The Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association
Please join us on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, for our next regular meeting of 2026.
Register by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 20, 2026.
Location:
Downtown Marriott
1360 West Mall Drive
Cleveland, OH 44114
Take escalator off main lobby up one floor. You will see the CIPLA registration table as you exit the top of the escalator.
Valet parking is available to CIPLA members for a discounted rate of $20 if you register and prepay your parking with your registration. Parking vouchers will be available at the meeting registration table for those who prepay for valet parking.
Agenda (note new schedule):
Committee CLE Meetings (5:00–6:00 p.m., CLE accreditation will be applied for):
1) Trademark and Unfair Competition Committee (1.00 hr CLE credit)
Topic: Trademarks in the age of synthetic identity and other areas to watch in 2026
Speaker: Rita Kline, Partner, Renner Otto
With over twenty years in practice, Rita Kline is known in her industry as a seasoned and highly respected trademark attorney. She has extensive experience providing guidance and customized strategies on a variety of complex trademark issues, including domain name disputes, copyright issues, and structuring or negotiating agreements related to sale or acquisition, coexistence, settlement, and licensing of trademarks and copyrights.
She has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at her alma mater Cleveland Marshall College of Law where she taught Trademark and Unfair Competition Law.
2) Litigation Committee (1.00 hr CLE credit)
Topic: Going to Trial--Developing A Winning (hopefully) Formula
Speaker: Todd Tucker, Partner, Calfee Halter
After leading three IP jury trials in the past year (and settling a fourth a few days before trial), Todd Tucker of Calfee, Halter and Griswold discusses how in-house and outside counsel can effectively work together to create a winning trial strategy.
Cocktail Reception (6:00–7:00 p.m., open bar)
Dinner (7:00–8:30 p.m., 1.00 hr CLE accreditation will be applied for):
Keynote Topic: US Patent Policy Update and Impact
Keynote Speakers:
- Roshan Mansinghani, Head of Operations, Unified Patents (moderator) (visiting from Dallas, TX)
- Sasha Sokhis, VP, Head of Client Relations and Business Development, Unified Patents (visiting from Los Angeles, CA)
- Peter Jovanovic, Legal Director, Intellectual Property, Dell Technologies (visiting from San Diego, CA)
This panel discussion will focus on the impact of recent USPTO policy changes, current trends in NPE litigation, and the rise of litigation funding for patent cases.
Meet the Panel
Unified Patents - the Anti-Troll – is a member organization. It is the only entity focused on deterring abusive NPEs and never paying to settle, aligning with operating companies against NPE assertions. Unified also provides support for Standard Essentials Patent negotiation in the Video Codec, Wi-Fi, etc. areas and provides proprietary data and analytics tools to members.
Unified has filed over 600 worldwide challenges and received over 140 settlements since inception in 2012, and we never pay NPEs. Unified membership includes 300+ technology companies and start-ups.
Peter Jovanovic is Legal Director, IP at Dell Technologies. At Dell, he is primarily responsible for patent portfolio development, patent litigation, trade secrets, open source management, and license drafting and negotiation. Before joining Dell, he was an associate patent attorney providing prosecution, litigation, and licensing services. Prior to becoming an attorney, Peter was a software engineer, having experience in computer security, satellite communications, and logistic planning software.
Peter has bachelor’s degrees in computer science and mathematics from UC San Diego, a master’s degree in computer science from San Diego State, and a juris doctorate from UC Hastings College of the Law. He is registered to practice before the USPTO and is a member of the California Bar. Peter was also an adjunct law professor, where he taught the primary legal and procedural requirements for preparing and prosecuting patent applications under US federal law.
Dinner Entrée Options:
- Herb Seared Sirloin (cheddar potato cake, seasonal vegetables, chimichurri)
- Seared Salmon (crispy fingerlings, haricot verts, lemon-dill butter)
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Tagine (vegetarian) (cous cous and ratatouille)
Each entrée is accompanied by a Mixed Greens Salad and Tiramisu Cheesecake Torte for dessert.
Cost:
- Members: Dinner CLE, Committee CLE, and prepaid valet parking – $65; Dinner CLE and Committee CLE – $45; Committee CLE only – Free,
- In-House Members: Dinner CLE, Committee CLE, and prepaid valet parking – $55; Dinner CLE, Committee CLE – $35; Committee CLE only – Free
- Student Members: Dinner CLE, Committee CLE, and prepaid valet parking – $40; Dinner CLE and Committee CLE – $20; Committee CLE only - Free
- Non-Members: Dinner CLE and Committee CLE – $75; Dinner CLE only - $55; Committee CLE only – $30
Cancellations:
Any cancellations must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 20, 2026. Please email smgerber@jonesday.com with any cancellation—no fax or telephone cancellations will be honored.
