The Law Center benefits from its involvement with law practitioners in Houston, whose members comprise one of the most sophisticated intellectual property bars in the world. The IPIL Institute and IPSO, the organization for students of intellectual property and information law, regularly engage these practitioners for lectures and presentations in a variety of non-class settings for enrichment of the discourse and instruction in intellectual property and information law. Additionally, other student groups and departments at the Law Center regularly bring in practitioners to enrich student learning outside the classroom. These efforts extend as well to leading practitioners located outside of Houston and Texas. The history of all of these efforts is given below. This page lists in reverse chronological order the numerous practitioner presentations that happen each year at the Law Center in the areas of intellectual property and information law.
Peter J. Chassman
Reed Smith LLP
&
Michael J. Forbes
Reed Smith LLP
&
Robert R. Riddle
Reed Smith LLP
Topic: Intellectual Property Litigation
Year: 2025
Ryan Bangert
Alliance Defending Freedom
&
Aaron Levine
Polsinelli PC
Topic: The Ghost in the Machine – How Generative AI will Test the Bounds of the First Amendment
Year: 2025
Michael Dinnella
Kirkland & Ellis
&
Connor Donaldson
Kirkland & Ellis
&
Daniel Gross
Kirkland & Ellis
&
Tera Stone
Kirkland & Ellis
Topic: Lunch & Learn – Explaining Patents in Jury Trials
Year: 2025
Alex Brooks University of Houston Office of Athletics Compliance
&
Lauren DuBois University of Houston Office of Athletics Compliance
&
Christina Erwin University of Houston Office of Athletics Compliance
&
Chanelle Mack Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation
Topic: Lunch & Learn – UH Athletic Compliance and Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation Year: 2025
Moriah Bisewski
Fletcher Yoder, P.C.
&
Matt Henwood
Fletcher Yoder, P.C.
Topic: Lunch & Learn – IP Interview Tips
Year: 2024
Temi Siyanbade
TOS Legal
Topic: Lunch & Learn – Fashion Law
Year: 2024
Dr. Emma Perot
The University of the West Indies St. Augustine
Topic: Icons & IP – Protecting & Profiting from Celebrity Persona
Year: 2024
Tyler Bridegan
Office of the Attorney General of Texas
Topic: Data Privacy
Year: 2024
Erin Rodgers
Rodgers Selvera PLLC
&
Sergio Selvera
Rodgers Selvera PLLC
Topic: Lunch and Learn – Empowering Artists & Creative Voices
Year: 2024
Kyrie Cameron
Patterson + Sheridan
Chad Dougherty
Patterson + Sheridan
Topic: Patterson + Sheridan Lunch & Learn
Year: 2024
Vy Nguyen
Jacobs
Topic: An Introduction to Data Privacy (Exploring Careers)
Year: 2024
Brian Dean Abramson
National Vaccine Law Association
Topic: The State of Vaccine Law, and the Vaccine Law of the State
Year: 2024
Leslie Holland
LiveNation Entertainment
Topic: In-House Entertainment Perspectives
Year: 2024
Mike Meltser
Frost Brown Todd LLP
Topic: Navigating Name, Image & Likeness in College Sports
Year: 2024
Hayley Talbert Seed IP
Topic: A Conversation on Early Career Advice and How AIPLA Involvement Can Enhance Student Careers Year: 2024
Jayne Piana Fletcher Yoder, P.C.
Topic: Exploring the Full Spectrum of a Career in Intellectual Property Law, with or without a Technical Background Year: 2024
Justen Barks Beard & Barks PLLC
&
Kate Quisenberry Fish & Richardson P.C.
&
Anna Raimer Jones Day
&
Erin Rodgers Rodgers Selvera PLLC
Topic: Careers in IP for the Non-STEM Lawyer Year: 2023
Professor Elizabeth Townsend Gard Tulane University School of Law
Topic: Trademark for Makers and Entrepreneurs: What Everyone Should Know Year: 2023
Eric Furman Knobbe Martens
&
Paul Stellman Knobbe Martens
Topic: IP Careers & Licensing with Knobbe Martens
Year: 2023
Jilayne Lovejoy Red Hat
&
Ria Farrell Schalnat Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Topic: Intro to Open Source and SPDX Year: 2023
Professor Mark Schultz University of Akron School of Law
Topic: Making the World Safe from Netflix: Cultural Policy vs. Industrial Policy Year: 2023
Eric Furman Knobbe Martens
&
Paul Stellman Knobbe Martens
&
Mauricio Uribe Knobbe Martens
Topic: IP Licensing with Knobbe Martens
Year: 2023
Professor Nikolas Guggenberger
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: Privacy Beyond Adhesion Year: 2023
Shaun Sethna The Suite
&
Craig Stone Phillips66
&
Melody van Denzen ConocoPhillips
Topic: In-House Career Panel
Year: 2023
Professor Tim McFarlin Samford University Cumberland School of Law
Allyson Brown
Schlumberger
&
Eric Furman
Knobbe Martens
&
Sarah Ring
Porter Hedges LLP
&
Mauricio Uribe
Knobbe Martens
Topic: IP Career Panel with Knobbe Martens
Year: 2022 (virtual event)
Walter Wu Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Topic: Careers in IP: From MD to JD
Year: 2022 (virtual event)
Professor Sapna Kumar
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: Pandemic Drug Shortages – Is Compulsory Licensing and IP Waivers the Answer?
