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PIUG is pleased to announce the preliminary program (subject to change as speakers are added) the Plenary Sessions for the PIUG 2025 Annual Conference. Details for Workshops will be listed on a separate web page by Mid-March. When planning your trip to the conference, please keep the following events in mind so that you do not miss out on a valuable opportunity.
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Please note that the speakers listed below may change if circumstances arise. Accordingly, please monitor this web page for updated information.
Abstracts and Biographies Keynote Address: Inventing, Creating, and Trusting Again: Fortifying the IP System for a New Era of Innovation (Megan Carpenter, Dean, UNH, Franklin Pierce Law School)
Intellectual property systems are at a crossroads. In an era where AI generates inventions and art, where deep learning models absorb vast troves of copyrighted content, and where questions of ownership, authorship, and validity proliferate, the core principles of IP—especially patents and copyright—are being challenged like never before. Confidence in the patent system has declined, not only due to litigation abuse or low-quality filings, but also because the pace of innovation has outstripped the system's ability to adapt. Meanwhile, copyright law is being tested all sides, with foundational concepts like originality and authorship now open questions. Yet amid this uncertainty, IP professionals can help to restore trust. They can be the stewards of innovation intelligence—the ones who ensure the right ideas are protected, that the best patents are pursued, and that the noise doesn't drown out true value. This keynote will explore how we can reinvigorate the IP system through a combination of human expertise and AI tools, how IP professionals can lead in this moment of reinvention, and how we can collectively ensure that our IP framework not only survives but thrives in a rapidly evolving world.
Megan Carpenter has been a thought-leader, lawyer, and professor in intellectual property and innovation for over two decades. She is currently dean of the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law, a law school with a core focus in intellectual property. Dean Carpenter is a prolific writer. She has written multiple book chapters and published works in places such as the Hastings Law Journal, Fordham Law Review, Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts, Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law, and the Yale Journal of Human Rights and Development, and in popular media, such as the New York Times, NPR, IAM, Chicago Tribune, Salon, and Smithsonian Magazine. She edited the volume “Evolving Economies: The Role of Law in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.” Dean Carpenter is a transformational leader. Under her tenure, UNH Franklin Pierce has increased enrollment by over 230%, increased revenue 3x, and increased fundraising 5x. Dean Carpenter was named one of the Most Influential People in Legal Education by National Jurist. She is a global strategist, having built partnerships and programs across six continents. Her talent for driving initiatives from concept to execution has had a demonstrable positive impact. Most recently she led the creation of the Hybrid JD in Intellectual Property, Technology, and Information Law, a national award-winning program and the first hybrid program for a specialized area of the law in the US. The program is designed to make legal education accessible to working professionals in IP-intensive industries. It has experienced strong growth year-over-year since its inception in 2019, and the program was recognized as one of the top law school innovators nationwide by Bloomberg. Carpenter is a community-minded executive and has organized legal support for economic development and innovation in New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia. Dean Carpenter practiced law at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart (now K&L Gates), where she represented clients on technology-focused legal issues, and at Bruning Law, a boutique IP and entertainment law firm.An Update on Patent Searcher Certification (QPIP) (Ron Kaminecki, Kaminecki IP LLC
Since 2018, the International Standards Board for Qualified Patent Information Professionals has been certifying patent searchers around the world. The organization consists of volunteers who set and enforce the standards, create and administer the annual test and maintain the list of those certified. This session will cover a short background on patent searcher certification and an overview of how one becomes a QPIP.)
Ron Kaminecki has been searching patents and advising researchers for over forty years, having worked for companies such as IIT Research Institute, Lockheed Missiles and Space, Dialog, Knight-Ridder Information, Abbott Laboratories, Thomson-Reuters, ProQuest and Questel, always in the area of patent information. He has a BS in Chemistry, an MS in Computer Science and a JD with a Certificate in Patent Law and is a Qualified Patent Information Professional. He is a US patent attorney, has worked as an expert witness, is an inventor for a patent on a patent prosecution system, is a co-author of NISO standard Z39.58 for an online search language and serves as Director-at-Large for the Patent Information User Group. Currently, he teaches patent searching at DePaul University Law School and the University of New Hampshire Law School. He is Vice Chair of PIUG and is Chair of the QPIP Supervisory Council Bridge the Gap Between IP & R&D (Ken Ropke, Director of Corporate Accounts, Minesoft)
Learn how to leverage AI-powered workflows to quickly identify relevant prior art and streamline routine tasks, freeing up time for more strategic analysis. Discover practical techniques to eliminate Excel silos and improve collaboration between IP and R&D, enabling more informed decision-making. Gain valuable insights into how a deeper understanding of your company’s IP position can drive innovation and business success.
