Join us March 4-6, 2025. All in-house counsel welcome!
All in-house counsel are invited to participate in up to 10 hours of virtual California CLE programming, an in-person networking reception, lunch delivery across the U.S. and more! Discover new and timely legal updates pertaining to the Life Sciences industry both at home and across the globe.
Step 1: Life Sciences Social
Register March 4
5:30pm – 7:30pm In-Person Social @ Chandlery At The Shore, Brisbane, CA
Step 2: CLEs
Register March 5
8:30am – 4:00pm Virtual
Step 3: CLEs
Register March 6
8:30am – 2:45pm Virtual
DAY 1 - TUESDAY, MARCH 4 - IN-PERSON
5:30pm – 7:30pm | TransPerfect
In-Person Networking Reception
Chandlery At The Shore, 1200 Sierra Point Pkwy Suite 100A, Brisbane, CA
DAY 2 - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5 - VIRTUAL
8:30am | COBBLESTONE SOFTWARE
Coffee Delivery
8:30am-9:30am | MINTZ
Unlocking Value: How AI Integration Can Transform Your Life Science Company
Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) can be a game-changer for life science companies and significantly enhance company value. This session will delve into the impact of AI integration from investor and legal perspectives with a focus on what makes AI-enabled companies particularly attractive for partnerships or acquisitions. Join us for a panel featuring in-house counsel and investors, with insights into how they evaluate AI-driven companies and manage critical legal considerations associated with Section 101, patents, and trade secrets. We will discuss what the inability to protect AI innovations means for a company's valuation and highlight the importance of IP diligence as a crucial component of the valuation process.
SPEAKERS:
Terri Shieh-Newton, PhD, Member, Mintz
Sreekar Gadde, Manager, BlueTree Capital
Allison Gaul, Senior Legal Counsel - Digital, BCG X
Arnav Mehta, Venture Partner, The Column Group
9:45am-10:45am | WILSON SONSINI
Unlocking the Power of Branding: Elevate Your Life Sciences IP Strategy
Discover how strategic branding can transform your life sciences company into a market leader. Join Wilson Sonsini experts Alyssa Worsham and Brandon Leahy as they reveal how innovative branding—from proprietary platform names to cutting-edge drug names—can be a game-changer in your IP strategy. Gain insights from Dell Chism, Vice President of Intellectual Property at Centessa Pharmaceuticals, and learn how to capture investor attention and stand out in a competitive landscape.
SPEAKERS:
Alyssa Worsham, Partner, Wilson Sonsini
Brandon Leahy, Senior Counsel, Wilson Sonsini
Dell Chism, Vice President of Intellectual Property, Centessa Pharmaceuticals
11:00am - 12:00pm | ROUNDTABLES
12:00pm | ANKURA
Lunch Delivery
12:30pm-1:30pm | FINNEGAN
Patent Misuse Issues in the Context of Patent Licensing
The patent misuse doctrine can be a formidable defense for licensees in raising claims that could result in the unenforceability of patents. This presentation will explore the doctrine and related licensing issues that arise when negotiating IP license agreements in the life sciences before and after the licensed patents expire. Panelists will discuss best practices for avoiding patent misuse and antitrust issues when licensing intellectual property, while fostering innovation.
SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Smyth, Partner, Finnegan
Brian Kacedon, Partner, Finnegan
Ilan Feuchtwang, General Counsel, Synthego Corporation
Victoria Kruse, Director of Corporate Transactions, Caribou Biosciences
1:45pm - 2:45pm | SPECIALTY MCLE
Peak Brain: The Science of Staying Sharp (Prevention & Detection Competence)
Your brain is your most valuable asset, and the way you treat it impacts your professional competence and your ability to show up for your work, your family, and yourself. This session will introduce you to the science of the brain, and give you the practical tools and strategies to keep your mind sharp, maintaining your professional edge.
SPEAKERS:
Jennee DeVore, Co-Founder, Part Time Health and General Counsel, Simple HealthKit
Alix Rosenthal, Co-Founder, Part Time Health
3:00pm-4:00pm | REED SMITH
Managing a Compliance Program Under the New Executive Administration
Please join Reed Smith and a panel of local compliance professionals as they share their most pressing concerns in operating an effective compliance program considering fast-paced changes from the new executive administration. The panel will discuss the impact of recent executive orders and regulatory changes and explore how different companies are navigating these changes, focusing on practical applications across the industry. The panel also will consider how in-house and outside counsel can best support a compliance program.