Year: 2022 (virtual event)
Professor Jessica Roberts
University of Houston Law Center
Healthy Law & Policy Institute
Topic: The Ownership of Genetic Information and Health Data
Year: 2021 (virtual event)
Professor Sapna Kumar
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: Compulsory Licensing of Patents During Pandemics
Year: 2021 (virtual event)
Carlos Ruiz
Heim, Payne & Chorush LLP
Topic: Co-sponsored Panel with the UH Law Center’s Career Development Office (CDO) – Lunch with a Lawyer
Year: 2021 (virtual event)
Aden M. Allen
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Topic: Co-sponsored Panel with the UH Law Center’s Career Development Office (CDO) – Dinner with a Lawyer
Year: 2021 (virtual event)
Professor Andrew C. Michaels
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: The Constitutionality of the Administrative Patent Judges
Year: 2021 (virtual event)
Dwayne Mason
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
&
Jason Sander
LyondellBasell
Topic: The Benefits of Joining HIPLA
Year: 2021 (virtual event)
Seema Mehta
Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton LLP
Topic: Interviewing over Zoom
Year: 2021 (virtual event)
Jonae Felton
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
&
Darren Smith
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
&
Jaime Stark
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Topic: Job Hunting Strategies and New Attorney Responsibilities
Year: 2020 (virtual event)
Elexis Jones
Conley Rose, P.C.
&
Gayatry Nair
Conley Rose, P.C.
Topic: Searching for Jobs and Finding the Right Firm
Year: 2020 (virtual event)
Ted Ro
NASA
Topic: Patent Law in Outer Space: The Final IP Frontier
Year: 2020 (virtual event)
Professor Greg R. Vetter
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: Intellectual Property & Information Law Practice
Year: 2020 (virtual event)
Matt A. Todd
Polsinelli PC
Topic: Privacy & Data Security: Hot Topics & Transactions
Year: 2020
Lisa Jorgenson
American Intellectual Property Law Association
Topic: Overview of American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
Year: 2020
Click here for streaming video of the presentation
Tammy Pennington Rhodes
Baker Botts L.L.P.
&
Jason Sander
LyondellBasell
Topic: HIPLA Lunch & Learn
Year: 2020
Professor Robert Hu
St. Mary's University School of Law
Topic: Intellectual Property Law in China
Year: 2019
Click here for streaming video of the presentation
Professor Jorge L. Contreras
University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law
Topic: Adventures in Legal Research -- Unearthing the History of AMP v. Myriad Genetics
Year: 2019
Click here for streaming video of the presentation
Professor Seth J. Chandler
University of Houston Law Center
Topic: Comforting Lies: The Costly Push To Translate Machine Reasoning Into Ideas Humans Can Understand
Year: 2019
Click here for streaming video of the presentation
Professor Greg R. Vetter
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: Intellectual Property & Information Law Practice
Year: 2019
Click here for streaming video of the presentation
Professor Saurabh Vishnubhakat
Texas A&M University School of Law
Topic: Patent Learning
Year: 2019
Click here for streaming video of the presentation
Carlyn Burton
Osha Liang LLP
&
Katherine Jackson
ExxonMobil Chemical Company
&
Leela Madan
Madan Law PLLC
&
LaTasha Mabry Snipes
Bracewell LLP
&
Marcella Watkins
Adolph Locklar
Topic: Women in IP Law
Year: 2019
John M. White
Academic Director of PLI’s Patent Office Exam Course
PLI
Topic: Taking the Patent Bar Exam
Year: 2019
Viddy Harris
Patterson + Sheridan LLP
&
Tammy Pennington Rhodes
Baker Botts L.L.P.