With Minesoft since 2016, Ken leads strategic initiatives, empowering corporations and law firms with advanced patent intelligence. He partners closely with information professionals, R&D, and legal teams to deliver customized solutions that unlock the value of IP data. Ken plays a key role in expanding Minesoft’s market presence and driving adoption of its flagship platforms, including PatBase and Origin. Activity Session: Speed Networking: How to Elevator Pitch Yourself (PIUG Hosted)
TBD Panel Discussion: Seeing the Future of Patent Searching Through the Past (Jim Brown, Sr.Product Specialist IP, FizK - Moderator; Edlyn Simmons, Tony Trippe and Sandra Unger - Panelists)
The future of patent searching may be deduced based on the trajectory of this business in the last 40 years or so. Join panel moderator Jim Brown and panelists Edlyn Simmons, Sandra Unger and Tony Trippe as they take a lighthearted and affectionate trip down the PIUG memory lane, leading up to where we are today and where we might be headed. The session will include personal anecdotes of each of their histories in the patent information industry and their relationships with the PIUG organization.
Jim Brown is presently the Senior Product Specialist IP Representing CAS for FIZ Karlsruhe in the U.S. Jim joined FIZ Karlsruhe, Inc. in 2008 as a Regional Sales Manager after working at IFI Claims Patent Services for 23 years. His current duties at FIZ Karlsruhe Inc. include customer trainings, authoring workshop manuals and presentations, and representing CAS and FIZ Karlsruhe at conferences and exhibitions. Jim was on the PIUG Board of Directors from June 2010 to June 2012 in the position of secretary; from June 2012 to the present he has served on the PIUG Board of Directors as Vice-Chair. Edlyn S. Simmons is retired from Simmons Patent Information Service, LLC, which she founded after retiring from positions at The Procter & Gamble Co. and Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. She received B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry from the University of Cincinnati, and is a registered U. S. patent agent. She is a founding member of PIUG and served as Chair in 1991-1993 and Director-at-Large in 2000-2004 and 2005-10. She received the International Patent Information Award in 2005. Anthony (Tony) Trippe is the IP Strategy Manager for Owens Corning. In this role, Mr. Trippe is responsible for aligning R&D planning with the development of Intellectual Property to leverage the investment Owens Corning makes in its innovation efforts. Prior to joining Owens Corning, Tony founded Patinformatics, an advisory firm specializing in patent analytics and landscaping to support decision-making for technology-based businesses. Mr. Trippe is also an Adjunct Professor of IP Management and Markets at the Illinois Institute of Technology, teaching a course on patent analysis, and landscapes for strategic decision-making. Tony is an influential thought leader in the patent analysis space, wrote the Guidelines for the Preparation of Patent Landscape Reports for the World Intellectual Property Organization, has been named one of the Top 300 IP Strategists by IAM Magazine, and is the developer of ML4Patents.com the industry's online resource for the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in the field of Intellectual Property. Sandra Unger retired from ExxonMobil after 34 years as a patent searcher. Sandra was mentored by Dr. Stu Kaback in the skills needed to search for polymers, lubricant additives, catalysts and other petroleum related topics. Sandra received her PhD in Chemistry at Michigan State University, under Nobel laureate, Dr. Robert Grubbs. In 1998, Sandra was granted a US Patent on a database system design for recognizing and categorizing the results of patent searches (US5721910). Sandra served as the PIUG Vice Chair, PIUG Chair and on the PIUG Board of Directors for a total of 12 years. Sandra organized the first full day, independent PIUG meeting with a demonstration/vendor room. The second conference organized by Sandra was a full five days and included workshops on European patents. Sandra was granted the IPI award in 2013, “ In recognition of outstanding contribution and lifelong dedication to the advancement of Patent Information”. Sandra took many photos at PlUG meetings and collected the photos of other photographers. Sandra has a 30+ year photo archive, including early photos from the IFI meetings at Airlie. Sandra delighted in participating in many of the silly IFFY PLAYER theater productions, at PIUG conferences, organized by Nancy Lambert. Since retiring in 2013, Sandra and her husband have travelled to Singapore, Tokyo, Hawaii, Alaska, Budapest, and many other locations. The next planned trip is to IcelandCPC Harmonization and AI (Rinaldi Rada and Jose Alconchel Ungria, CPS Patent International)
Harmonization in CPC is necessary to achieve high-quality data for advancing AI search tools. CPC, a collaboration between EPO and USPTO, has been in use for over 13 years. Currently, more than 38 patent offices utilize CPC, which remains vital for efficient patent searches. Despite concerns that AI might render traditional classification tools obsolete, major patent offices, including USPTO, EPO, KIPO, and CNIPA, still invest heavily in classifying in CPC. However, after 13 years, significant discrepancies in classification practices persist among these offices. This lack of harmonization undermines the CPC's value, as the true standards for classification remain unclear. Harmonization among key contributors to CPC is crucial for obtaining maximum benefit of its investments in classification. Additionally, there is great effort in the development of AI tools to improve the quality and efficiency of classification and search. The success of these tools depends on the quality of the information upon which they are built. Excessive noise or polluted information could hinder the achievement of accurate results of using AI in search. This audience can play an important role in persuading the USPTO and EPO to create a global classification standard, maximizing the benefits of AI tools.
