[Community is where it’s at:
(1) Judge Sylvia Rambo Memorial Service Reception
(2) Immigration Attorney Luis Cortez Romero at Penn State Dickinson Law]
The start of the year has been filled with meaningful moments for the Dickinson Law community.
Here are two:
1. We hosted a reception in honor of Judge Sylvia Rambo (JD ’62), whose memorial service occurred earlier that day. President Jimmy Carter appointed Judge Rambo as the first woman to the federal bench in Pennsylvania’s Middle District, which covers 33 counties in the central and northeastern parts of the state. She also served as the first female chief judge of the court from 1992 to 1999.
In April 2021, then-Pennsylvania United States Senators Bob Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey jointly introduced legislation naming the new federal courthouse, then under construction, for Judge Rambo. President Joe Biden signed the bill into law. In 2022, Judge Rambo became one of a handful of women in US history to have an American federal courthouse named in her honor.
It was a privilege to gather with family, alumni, friends, and colleagues to honor a trailblazer and inspiration and celebrate her legacy. Judge Rambo’s contributions to the legal profession and her groundbreaking achievements will continue to inspire future generations.
2. I also enjoyed meeting Luis Cortes Romero, who spoke to our community about his work on immigrant rights. It was good to see faculty colleagues and students at the luncheon, where Attorney Romero took wide-ranging questions and candidly shared his experience working in the field.
A PBS documentary, “From Here/From There” (De Aquí /De Allá), charts the fascinating journey of the first undocumented lawyer to argue before the US Supreme Court. As one article noted, “The argument advanced by his team — that DACA should not be arbitrarily struck down because so many grantees, businesses and communities had come to rely on it — resonated with the court. This “reliance interest” was cited by Chief Justice John Roberts in his majority opinion in June 2020 keeping the program in place.”
Attorney Romero visited under the auspices of the law school’s Race and Equal Protection of the Law program.
These events were a powerful reminder of the impact that one person’s dedication and vision can have. Thank you to everyone who made these moments possible. Community is where it’s at.
#DickinsonLaw #Legacy #ImmigrationLaw #trailblazers
Read more about Judge Rambo and Attorney Romero here:
https://www.uscourts.gov/…/new-courthouse-honors-judge…
https://www.pennlive.com/…/pioneering-pa-judge-sylvia…
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna160682

[Penn State Dickinson Law Profiles in Leadership featuring WIPO Director General Daren Tang]

Join me in a conversation with Daren Tang, the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), as he reflects on:
– Historic Achievements in 2024: Two landmark treaties—the Riyadh Design Law Treaty and the Treaty on Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge—achieved in turbulent geopolitical times.
– IP as a Catalyst for Growth: How IP can bridge divides, drive innovation, and support development across member states.
– Leadership Lessons from Jazz: Insights on fostering creativity and collaboration within a global organization.
– Personal Perspectives* From his early days in Singapore and Georgetown University to his appreciation for jazz, tea, and meditation, DG Tang offers a unique lens on life and leadership.
– How WIPO is shaping a more inclusive and impactful global IP system, from training over 500,000 people worldwide through the WIPO Academy to empowering grassroots entrepreneurs in Namibia and beyond.

Watch the full episode to hear DG Tang’s reflections on navigating multilateralism, managing diverse stakeholder groups, and making IP a tool for equitable progress.

#Leadership #WIPO #IntellectualProperty #Innovation #ProfilesInLeadership #GlobalCollaboration

Honored that my scholarship has been cited in both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. These citations affirm the collaborative spirit of legal scholarship and research’s role in helping inform decisions at the highest levels.

The Bar Association of the District of Columbia referenced my article “I Dissent: The Federal Circuit’s “Great Dissenter,” Her Influence on the Patent Dialogue, and Why It Matters” (Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law) in an amicus brief before the D.C. Circuit (Hon. Pauline Newman v. Hon. Kimberly A. Moore, et al.).

Additionally, four U.S. Supreme Court briefs cited my work:

– “I Dissent” in Miller Mendel, Inc. v. City of Anna, Texas

– “The Influence of Alice (Minnesota Law Review Headnotes)” in

Realtime Data, LLC v. Fortinet, Inc., et al.

– “Trademark Confusion Revealed (American University Law Review)” in Relish Labs LLC v. Grubhub Inc., as well as by constitutional law and intellectual property scholars in the Jack Daniel’s Properties v. VIP Products LLC case.

#PennStateDickinsonLaw #LegalScholarship

https://dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/associate-dean-daryl-lims-articles-cited-court-appeals-dc-circuit-and-us-supreme-court

Delighted to join BBC News’s Katie Silver to discuss the strategies tech CEOs are employing as they prepare for the second Trump presidency, including the recent procession of business leaders to Mar-a-Lago. There will be sweeping changes ahead, from social media to semiconductor manufacturing, as companies like TikTok face decisions under pressure from the incoming administration’s policies on China, tariffs, antitrust, and more. President-elect Trump’s mercantilist pragmatism and signature dealmaking style may create non-conventional opportunities for allies and rivals to engage with the United States.

[Penn State Dickinson Law Profiles in Leadership: David Kappos on People, Principles, and Progress]
It was a privilege to interview Dave Kappos, widely recognized as a global leader in intellectual property strategy, policy, and enforcement. His transformative tenure as Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office included the passage of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, a landmark reform of the U.S. patent system. He now serves as Co-Chair of the Intellectual Property Practice at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.
Our conversation explored his journey at IBM, his experiences in Asia, and the leadership lessons he’s learned along the way. He also shared his perspectives on faith, family, and the importance of grassroots advocacy in shaping the future of innovation.
Other highlights include:
– Stewarding the America Invents Act and the role of coalition-building
– Leadership lessons for the incoming USPTO director.
– Has America lost the ability to transmit and interact internationally at multiple frequencies?
– Advice for the next generation of leaders in law, innovation, and policy
He exemplifies what it means to lead with vision, humility, and a deep sense of purpose. His insights are invaluable for anyone committed to fostering innovation and advancing leadership in today’s complex global landscape.
The full interview is available on YouTube. Discover the full lineup of our distinguished interviewees at https://dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/profiles-leadership.
#Leadership #PennStateDickinsonLaw #ProfilesInLeadership