&
Keana Taylor
Upshaw PLLC
Topic: HIPLA Lunch & Learn
Year: 2018
Ashley Edison Brown
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
&
Michael Francis Reeder II
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Topic: Patent Litigation in a Nutshell
Year: 2018
Ali Dhanani
Baker Botts L.L.P.
&
H. Jared Doster
Baker Botts L.L.P.
Topic: Blockchain & Intellectual Property
Year: 2018
Professor Seth J. Chandler
University of Houston Law Center
Topic: What the heck is a neural network anyway?
Year: 2018
Professor Greg R. Vetter
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: Intellectual Property & Information Law Practice
Year: 2018
Professor Lucas Osborn
Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law
Topic: 3D Printing & IP
Year: 2018
James Beebe
Baker Hughes, a GE company
&
Lisa Hasenberg
ExxonMobil
&
Jessie D. Herrera, Jr.
Patterson + Sheridan LLP
Topic: AIPN: IP in Energy
Year: 2018
Ashley Edison Brown
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
&
Heather Khassian
Dentons
&
Eileen Pape
Haynes and Boone, LLP
&
Karthika Perumal
Bracewell LLP
&
Marcella Watkins
Adolph Locklar
Topic: Women in IP Panel
Year: 2018
Ted Ro
NASA
Topic: Space: The Final Frontier for IP? U.S. Patent Law in Outer Space
Year: 2018
Meg A. Boulware
Boulware & Valoir
&
Sharon A. Israel
Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
Topic: AIPLA Panel: Intellectual Property From a Global Perspective
Year: 2018
George Jordan
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
&
Paul Morico
Baker Botts L.L.P.
&
Anna Raimer
Jones Day
Topic: The ABA-IPL Section Presents: Careers in IP Law
Year: 2018
Christopher Storm
Uber
Topic: The Prodigal Storm Returns
Year: 2018
Professor Sharon K. Sandeen
Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Topic: Trade Secret Law
Year: 2018
Professor Robert Hu
St. Mary's University School of Law
Topic: Intellectual Property Law in China
Year: 2017
Ashley Edison Brown
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
&
R. Tyler Kendrick
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
&
Michael Francis Reeder II
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Topic: Patent Litigation in a Nutshell
Year: 2017
Maria Amon
Patterson + Sheridan LLP
&
Orson Bell
Patterson + Sheridan LLP
&
Chad Dougherty
Patterson + Sheridan LLP
Topic: Patent Preparation and Prosecution
Year: 2017
Katherine Franco
Blank Rome LLP
&
Polly B. Sims
Hogan Lovells US LLP
&
Melody Wirz
Shell Oil Company
Topic: Women in IP Law Panel
Year: 2017
Raisa Ahmad
Fish & Richardson
&
John P. Brinkmann
Fish & Richardson
&
Bailey Harris
Fish & Richardson
Topic: Tips for Summer Associates
Year: 2017
Frank T. Garcia
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
&
Irene Kosturakis
BMC Software, Inc.
Topic: The Business Law Section of the State Bar of Texas Panel Discussion: What Do Transactional Lawyers Do?
Year: 2017
Professor Robert Hu
St. Mary’s University School of Law
Topic: Intellectual Property Law in China
Year: 2017
Richard Phillips
ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Topic: IP Opportunities In-House... and Other Things I Wish I'd Known as a Law Student
Year: 2016
Steve Koch (Ret.)
ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Topic: The Role of a Corporate IP Attorney
Year: 2016
Professor Michael A. Olivas
University of Houston Law Center
Sports & Entertainment Law Organization
Topic: The Law of Rock and Roll
Year: 2016
Professor Greg R. Vetter
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: Community Involvement for the IP Attorney
Year: 2016
Tabrez Y. Ebrahim
Bracewell LLP
&
Archis (Neil) V. Ozarkar
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
&
Daniel R. Peterson
Blank Rome LLP
Topic: The Practice of IP Law: "How to be a Successful First Year Associate"
Year: 2016
Hope Shimabuku
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Topic: Intellectual Property Career Perspectives from Private Practice and Patent Office Leadership
Year: 2016
Carlyn Burton
Osha Liang
&
Michelle Jacobson Eber
Baker Botts
&
William Rothwell
National Oilwell Varco
Topic: IP Practitioner Career Panel: Big Law, Boutique, and Corporate Council
Year: 2016
Jayme Partridge
Patterson + Sheridan LLP
&
Orson Bell
Patterson + Sheridan LLP
&
Jonathan D. Cocks
Patterson + Sheridan LLP
Topic: Patent Prosecution
Year: 2016
Michael Francis Reeder II
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
&
James Loughlin Duncan III
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
&
R. Tyler Kendrick
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Topic: Large Firm IP Litigation
Year: 2016
John M. White
Academic Director of PLI’s Patent Office Exam Course
PLI
Topic: Preparing for the Patent Office Exam
Year: 2016
Professor Robert Hu
St. Mary’s University School of Law
Topic: Intellectual Property Law in China
Year: 2016
Richard Phillips
ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Topic: Intellectual Property in a Corporate Environment
Year: 2015
The Honorable Paul S. Grewal
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
Topic: The Role of a Magistrate Judge in IP Litigation
Year: 2015
Julius Jefferson
Weil, Gotshal, and Manges
Topic: Patent Practice in Large Law Firms
Year: 2015
Professor Greg R. Vetter
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: Intellectual Property & Information Law Practice
Year: 2015
Professor Lateef Mtima
Howard University School of Law
Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice, Inc.
