DEI Program: Perspectives from LGBTQ Professionals

DEI Program:  Perspectives from LGBTQ Professionals

December 7, 2021
12:00 - 2:00 PM

DEI (Diversity Equity & Inclusion) Program PART ONE:  Authentic Allyship: Perspectives From LGBTQ Attorneys - 12:00 - 1:00 PM

The legal community has made tremendous strides in equity and inclusion for LGBTQ attorneys over the past two decades.  Central to this progress have been the allies who have supported the LGBTQ community and advocated for change.  Attorneys who identify as LGBTQ, however, continue to face numerous challenges.  Hear from panelists on the challenges of being LGBTQ in the IP Field and learn how we can create an open and welcoming environment for all to bring their authentic selves to work.  We welcome to our panel: 

• Wayne Sobon (moderator): Vice President, Intellectual Property at JUUL Labs
• Jason Murata: Partner, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP and Chair of Axinn’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
• Marla Butler: Partner, Thompson Hine and Firmwide Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative
• Daniel Albrecht: Senior Counsel, Procter & Gamble
• Louis Lobel: Associate, Goodwin Procter LLP

PART TWO:  DEI Roundtable Discussions - 1:00 - 2:00 PM

Join us for a roundtable discussion on the challenges and efforts at organizations to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for LGBTQ professionals. During this program, we will have facilitated discussions in break-out rooms to share our practices and experiences, both successful and unsuccessful. After the breakout sessions, we will return to the main group to share our learnings.

This is part of a continuing series of roundtable discussions directed to DEI. As with our earlier roundtable, we will be compiling information from the meeting to later share with our Committee.

Both events are hosted on the ZOOM platform.  You do need to register for each session individually.

Speakers

• Daniel Albrecht

  Procter & Gamble | Senior Counsel

  Daniel Albrecht is Senior Patent Counsel at the Proctor & Gamble Company. Dan focuses primarily on patent matters, including client counseling and development of global patent filing strategies, preparation and prosecution patent applications, infringement, clearance, and validity opinions.
• Marla Butler

  Thomson Hine | Partner and Firmwide Chair, Divesity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative

  Marla Butler is a Partner in the Business Litigation and Intellectual Property practice groups at Thompson Hine LLP. She represents clients in the medical, semiconductor, power, networking and other high-tech industries in high-stakes commercial litigations, arbitrations and trials.
• Louis Lobel

  Goodwin Procter | Associate

  Louis L. Lobel is a Senior Associate in Goodwin’s IP Litigation practice, representing life sciences and technology companies in intellectual property litigation, including patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret matters. He also has experience in complex antitrust and business litigation and arbitration, with a particular focus on the life sciences industry.
• Murata, Jason

  Axinn | Partner, Intellectual Property Ligitation Group

  Jason Murata is a partner in the intellectual property litigation group and chair of Axinn's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. Jason’s practice involves all aspects of pre-trial, trial and appeals, with a particular focus on the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical, technology, consumer products and food industries. He also bring his extensive litigation experience to bear on complex issues relating to managing companies’ IP strategies. Within AIPLA, Jason is a co-leader of the DEI Task Force in the Diversity in IP Committee, and a co-chair of the IP Practice in Japan Committee
• Sobon, Wayne

  Juul Labs | Vice President, Intellectual Property

  Wayne Sobon is Vice President, Intellectual Property at JUUL Labs, Inc., based in San Francisco, California. JUUL’s mission is to transition the world’s billion adult smokers away from combustible cigarettes, eliminate their use, and combat underage usage of our products.

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