliance issues. There are many open source licenses and some of them contain pitfalls and legal issues that have to be carefully addressed. This panel gives an inside into industry´s best practices from leading companies in Germany and Europe how their deal with such Open Source Compliance issues. It also gives an overview over the legal situation of Open Source licenses in Germany and Europe.
    Workshop 2
    Where
    Break Out Room 2

  • In 2018, LESI’s Dispute Resolution Committee had provided a comprehensive comparative study in view of recent trends in global patent enforcement, such as the decline in the number of infringement actions in the US, the rising importance of Europe, with Germany as the leading jurisdiction in terms of numbers of cases, as well as the growing interest in these actions in Asian jurisdictions, particularly China. The study was pursued over more than 1.5 years by internationally renowned patent litigators and covers ten jurisdictions, namely the US, DE, FR, NL, UK, ES, IT, CN, JP and KR. Besides focusing on current trends (competitor vs NPE litigation; patent pool activities; “hot” technical areas), the work shop will revisit several key aspects of the study and their most recent developments in core jurisdictions (US, Europe), e.g. forum shopping, availability of injunctive relief and preliminary injunctions, level of damages, timing, statistics, as well as offensive and defensive strategies in multi-national matters. Covered jurisdictions: US, DE, UK, FR, IT.
    Workshop 2
    Where
    Break Out Room 2

  • Rushing into the era of disruptive innovation, DX (Digital Transformation) is revolutionizing the industrial world and society, while data and digitalization are key components of DX. With the rise of AI and the growing importance of data and its use, licensors will have to develop new concepts to make best use of the legal means (such as patent, copyright or trade secret) and practical means (such as restricting access) available to protect such data. Those legal and practical approaches will in turn have implications for license agreements which will be at the center of this workshop. Panelists address how various industrial sectors such as automotive are going to handle data as assets, where they are going, and what points should seriously be considered in legal and practical aspects.
    Workshop 3

  • Mock Mediation of IP License Dispute using WIPO. We began the panel with Adam Rattray from WIPO explaining the difference between mediation and arbitration, then describing WIPO's approach. This was followed by Jim Sobieraj (acting as mediator) explaining his role and how he plans to conduct the mock mediation. We had a great group for the actual mock mediation. We wrapped up with 10 points to consider when planning for mediation and audience discussion.  
    Workshop 1
    Where
    Break Out Room 1

  • The topic of this panel on international joint ventures and intellectual property focuses on specific questions that arise when two or more parties from different jurisdictions join forces to set up a common international project as a joint venture, and one or more of such partners contributes a part of its IP to the intended collaboration. The discussion will focus on the panelists’ practical experience with respect to IP at the different stages of a joint venture, from (1) the pre-contractual stage (confidentiality agreement, term sheet, due diligence), over (2) the formation and contribution stage (assignment and licensing of existing background IP, terms of transfer, reps and warranties), to (3) the operation stage (future contribution of existing and future background IP, ownership and exploitation of foreground IP, maintenance and protection of background and foreground IP) and, eventually, (4) the termination stage (fallback of background IP, division of foreground IP). Against this background, the discussion will touch upon the key topic and experiences on the different stages of a joint venture, the pain points for the parties involved, the mechanisms that should be implemented at each stage to adequately protect IP, the contentious provisions in the agreements for a joint venture and usual IP-related showstoppers in negotiations. We hope that the panelists will share some of the highlights of their practice with respect to IP in international joint ventures and present their view on the dos and don’ts , i.e., what items are critical for the success or failure of a joint venture project which involves IP.
    Plenary
    Where
    Plenary Room