Topic: Intellectual Property & Social Justice
Year: 2015
Professor Sapna Kumar
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
&
Liz Flannery
Baker Botts
&
Priya Prasad
ExxonMobil
Topic: Women in IP Panel
Year: 2015
Dustin J. Edwards
Winston & Strawn
&
Melinda K. Lackey
Winston & Strawn
&
Eric S. Schlichter
Winston & Strawn
&
Renee T. Wilkerson
Winston & Strawn
Topic: Life as an Attorney and Careers in IP
Year: 2015
Todd Patterson
Patterson & Sheridan
Topic: Intellectual Property Law and Practice
Year: 2015
Michael Francis Reeder II
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
&
James Loughlin Duncan III
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Topic: Practical Tips for Becoming and Succeeding as an IP Summer Associate
Year: 2015
Professor Robert Hu
St. Mary’s University School of Law
Topic: Intellectual Property Law in China
Year: 2015
Professor Sarah Burstein
University of Oklahoma College of Law
Topic: Design Patents
Year: 2014
Professor Jorge Contreras
University of Utah College of Law
Topic: Creative Licensing
Year: 2014
Richard Phillips
ExxonMobil Chemical Company
&
Priya Prasad
ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Topic: Intellectual Property in a Corporate Environment
Year: 2014
Professor Yvette Joy Liebesman
Saint Louis University School of Law
Topic: The Mark of a Resold good
Year: 2014
Todd Patterson
Patterson & Sheridan
Topic: Intellectual Property Law and Practice
Year: 2014
James Speer
BlueCross BlueShield
Topic: Electronic Commerce, Privacy Protection, and Data Mining
Year: 2014
Professor Peter K. Yu
Drake University Law School
&
Professor Robert W. Gomulkiewicz
University of Washington School of Law
Topic: International Copyright and Software Licensing
Year: 2013
Roger Milgrim
Topic: Licensing
Year: 2013
Rodolfo Lopez
Chevron
&
Sheryl Falk
Winston & Strawn
&
Professor Barbara Evans
University of Houston Law Center
Topic: Privacy Law
Year: 2013
Marcella Watkins
Shell Oil Company
&
Professor Sapna Kumar
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
&
Professor Jacqueline Lipton
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
&
Jennie Salazar
JL Salazar Law Firm
Topic: Women in Intellectual Property
Year: 2013
Alan Schoenbaum
Rackspace
Topic: Open technologies, cloud computing, patent law challenges, and IT entrepreneurship
Year: 2012
Richard Phillips
ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Topic: Intellectual Property in a Corporate Environment
Year: 2012
Paul R. Morico
Baker Botts LLP
&
Professor Jacqueline D. Lipton
University of Houston Law Center
Topic: Non-patent IP careers and opportunities
Year: 2012
Hon. Paul R. Michel (Ret.)
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Topic: IP Careers and Practice
Year: 2012
William Patry
Google
Topic: Copyright Careers and Practice
Year: 2012
Jessica Roberts
University of Houston Law Center
Health Law & Policy Institute
&
Greg R. Vetter
University of Houston Law Center
Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law
Topic: Research Exemption? Biopatents & Their Impact on Scientific Progress
Year: 2012
Russell Chorush
Heim, Payne & Chorush, L.L.P.
