Penn State Dickinson Law | Commencement 2024

We celebrated Penn State Dickinson Law's Class of 2024 Commencement yesterday. The respectful, joyous, touching, and, at times, even lighthearted moments were the result of years, if not decades, of leadership in building a community and culture that would hold together and sail steady even in choppy seas. Hearty congratulations to our students as well as their family and friends! It takes a village. It always has.

Slice of Life @ Penn State Dickinson Law | Bob Ackerman & Sarah Williams

Delighted to catch up with Bob Ackerman and Sarah J. Williams. Bob directed the Levin Center at Wayne Law and served as dean of the law school there. He's rejoined us as a member of our emeriti faculty at Penn State Dickinson Law. Sarah and I had the occasion for a double celebration over ice cream. In addition to receiving news of her promotion from assistant to associate professor this week, it was Sarah's birthday!

Alumni Reception | Hershey 2024

Delighted to meet our alumni at Penn State Dickinson Law's reception at the 2024 Pennsylvania Bar Association Annual Meeting, held this year at Hershey Lodge. It was great seeing faculty and staff colleagues connect with alumni, sharing stories, and building new bridges. We were honored to welcome US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Chief Judge Michael Chagares and Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law Rachel Rebouche as well! A big thank you to everyone who attended and made this event memorable, as well as to those who worked quietly behind the scenes to ensure its success! #PBA2024 #AlumniReception. Danielle Conway Robin Langhans, M.Ed. Kelly Rimmer Shaakirrah R. Sanders TaWanda Hunter Stallworth, M. Div. Laura H. Williams

Profiles in Leadership | Former Chief Judge Paul R. Michel

Judge Paul R. Michel served for more than 22 years on the Federal Circuit, retiring on May 31, 2010. From December 25, 2004, until his retirement, he also discharged the duties of Chief Judge of this national court, serving simultaneously on the U.S. Judicial Conference – the Judiciary’s governing body – and by appointment of the Chief Justice on its seven-judge Executive Committee. Judge Michel also serves as advisory board chair of Penn State Dickinson Law’s Intellectual Property and Innovation Initiative. In the spring of 2024, Judge Michel visited the law school and participated in a fireside chat with Dean Danielle Conway and me, where he shared his perspectives on life and leadership. Penn State Dickinson Law https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bt6zxWO0OI

Profiles in Leadership | Former Chief Judge Randall R. Rader

In this Penn State Dickinson Law "Profiles in Leadership" episode, I interviewed the former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Hon. Randall Rader. We discussed current trends: whether judges and regulators understand AI enough to regulate it, the EU Standard Essential Patent (SEP) Regulation, his reflections from The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Leadership 2024 Conference. Judge Rader shared his thoughts on China: if there are different regional IP cultures in China, China vs. the United States' innovation policies, trends in Chinese IP law that might worry him, and how executing IP policy works in China. We also discussed his work: serving as Minority and Majority Chief Counsel to Subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, preparing for Supreme Court Justice Kennedy’s confirmation hearings, leadership lessons from Senator Orrin Hatch, his time as judge and chief judge at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a change in court culture, his heroes of patent law, what motivates him to contribute post-retirement from judicial service, and his ruminations on IPWatchdog, Inc. Finally, we also discussed why it was important for him to teach, his family, being an English major in a “technical” world, and his birthday plans. You can catch our full discussion on YouTube at the link below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6scxKs5ju00

Profiles in Leadership | Fordham Law Dean Matthew Diller

In this Penn State Dickinson Law "Profiles in Leadership" episode, I interviewed Fordham University School of Law Dean Matthew Diller. Fordham Law is known for many things, including its service-oriented mission, its much-lauded evening program, and the annual intellectual property law conference organized by Emily C. and John E. Hansen IP Institute at Fordham Law School. Dean Diller reflected on his time as dean, how he stays connected with faculty, staff, and students, the successes he is most proud of, and why it’s easy for administrators to lose friends but hard for them to win friends. He also discussed his interview with Fordham University President Tania Tetlow, the challenges and opportunities working with the university as dean, the leadership lessons he learned from former dean John Feerick, the process of leadership succession, and what he hoped his successor, dean-designate Joseph Landau, would take from his deanship. You can catch our full discussion on YouTube at the link below. https://youtu.be/kFYMbDpXVmI

INTA | Interview

James Nurton interviewed me for the International Trademark Association (INTA) about AI and its impact on IP, along with David Perry, Jenna Loadman, and Maysa Razavi. We covered a wide range of topics, from how it impacts bread-and-butter practice to inclusive innovation, the likelihood of confusion in trademark law, and trademark registration. AI also compels practitioners to be engaged in international developments, and INTA plays an important facilitative role in that regard. You can find the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gubHP-cW Penn State Dickinson Law QVC Blank Rome LLP Moderna Jean-Claude Darneé

Profiles in Leadership | Texas A&M Law Dean Bobby Ahdieh

Delighted to sit down with Texas A&M University School of Law Law Dean Robert Ahdieh for this episode of Penn State Dickinson Law's "Profiles in Leadership Series." Highlights include: - Three things that people should know about Texas A&M Law. - A common obstacle in recruiting for Texas A&M Law. - The shovel in his office. - Managing the whiplash that comes with progress. - Is the sky the limit with Texas A&M and rankings? - "I compete with the state of California." - Three things that people should know about Dean Ahdieh - Conversations with his father. - Harlem Prep. - Baha’i Lessons for Leadership; Mulla Abdu’l-Husayn. - Personalizing faith. - Lessons for today from “Russia’s Constitutional Revolution.” - On China. - Strategies for maintaining a work-life balance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG_ldkmWfTA

Profiles in Leadership | Susan Jin Davis

In this episode of Penn State Dickinson Law's "Profiles in Leadership Series," Dean Danielle Conway and I had the pleasure of speaking with Nichole Velasquez, Fellows Program Director at Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), and Joel Samuels, a key member of Harness IP's litigation team. We discussed the transformative role of the LCLD Fellows Program in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Nichole and Joel shared insights into the program's evolution and its significant impact on mid-career attorneys. Leadership adaptation was another focal point, exploring how effective leadership in law requires continual learning and responsiveness to change. We reflected on the essence of leadership itself—what it means to lead in challenging times and how to foster environments that encourage growth and innovation. We also considered the advice they would give to their younger selves. This conversation was not just enlightening but also a reaffirmation of our commitment to shaping a more inclusive future in law. https://lnkd.in/geDJxAn7

Profiles in Leadership | Nichole M. Velasquez & Joel Samuels

In this episode of Penn State Dickinson Law's "Profiles in Leadership Series," Dean Danielle Conway and I had the pleasure of speaking with Nichole Velasquez, Fellows Program Director at Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), and Joel Samuels, a key member of Harness IP's litigation team. We discussed the transformative role of the LCLD Fellows Program in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Nichole and Joel shared insights into the program's evolution and its significant impact on mid-career attorneys. Leadership adaptation was another focal point, exploring how effective leadership in law requires continual learning and responsiveness to change. We reflected on the essence of leadership itself—what it means to lead in challenging times and how to foster environments that encourage growth and innovation. We also considered the advice they would give to their younger selves. This conversation was not just enlightening but also a reaffirmation of our commitment to shaping a more inclusive future in law. https://lnkd.in/geDJxAn7