Former Technology Center Group Director at the USPTO, Mr. Rada was responsible for the management of patent examining groups in the fields of transportation, construction, electronic commerce, and agriculture. Mr. Rada led USPTO’s transition from the US Patent Classification System to CPC, including the training of patent examiners and the development of related IT examination, search, and classification tools. He also led teams in the formation of the Search and Classification Examiner position and USPTO’s transfer and search assistance and classification quality assurance programs. Mr. Rada has experience collaborating with other intellectual property offices in achieving common goals, improving processes, and IT toolsrelated to classification scheme management, quality, and examiner collaboration. He worked 32 years at the USPTO where he started as a patent examiner and then as a supervisory patent examiner in mechanical and manufacturing technologies before becoming group director. Jose Alconchel Ungria is a Co-founder of CPS Patent International. Jose worked for 35 years at the European Patent Office (EPO), starting as a patent examiner and ending his career as Director of Classification and Documentation from 2018 to 2023. Prior to that he spent 13 years as director of the patent examination department of Vehicles and General Technology. He was involved in the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) scheme since its creation in 2013 and was responsible for CPC cooperation with the USPTO, and CPC implementation in more than 35 patent offices around the world. More generally, he has deep experience in dealing with the IP5 offices (US, Japan, Korea and China in addition to the EPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). As a consultant for WIPO he has provided patent training in many IP offices around the world José is a Spanish national, with a master’s degree in electrical engineering and a PhD in mechanical engineering. He lives in the Netherlands. What’s In Force? Approaches for Finding Expiration and Extension Information (John Zabilski)
One vital step in a Freedom-to-Operate search is to determine what published patents you have found are still -in-force. Finding in-force patents includes identifying:
Learn which search resources have indicators for active/inactive status and how to search for this information on publicly accessible platforms. Also learn how to focus on specific legal events to identify if a particular patent is still in-force.
Previously John held several positions for over 40 years at Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), a division of the American Chemical Society (ACS, including indexing (database building), development (database creation), training and consulting on how to search for patent information. John has provided onsite and online training in the agrochemical, biotech, chemical, pharma and polymer areas for many organizations including 3M, AbbVie, Corteva, Dow, Eli Lilly, Lubrizol, P&G, Pfizer and multiple universities. Some of his personal milestones include training at 10 patent offices around the world, contributing to presentations for the WIPO Technology Innovation Support Centers (TISC), and presenting at AALL, ACS, PIUG, SLA and world online meetings including the China Patent Annual Conference in Beijing. John is a Registered U.S. Patent Agent and a Qualified Patent Information Professional (QPIP). Patents and FTO in a Non-Profit World (Monica Gallas, Sr. IP Analyst, Gates Agricultural Innovations)
A strategic patent portfolio and robust freedom-to-operate (FTO) assessments are important for ensuring a product has a clear path to market. These two pieces are a primary consideration in commercial and business contexts, but they can also be applied to the non-profit sector. When non-profits engage in product development, research, or collaborations with private companies and public institutions, FTO helps non-profits understand the patent landscape, identify potential patent infringement risks, and assess the patentability of their innovations.