Topic: Life as a Partner in an Intellectual Property Law Firm
Year: 2011
Paul R. Morico
Baker Botts LLP
Topic: Fine Arts and Copyright
Year: 2011
Richard Phillips
ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Topic: A Day in the Life of In-House Counsel
Year: 2011
John S. Egbert
Egbert Law Offices, PLLC
Topic: Intellectual Property Law Practice
Year: 2011
David R. Clonts
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
Topic: Intellectual Property Law Practice and Hot Topics in IP Law
Year: 2011
Shannon T. Vale
Pirkey Barber LLP
Topic: Trademark and Copyright Practice and Careers
Year: 2011
Jeffrey T. Kreulen
IBM Almaden Research Center
Topic: Patent Analytics – Searching and Finding through Language Processing
Year: 2011
John C. (Rocky) Rawls III
Bracewell & Giuliani
Topic: IP Litigation Stories
Year: 2011
Katherine A. Franco
Topic: How to publish your IP law paper as an article
Year: 2011
John Osha
Osha Liang
Topic: Strategies for Obtaining Effective Foreign Patent Coverage for U.S. Based Applications
Year: 2011
Professor Robert Hu
St. Mary’s University School of Law
Topic: Intellectual Property Law in China
Year: 2011
Richard Phillips
ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Topic: Corporate IP Law practice
Year: 2011
Jeff Whittle
Bracewell & Giuliani
Topic: IP Licensing
Year: 2010
Irene Kosturakis
BMC Software
Topic: Bilski v. Kappos
Year: 2010
Brett Heller
Osha Liang
&
Jacob Mattis
Matthews, Lawson, Johnson, P.L.L.C.
&
Sarah J. Ring
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
&
Scott A. Simmons
Frank's International
Topic: IP Career Panel
Year: 2010
Bob Shanley
F-O-R-T-U-N-E Personnel Consultants
Topic: IP Employment
Year: 2010
Professor Bill Ford
The John Marshall Law School
&
Paul Van Slyke
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
Topic: Trademark and the First Amendment
Year: 2010
Craig Kahn
Spoor & Fisher
&
Kay Rickelman
Spoor & Fisher
Topic: Intellectual Property in Africa
Year: 2010
Professor Annemarie Bridy
University of Idaho College of Law
Topic: Regulating P2P Ten Years After Napster
Year: 2010
Mark Webbink
Center for Patent Innovations
Topic: Open Source Software and Law
Year: 2010
John G. Malcolm
Motion Picture Association of America
Topic: Anti-Piracy in the Movie Industry
Year: 2010
Russell A. Chorush
Heim, Payne & Chorush
&
Gordon T. Arnold
Arnold & Knobloch
Topic: Patent Reform
Year: 2009
William G. (Bud) Arnot, III
Trial Advocate Resolution Services, LLC
&
Ira P. Domnitz
Winstead
Topic: IP Appellate Advocacy
Year: 2009
Tim Headley
The Tim Headley Law Firm
Topic: Trade Secret Law
Year: 2009
Trevor Jefferson
Department of Justice - Civil Division - Commercial Litigation Branch (Washington DC)
Topic: Careers in IP law outside the law firm
Year: 2009
Kimbley Muller
Shell Oil Company
&
John C. Rawls, III
Bracewell & Guiliani LLP
&
Shannon T. Vale
PirkeyBarber LLP
Topic: Careers in Trademark and Copyright Law
Year: 2009
Georgianna W. Braden
Howrey LLP
&
Bradley Bowling
Baker Botts LLP
Topic: Patentable Subject Matter after In re Bilski
Year: 2009
Charles B. Walker, Jr.
Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P.
&
Michael S. McCoy
Fulbright & Jaworski, L.L.P.
Topic: Practicing IP Law in a Big Firm
Year: 2009
Walt Bratic
CRA International
Topic: Damage Modeling for Trademark and Trade Secret Cases
Year: 2008
Elizabeth King
King Law Associates
Topic: Trademark Law
Year: 2008
Michael F. Heim
Heim, Payne & Chorush L.L.P.
&
Eric J. Enger
Heim, Payne & Chorush L.L.P.
Topic: Patent Remedies and Defenses
Year: 2008
Patricia Judd
Director, International Copyright Enforcement
Association of American Publishers
Topic: International Copyright Law and Enforcement
Year: 2006
Yoo-Sun Park
King and Spalding
&
James R. Robinson (Jim)
King and Spalding
Topic: International Trademark Acquisition under the Madrid Protocol and the European Union’s Community Trademark
Year: 2006
Bob McAughan
Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP
Topic: Career Development as an Intellectual Property Attorney
Year: 2005
Scott Brown
Chief IP Counsel
Weatherford International Ltd.
Topic: Copyright Parody and Scandalous & Immoral Trademarks
Year: 2004
