Profiles in Leadership | Noland Cheung

[New Episode: Penn State Dickinson Law Profiles in Leadership: Noland Cheung, Eckert Seamans] I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Noland Cheung. From growing up as a shy, first-generation Chinese American to leading IP practices at Bayer, Dentons, and now Eckert Seamans, Noland’s journey is filled with warmth, humor, and hard-won wisdom. We spoke about professional pivots, building and mentoring cohesive teams, leading through transitions, and the quiet power of staying true to one’s values. Noland also shared how his early life, legal training at Penn State Dickinson Law, and community leadership roles at the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and The Advanced Leadership Institute shaped his inclusive and people-first approach to leadership. Whether you’re navigating your own path in law, seeking wisdom in leadership or just enjoy a great life story, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Watch the full conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QhzfjimbQM Full episode list: https://dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/profiles-leadership #Leadership #IPLaw #DickinsonLaw #ProfilesInLeadership #Community #PeopleFirst

PLI Global IP Spotlight | Canada

Great to get to know the Studio Briefings team and their colleagues at the Practising Law Institute (PLI) during a recent visit to moderate a panel discussion featuring IP developments and institutions in Canada. Mesmin Pierre, Director General, Canadian Intellectual Property Office / Office de la propriété intellectuelle du Canada Anthony Prenol, Partner, CPST Intellectual Property Chelsea Nimmo, Partner, Bennett Jones Stephanie Vaccari, Partner, Baker McKenzie Richard Gold, James McGill Professor of Law, McGill University – Faculty of Law Catherine Lovrics, Partner, Marks & Clerk Topics spanned trademark and copyright reforms, patent examination trends, regulatory modernization, litigation tactics, international IP frameworks, and the growing policy dimensions of innovation governance. We closed with a fast-paced lightning round offering practical tips, surprising insights, and a glimpse at what’s next for IP in Canada.

Profiles in Leadership | Rama Elluru

[New Episode: @pennstatedickinsonlaw Profiles in Leadership The AI Imperative with Rama Elluru] In this wide-ranging and insightful conversation, I spoke with Rama Elluru, a polymath at the forefront of innovation policy and AI governance. Rama is Senior Director for Governance and Intellectual Property at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonprofit founded by former Google CEO Eric and Wendy Schmidt to help ensure long-term U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. She previously served on the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) and as an Administrative Patent Judge at the USPTO. Her expertise spans computer science, philosophy, biochemistry, law, and national strategy. In this interview, we covered: -Her interdisciplinary path from crystal structures to national policy -AI’s evolving role in society, law, and national security - Legal and ethical risks like AI hallucinations - How IP frameworks must adapt to AI innovation - Building trust and excitement through the AI+ Expo - Global AI competition and U.S.-China dynamics - Mentoring the next generation of women in tech and policy “We’re building the plane while flying it,” Rama says of shaping AI governance as the technology evolves. Don’t miss this episode of Profiles in Leadership: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcR-SGFUzI4 #AI #Leadership #Governance #InnovationPolicy #IntellectualProperty #ProfilesInLeadership #SCSP #NSCAI #USPTO #AIethics #NationalSecurity #WomenInTech #PublicPrivatePartnerships #AIgovernance #PennStateDickinsonLaw

Profiles in Leadership | Kate Hudson

[New Episode – Profiles in Leadership: Kate Hudson] Delighted to speak with Kate Hudson, MA, JD, MPAP, Deputy Vice President and Counsel for Government Relations and Public Policy at the Association of American Universities (AAU). Our conversation is a reminder that leadership isn’t just about credentials. It’s also about courage, conviction, and the capacity to serve others. Kate’s path spans public defense, federal litigation, national policy, and parenting as a military spouse. She has led on privacy, intellectual property, and export controls, and now advocates on behalf of leading research universities on some of the most pressing issues of our time. What we talked about: - Growing up in the Midwest and discovering a calling in public service at age 16 - Navigating life as an Army spouse - Practicing public interest law in rural Georgia and launching a solo firm in North Carolina - The emotional toll and moral clarity of public defense - Joining the federal government and the OPM cyberbreach - Leading national IP and higher ed policy at AAU, including AAU’s recent lawsuit against federal agencies over research funding caps - Parenting a teenager on the autism spectrum and embracing vulnerability as strength - Championing servant leadership by leading from behind and uplifting others Kate’s journey is one of purpose, resilience, and servant leadership — a masterclass in how diverse experiences can converge to create a life of public impact. Watch our full conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9z2XrTc3Q4 #Leadership #ProfilesInLeadership #HigherEd #IPLaw #PublicService #AutismAwareness #WomenInLaw #ServantLeadership #InnovationPolicy #MilitarySpouse #PublicPolicy

WIPO Pathfinders Report | AI & IP

 Honored to be featured in the WIPO Pathfinders in AI and IP report—an ambitious, forward-looking project by the World Intellectual Property Organization that brings together global experts to imagine how IP systems must evolve in response to artificial intelligence. Kudos to the WIPO team for producing a timely and thoughtful roadmap for the future of IP and AI. Read the report: https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo-pub-2013-en-wipo-pathfinders-report.pdf #AI #IntellectualProperty #InnovationPolicy #GlobalGovernance #DigitalEquity #WIPO #TechLaw #PennStateDickinsonLaw

