Virtual Water Cooler Chat

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat is Dina Blikshteyn, a partner at Haynes and Boone, LLP. 

Dina co-chairs the firm’s Artificial Intelligence Practice and specializes in patent prosecution, post-grant proceedings, and providing legal opinions on patent infringement and validity. With her extensive background in technology, Dina assists clients across a wide range of industries, including AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, a...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Kevin Jakel, Founder and CEO of Unified Patents, a company that deters non-practicing entities from monetizing patents in strategic technology areas.  

Prior to founding Unified Patents, Kevin served as Intuit’s Head of IP Litigation. Kevin previously practiced as a patent litigator with Kaye Scholer LLP and Howrey LLP and advised clients on intellectual property strategy, litigati...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast features Kandis Gibson, an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. Kandis focuses her practice on Section 337 proceedings at the U.S. International Trade Commission. She has participated in over 50 Section 337 investigations involving unfair trade practices, including patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, and misappropriation of trade secrets...

Today’s Virtual Water Cooler Chat podcast episode features Dr. Wayne Zou. Dr. Zou is one of the founding Partner of Bayes PLLC, and has 15 years of experience in patent practice, including patent procurement, client counseling, patent portfolio management & transactions, post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and patent litigation in U.S. federal d...

Today’s spotlight features Katherine Rubino, a seasoned IP Lawyer and Pharmacist. As a Partner at Wiggin & Dana, Katherine combines her expertise in legal writing, patent strategy, and corporate governance to drive innovation. With over six years as a licensed Patent Attorney, she has advised clients on complex intellectual property matters and regulatory compliance. Her career also includes roles as an IP Consultant at KAR Str...

This episode features Nick Groombridge, a founding partner of Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone LLP, where he represents clients in their most crucial patent and trade secret cases. 

Nick has been lead counsel in over 150 patent cases in federal district courts, has tried dozens of bench and jury trials, and has argued more than 30 cases in the Federal Circuit. He has litigated patents across a wide range of life-sciences and o...

This episode features Kevin McNish, managing member of the Maine law firm McNish, PLLC. Kevin represents clients in  inter partes reviews, post-grant reviews, ex parte reexaminations, and other proceedings in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. With first-chair experience spanning more than 90 IPRs and other post-grant proceedings, he has been repeatedly recognized as one of the most prolific and effective post-grant pra...

This episode features Josepher Li, a partner at the Newport Beach, California-based IP litigation firm, Armond Wilson LLP.

Josepher has a robust IP litigation practice spanning nationally in federal courts and before the U.S. Patent Office. An MIT-trained engineer, he has litigated patent, trade secret, and copyright cases involving all types of technologies. In 2024, Benchmark Litigation selected Josepher to its “40 & Under” l...

This episode features Phong Dinh, Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft, where he leads a patent team supporting Microsoft’s Cloud and AI businesses, including worldwide patent portfolio development, IP counseling, M&A transactions, IP licensing, open-source usage, and strategic partnerships for Microsoft.  He also leads the company’s Standard Essential Patent (SEP) strategies with internal and external stakeholders, including...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast features Dr. Sudipta Dasmohapatra. Senior Associate Dean of MBA Programs and Professor of the Practice in Business Analytics in the Marketing area at Georgetown's McDonough School of Business.  

Dr. Dasmohapatra launched Georgetown’s Master's in Business Analytics program in 2021 and brings extensive expertise in data science, focusing on applications in marketing and healthcare. Wi...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast features Arthur Uratani, Director of Marketing and Outreach at Bookoff McAndrews, PLLC.

Arthur spends his life doing what brings him joy. He relishes connection and promoting the people, things, and causes he takes an interest in. As a Marketing Director at the law firm of Bookoff McAndrews, he handles professional development coaching, branding, graphic design, presentations, pitch...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Eva Kalivas-Krieger, Founder and Board Member of Empower Women That Rock (EWTR).  

Eva is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, Certified Plan Advisor Fiduciary through The National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) and has been a financial advisor since 1990.  

In 1999, Eva co-founded EPIC Retirement Services Consulting, which specialized in qualified retirement plans and was buil...

This episode features Jason Harrier, Founder and General Counsel of IP Copilot, an AI-driven idea management platform designed to identify and facilitate the sharing of the best ideas within organizations. His mission is to empower innovators by streamlining the process of idea discovery and collaboration.    Prior to joining IP Copilot, Jason was the Head of IP at Plaid, a pioneering fintech company that provides essential infrast...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Sasha Strauss, a brand strategist with over 25 years of experience, defining brands for leading corporations, philanthropies, faiths, and academic institutions. Sasha’s distinct and direct approach to how brands and leadership must communicate is the foundation for his brand strategy consultancy, Innovation Protocol (IP). Their ability to inspire while they inform is why brands lik...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Saurabh Gupta, an IP attorney who has represented patent clients before federal district courts, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), and the Federal Circuit. 

Saraubh is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and has litigated patents in a wide variety of technical areas, from pharmaceuticals to consum...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat podcast features three Gen Z paralegals, Bijan Khaghani, Crystal Kang, and Theo Ennis, who are currently working on the team at Groombridge, Wu, Baughman, & Stone, LLP, as a step in their journey toward a degree in law. In this conversation, they explore shared experiences, growth in the legal profession, and the value of networking and mentorship in their careers. 

Bijan Khaghani aspir...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Alyssa Gangaram, an Illustrator born and raised in Schenectady, New York. She began drawing art inspired by her favorite books in elementary school, studied traditional techniques through middle school, and her digital art journey began in high school. 

At 16, murals for local schools were her step into freelance art. Now, her work is based in storytelling through Illustration, wit...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat podcast features Janet Bruins on her personal and professional journey, including how her book, Expecting It All, came to be. 

Janet holds bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Science in engineering from Purdue University. With over fifteen years of experience as a professional engineer, she is a strong advocate f...

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat podcast features Christopher Y. Chan, who leads a team of over 70 lawyers across Asia as the APAC General Counsel at Jones Lang LaSalle. Prior to his current position, he helped grow e-commerce in Southeast Asia at pioneering companies Lazada Singapore and RedMart. He has clerked for the Hon. Raymond T. Chen at the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and was a patent litigator for F...