Monica Gallas is currently a Senior Intellectual Property Analyst at Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One), a non-profit organization focused on serving the unmet needs of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia with the latest agricultural technology. Prior to moving into the non-profit sector, she spent over a decade working in intellectual property in the agriculture industry. Potential Pitfalls in Patent Searching (Martha Yates, Sr. Principal Information Scientist, Bayer)
How hard can it be to do patent searching you ask? I maintain that the mark of a professional searcher is knowledge about what is and is NOT in the databases that you are searching. I will discuss many ways in which data can be wrong or misleading, how you can be doomed in looking for legal status information, and tips for doing assignee searching. I will also talk about some other traps that you can fall into and share some fun examples with you. I hope that the audience can share some other fun examples as well. Martha Yates is a Senior Principal Information Scientist and Science Fellow for Bayer CropScience. She is a long-time member and board member of PIUG. She is a registered QPIP and a registered US patent agent. She is currently the chair of the IPO patent search committee. The AI Revolution in Patent Intelligence: Unlocking Business-Critical Insights (Frazer Kearl, Sr. Product Manager, Patsnap) In the era of digital transformation, the ability to extract meaningful insights from patents is a competitive advantage. This session explores how AI-powered digitization—far beyond basic OCR—enables organizations to turn patent documents into strategic assets. We’ll examine real-world applications, from accelerating R&D cycles to strengthening IP strategies, and why Patsnap’s approach outperforms conventional methods. Join us to discover how AI is reshaping the patent landscape and driving smarter business decisions.
Frazer Kearl is a Senior Product Manager at Patsnap, specializing in driving product innovation and strategy for IP and R&D professionals. With a background in computational chemistry, he is passionate about developing technology solutions that address real-world challenges and enhance user experiences. At Patsnap, he leads product development initiatives, ensuring alignment with business objectives and market needs while spearheading go-to-market strategies that strengthen brand visibility and market penetration. Frazer is responsible for shaping a dynamic product roadmap, delivering impactful feature releases, and ensuring that Patsnap’s solutions empower IP and R&D teams to accelerate innovation and make data-driven decisions. His expertise spans product strategy, market analysis, and cross-functional collaboration to drive business growth and customer success. Return to TopActivity Session: How to Run a Meeting (PIUG Hosted)
TBD May I Have Your Attention? Maximize the Impact of Your Search Results (Matt Eberle, Lead Developer, BizInt Solutions)
It is vital to conduct a comprehensive search so as not to miss relevant information. But, after the search is done, important information can still be missed. Why? Because, while information is (effectively) infinite, attention is finite. A correctly concise search report unlocks the value of a comprehensive search by directing attention to the most salient information. We'll take a look at ways to capture and sustain attention, including why at least one method used since the Bronze Age may still be more relevant than AI.
Matt Eberle joined the BizInt Solutions team in July 2013 as Lead Developer for Analytics and Custom Solutions. Matt helps customers use the BizInt Smart Charts and VantagePoint tools to create new solutions to address their challenges and problems. Matt worked extensively with both BizInt Smart Charts for Drug Pipelines and BizInt Smart Charts for Patents for over ten years at Wyeth, Pfizer and Sunovion, where he held positions of Senior Information Scientist and Pharmaceutical Information Analyst. He is the BizInt expert on VantagePoint - Smart Charts Edition. Return to TopIterative Searching in the Time of AI: Best Practices for Search Strategies to Leverage the Power of AI Tools (Jonathan Skovholt & Brad Buehler, Ensemble IP)
AI, the fourth pillar of patent searching, offers significant enhancements for analysts looking to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. However, the process of using AI effectively is not as straightforward as it seems. During this presentation, we will use Quartet to show you the best practices for building AI into your iterative search process, leaving you with tips and tricks to recognize the powerful benefits of AI tools.
Jonathan Skovholt is the VP of Search Operations and a Co-Founder at Ensemble IP, an intellectual property consulting firm providing patent search services to corporations and law firms worldwide. At Ensemble IP, Jonathan works to blend human expertise with advanced technology tools to provide the most reliable and comprehensive patent search results. Jonathan is focused on assessing AI search systems, the convergence of Boolean and AI based techniques, and the continuing evolution of patent searching. Prior to joining Ensemble IP, he managed, designed, and delivered training for Landon IP and CPA Global where he taught analysts the finer points of searching, examining, and classifying. He is a former faculty member of Patent Resources Group (PRG) and at the NIH Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences. Jonathan has taught individuals on the art of prior art searching to audiences on four continents. He is also a former patent examiner. Jonathan has a BA in Physics from Gustavus Adolphus College, an MS in Physics from the University of Delaware, and a graduate certificate in Instructional Systems Development from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Brad Buehler is the Chief Operating Officer and a founding shareholder of Ensemble IP. Prior to starting Ensemble IP, he was Managing Director of the global Patent Search and Innovation Intelligence Unit at CPA Global. He started his Intellectual Property career with Landon IP in 1999, ultimately serving as the President of the company until its acquisition by CPA Global in 2014. Throughout his 25+ years in the field of patent searching, he has witnessed and influenced the evolution of patent searching and the role of professional patent searchers. Brad is also a Registered Patent Agent. What Not to Do With Your Valuable Intellectual Property (Stephen Adams, Managing Director, Magister, Ltd.)