  • The internet has been around for more than 25 years. On-line delivery of music and films no longer take ages. According to Motion Pictures of America and IFPI, most people watch films or listen to music via streaming. In fact, IFPI’s 2019 Music Listening Report, 89% listen to music through on- demand streaming. Many do so using YouTube, showing that the platform between music and films are blurred. Naturally, the revenue streams from the different means of exploiting copyright for music is now coming mainly from streaming. As much as 59% is coming from streaming. Performing rights societies which traditionally manage broadcast, cable and performing rights are becoming more and more important. In this session, we examine the role of collective rights management organisations (traditionally called “performing rights societies”), in this world of new consumer habits and how different players are responding to this trend. Should new rights like those in the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (Directive 2019/790) be introduced or is technology and business models the right avenues for response?
    Plenary
    Where
    Plenary Room

  • Using an illustrative IP success story in med tech and some practical frameworks, we will explore how intellectual property management can add value to your business from a strategic perspective. The European Patent Office (EPO) has produced a series of studies on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which are leveraging the power of patents and other IP rights to achieve business success. The studies illustrate how young and established SMEs have developed the IP management capabilities they need, and how they are using IP strategically to their advantage. Micrel Medical Devices, one of the businesses analysed in the EPO's very popular SME case study collection, will showcase the evolution of its IP strategies throughout different phases of its development, and how this went hand in hand with changing product features and target customers over three generations of patents. As computer-implemented inventions (CII) played a crucial role, the latest insights into the patentability of CII will demonstrate how emerging technologies can be protected to create a sustainable competitive advantage for businesses.
    Workshop 1
    Where
    Break Out Room 1

  • Jörg Rheinboldt will present APX and selected APX portfolio startups will pitch
    Workshop 3
    Where
    Break Out Room 3

  • This workshop will be chaired by (LES Britain & Ireland) and have 4 panel members with representatives from industry, i.e. those seeking the financing and the challenges they face in trying to build a company as well as the financiers -venture capitalists and various funding bodies.
    Plenary
    Where
    Plenary Room

  • This would be a great opportunity to forge links with the Pharmaceutical Licensing Group in Europe. We’ll like at the state of play in the industry, IP and regulatory challenges and look at resulting diversification focusing on licensing and M&A . We will have panellists from pharma companies, speciality companies with representatives from LES and PLG. This will be chaired by a life science committee member and a PLG member. 
    Workshop 3
    Where
    Plenary Room

  • When Standard Essential Patents ("SEPS") are licensed to participants in a supply chain, a basic question is whether the respective patentee is obliged to grant a license under FRAND conditions to each and any "willing licensee" along the supply chain. If so, a further question is whether the patentee is entitled to apply different royalty rates to licensees at different levels of the supply chain. Another question of importance is whether principles of patent exhaustion would still allow the patentee/licensor to impose restrictions on the FRAND licensee with regard to sources of supply ("upstream") and/or customers ("downstream"). In discussing these questions, the panel will also consider current considerations on possible changes of patent law, particularly in relation to the proportionality of injunctive relief under equity considerations.
    Plenary

  • Research institutions are commonly funded by public monies, with the expectation that the investment in research will deliver benefit directly back to those countries or regions. On the other hand, commercialisation of the technologies arising from this research usually require significant investment from the licensee and relies on exploitation into a large global market to ensure commercial viability. This is generally a lesser problem for commercialisation offices in countries or regions with large, profitable markets. However, it becomes a much greater challenge for institutions in countries or regions that comprise only a small segment of the total market. The workshop will focus on challenges in this environment and how deals are being structured to enable both outcomes; from the industry and university/government sides of the transaction.
    Workshop 1
    Where
    Break Out Room 1

  • drinks reception and networking event
    Evening Reception

  • The festive highlight of the conference: dining like the prussian kings did in midst of orange trees in the wolrd renowned ambience of palace Charlottenburg. A true once in a lifetime experience.
    Evening Reception
    Where
    Castle Charlottenburg, Berlin

  • Succeeding at technology commercialisation and negotiation Train-the-trainer seminar
    Crowne Plaza
    Where
    Crowne Plaza Hotel (Mitte), Meeting Room to be announced