Who owns your thoughts? | The Debrief Interview

[Who owns your thoughts? The Debrief Interview] I had the opportunity to share some legal and ethical reflections in The Debrief’s excellent feature on brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and Neuralink’s first human subject, Noland Arbaugh. Reporter Chrissy Newton explores the implications of this emerging technology, from identity and autonomy to data ownership and regulatory gaps. Delighted to be featured alongside cognitive neuroscientist Julia Mossbridge, PhD, biomedical engineering professor Tom Chau, and primary care doctor Daniel Weaver. Neural data exhibits properties of both biometric and medical data, but it also goes beyond them. Like biometric data, it can uniquely identify individuals. Like medical data, it may reveal sensitive information about mental health or neurological conditions. Neural data is also more intimate. It can reflect thoughts, intentions, emotions, or cognitive states. These are dimensions of personhood that existing legal categories do not fully capture. It may be necessary to establish a new legal category specifically for neural data, one that integrates not only privacy and data protection norms, but also deeper concerns about mental autonomy, cognitive liberty, and freedom of thought. As neurotechnology advances, our legal frameworks must evolve in step. That means interdisciplinary, coordinated governance, beyond what any single agency can provide. https://thedebrief.org/noland-arbaugh-neuralinks-first-brain-interface-recipient-reflects-on-neurotechnology-ethics-and-identity/ Penn State Dickinson Law

CFTN Interview | Sanofi-Blueprint Merger

[CTFN Interview on Sanofi’s proposed acquisition of Blueprint Medicines] Ryan Lynch recently interviewed me for his piece on the Federal Trade Commission’s review of Sanofi’s proposed acquisition of Blueprint Medicines. The focus is whether Sanofi’s control over both Dupixent and Blueprint’s BLU-808 could raise competitive concerns, even if the drugs are not direct substitutes. As I noted, “Even if they’re not direct substitutes, the ability to control how each is developed, positioned, and marketed could raise flags, especially if one could be used to block uptake of the other preemptively.” Honored to be featured alongside Professor Michael Carrier of Rutgers Law School. https://lnkd.in/ggK6mgRy Penn State Dickinson Law hashtag#Antitrust hashtag#InnovationPolicy hashtag#PharmaLaw hashtag#MergersAndAcquisitions hashtag#CTFN hashtag#FederalTradeCommission hashtag#CompetitionLaw hashtag#IPandInnovation

Profiles in Leadership | Judge Newman

[Interview with Judge Pauline Newman] Appointed by President Reagan in 1984, Judge Pauline Newman has long been a trailblazer in patent law and public service. From her early days as a research scientist to her roles shaping U.S. and international innovation policy, Judge Newman's career has spanned continents, disciplines, and decades. Judge Newman also serves as an advisor to Penn State Dickinson Law IP and Innovation Initiative. I had the honor of speaking with Judge Newman about her remarkable journey in this "Profiles in Leadership" episode. In our conversation, she reflected on: 🔹 Her formative years and scientific beginnings. 🔹 Adventures abroad with UNESCO. 🔹 Leadership lessons from President Carter’s Domestic Policy Review. 🔹 Whether we need a new policy review for today’s innovation challenges. 🔹 The value of dissent and difference on the bench. 🔹 Rethinking the infrastructure of American innovation. Grateful to Judge Newman for generously sharing her time, wisdom, and her enduring commitment to public service. #Leadership #InnovationPolicy #IPLaw #FederalCircuit #ProfilesInLeadership #PaulineNewman #PatentLaw #WomensLeadership

Fordham IP Conference | A Time to Listen

New York is a global nexus for innovation, law, education, and entrepreneurship, drawing talent from around the world. It is also home to the Hansen IP Institute’s annual conference at Fordham University School of Law. Widely known as the “Davos of the IP World,” this year’s conference, its 32nd, was held in association with Penn State Dickinson Law. I was delighted to see several of our students actively engaging with leaders from government, industry, private practice, academia, and civil society. Their presence signaled a promising new chapter of collaboration between individuals and institutions from two leading states in these United States. The conference has remained a premier event in the field because of the enduring vision and personal commitment of its founding director, Hugh Hansen. Between conferences, Hugh has consistently made an effort to connect with a broad range of stakeholders, reaffirming relationships, gathering feedback, and identifying new ways to ensure each edition remains a relevant and dynamic space to “Learn, Debate, and Have Fun.” It is thus fitting that we begin our listening tour this year in New York, where this remarkable conference was born and continues to call home. Thank you to everyone who took the time to connect. We gleaned valuable insights and look forward to working with you to co-create an even better conference in the year ahead. Onward and upward! Joseph Landau Ron Lazebnik Carey Ramos Joshua L. Simmons Laura Sheridan Eric Lin John Todaro Bonus meetings with Scott G Greene Elizabeth Weyl Atif Khawaja

PLI Global IP Spotlight | Patents

Delighted to reunite with Practising Law Institute (PLI)'s team to record our upcoming episode of Global IP Spotlight: Patents, featuring an all-star panel. Join us when the episode drops to hear from David Por (Clifford Chance), András Jókúti, LL.M. (World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO Carlos R. Olarte (OlarteMoure) Adam Kelly (Venable LLP) Xinlin Li Morrow (Morrow Ni Law) Tom Burton (Siemens)!