History is littered with examples of when a competitive advantage has been either squandered or effectively exploited as a result of decisions made about the protection of innovations. Hindsight often enables us to see what went wrong, or “what might have been”. Some eventual outcomes were unavoidable, being overtaken by unforeseen – or unforeseeable – events, but in others, mistakes were made in choosing the appropriate IP strategy, which contributed to significant losses. We will consider a range of examples from 200 B.C. to the present day, reminding us that the same decision points are still of importance in IP management in the 21 st century.
Stephen Adams is the managing director of Magister Ltd., a UK-based consultancy specialising in patents information. Mr. Adams is a Qualified Patent Information Professional (number 20190044100092) and holds a B.Sc. in chemistry from the University of Bristol and an M.Sc. in Information Science from City University, London. He was the representative for UK user groups on the information sub-committee of the Standing Advisory Committee to the EPO (SACEPO/PDI) for many years, as well as contributing to the work of the Committee on WIPO Standards (CWS) and the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Patents and Related Matters (CPRM). He is the author of three editions of “Information Sources in Patents”, the most recent being published in September 2020 by Walter de Gruyter KG. He received the IPI Award in 2012 for outstanding contribution to patent information. Unconventional Strategies for Effective Invalidity Searches (Srin Achanta, Managing Director, SciTech Patent Art & Chief Operating Officer, LitAgility)
Finding the right prior art can make or break a patent invalidation effort, yet traditional search strategies often fall short—especially when facing patents that have already withstood rigorous examination. Non-patent literature (NPL) offers a powerful alternative, but its vast, unstructured nature makes effective searching a major challenge. This presentation will showcase real-world case studies where unconventional search strategies uncovered critical invalidating prior art. Attendees will gain insights into AI/ML-powered web crawling techniques for mining hard-to-find NPL, as well as the impact of close attorney-analyst collaboration in identifying prior art compelling enough for legal arguments. By exploring these innovative approaches, patent professionals will learn how to strengthen their invalidity searches and improve litigation and licensing outcomes.
Dr. Srin Achanta brings over 35 years of expertise at the intersection of business, technology, and intellectual property. In 2002, he founded SciTech Patent Art, one of India’s pioneering IP analytics firms, which serves Fortune 500 companies across the U.S., Japan, and Europe. He also serves as the Chief Operating Officer of LitAgility LLC and CaseSight LLC, two Boston-based patent litigation consulting firms with a 25-year legacy of supporting attorneys in high-stakes IP disputes. His expertise includes patent analytics for live litigation cases and the development of advanced software tools for patent litigators. With deep industry knowledge and a passion for innovation, Dr. Achanta continues to shape the future of patent analytics and litigation support. Dr. Achanta holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of Michigan, with a career spanning engineering, management consulting, and global marketing at The Procter & Gamble Company, Booz & Company (now Strategy&) and Honeywell International. Prior Art for Prior Art’s Sake (Ron Kaminecki, Kaminecki IP LLC)
Though the definition of prior art remains about the same as it has been, the implementation of it has changed over the years and throughout different jurisdictions. However, earlier publications earlier than the priority date remain the gold standard though some exceptions can be found. This talk will discuss some exceptions or interpretations that could prove to be exceptional in patent prosecution.
Ron Kaminecki has been searching patents and advising researchers for over forty years, having worked for companies such as IIT Research Institute, Lockheed Missiles and Space, Dialog, Knight-Ridder Information, Abbott Laboratories, Thomson-Reuters, ProQuest and Questel, always in the area of patent information. He has a BS in Chemistry, an MS in Computer Science and a JD with a Certificate in Patent Law and is a Qualified Patent Information Professional. He is a US patent attorney, has worked as an expert witness, is an inventor for a patent on a patent prosecution system, is a co-author of NISO standard Z39.58 for an online search language and serves as Director-at-Large for the Patent Information User Group. Currently, he teaches patent searching at DePaul University Law School and the University of New Hampshire Law School. He is Vice Chair of PIUG and is Chair of the QPIP Supervisory Council. |