SPEAKERS:
Paul Pitts, Partner, Reed Smith
Patrick Curry, VP, Compliance, Omada Health
Stephen Chien, VP Global Compliance Operations, Gilead Sciences
Jenny Wallner, Chief Compliance Officer, McKesson
DAY 3 - THURSDAY, MARCH 6 - VIRTUAL
8:30am | COBBLESTONE SOFTWARE
Coffee Delivery
8:30am-9:30am | FRESHFIELDS
Dodged that Bullet- Navigating Traps in Strategic Commercial/IP Arrangements
We’ll discuss terms that often arise in license and collaboration agreements as well as other strategic commercial arrangements commonly entered into by life sciences companies such as non-dilutive royalty agreements or venture debt, and how they can affect future transactions, the valuation of a company and potential liquidity events. The panelists will discuss real examples from recent life sciences deals and how they analyzed the terms from the perspective of future licensees, potential acquirors, bankers and investors in order to resolve the issues in a way that preserved optionality for the company. The session will include practical drafting and negotiation tips, as well as the opportunity for audience members to ask questions.
SPEAKERS:
Vinita Kailasanath, Partner, Freshfields
Phil Stoup, Partner, Freshfields
Blaine Templeman, Chief Administrative and Legal Officer, Cartography Biosciences
9:45am - 10:45am | SPECIALTY MCLE
Making Teams More Productive Through Neurodiversity (Implicit Bias)
Neurodiverse individuals make up a significant portion of the workforce, including the legal workforce. Due to actual and perceived biases in companies and law firms, these talented individuals often try to mask their true selves, which is exhausting, inauthentic, and can be permanently damaging. This presentation will explore how to recognize different forms of neurodiversity and how to ally to create an inclusive environment beneficial for everyone. The panel will provide easy and practical strategies that legal teams can adopt to accommodate neurodiverse individuals and allow them to thrive. This presentation will provide 1 hour of California "implicit bias" credit.
SPEAKERS:
Betsy Haanes, Ph.D., J.D., SVP, IGM Biosciences, Inc.
Mercedes K. Meyer, Ph.D., Partner, Banner Witcoff
Lisa Mueller, Partner, Casimir Jones, S.C.
Haley Moss, Esq., Speaker, Writer, Consultant
11:00am-12:00pm | SHOOK HARDY
From Trials to Market: Litigation Risks and Strategies for Life Sciences Companies
Litigation risk is a constant concern for life sciences companies, from clinical trials to commercialization. This session will explore key litigation triggers across the product lifecycle and provide practical strategies for in-house counsel to mitigate risk. Through real-world case studies, our panel will share best practices for assessing and managing litigation exposure to protect both products and business operations.
SPEAKERS:
Alicia Donahue, Partner, Shook Hardy
Lori McGroder, Partner, Shook Hardy
Tom Sullivan, Managing Partner, Boston, Shook Hardy
John Alden, General Counsel, FibroGen
Janet Kwuon, Global Head of Litigation and Investigations, Gilead
12:00pm | ANKURA
Lunch Delivery
12:30pm-1:30pm | NEWFRONT
Insuring Life Sciences Update 2025: Cyber Considerations for Legal Leaders
Cyber threats and regulatory pressures are constantly evolving and exposing your company to new risks. Newfront's experts break down the key trends legal leaders need to watch—from cybersecurity claims and data privacy breach reporting, to recent D&O market developments.
SPEAKERS:
Eric Long, EVP & Founding Principal, Newfront
Jennifer Wilson, Head of Cyber, Newfront
Brandon Settle, AVP Life Science Practice, Newfront
Dan Lindell, SVP, Executive Risk Solutions Practice, Newfront
Caryn McDowell, Director & Board Member, California Life Sciences
1:45pm - 2:45pm | KEKER VAN NEST & PETERS
Litigation in the Life Sciences: Key Trends and Issues for In-House Counsel to Keep in Mind
Life science companies face a host of litigation challenges that can significantly impact both strategic decision-making and day-to-day operations. This one-hour session will explore critical litigation topics that shape the industry, providing a deep dive into the latest case trends and risk areas.
Participants will gain insights into:
- Navigating post-merger milestone disputes and litigation involving commercially reasonable efforts clauses.
- Significant recent patent decisions, double patenting, patent term adjustments, guardrails on prior art, and trade secrets protections.
- The landscape of recent False Claims Act enforcement litigation.
- Antitrust litigation trends including payments, product hopping, pricing and PBMs, and FTC orange book scrutiny.
SPEAKERS:
Laurie Carr Mims, Managing Partner, Keker Van Nest & Peters
Maya James, Partner, Keker Van Nest & Peters
Sharif Jacob, Partner, Keker Van Nest & Peters
CLICK ON THE LINKS ABOVE TO REGISTER.
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 LIFE SCIENCE CONFERENCE SPONSORS!
