Sections and Divisions

Attendees of the Intellectual Property Law Section Business Meeting, held Sept. 24, 2021, at the Frost Science Museum in Miami.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW SECTION

The Intellectual Property Law Section (IPLS) met on Sept. 24, 2021, during the FBA’s Annual Meeting in Miami. The section business meeting was presided over by section chair Ira Cohen and occurred at the Frost Science Museum, allowing attendees to explore the museum before the meeting. The featured guest speaker was George C. Pologeorgis, administrative trademark judge of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. In attendance were several law students who were sponsored by the FBA’s IPLS. The IPLS is indebted to board member and officer Oliver Ruiz and to FBA staff for making the memorable event a reality. 

Adine S. Momoh (left) and Dr. Artika R. Tyner (right) presenting a CLE webinar on Oct. 6, 2021.

YOUNGER LAWYERS DIVISION

The Younger Lawyers Division (YLD), in cooperation with the FBA’s Minnesota, Atlanta, and Utah Chapters and its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, sponsored a CLE webinar on Oct. 6, 2021, titled “A Call to Action: Stepping Up to Lead and Effectuate Change in a Time of Crisis.”

The webinar presented a unique training opportunity led by Dr. Artika R. Tyner, director of the Center on Race, Leadership and Social Justice at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis and author of the award-winning book The Lawyer as Leader: How to Plant People and Grow Justice. In the training, Dr. Tyner explored her book and discussed tangible ways lawyers can use their legal skills to advocate for change in marginalized communities. Participants learned how they can use their skills, position, and authority to create equal access to justice, and they left the webinar motivated and with concrete action items for how they can assist in bringing about change in our communities.

The YLD applied for and received a Diversity Grant from the FBA Foundation to help offset the costs. As a result, they were able to provide a free copy of the author’s book to the first 50 registrants.

In FY 2020, then-YLD chair Adine S. Momoh led a Call to Action in response to George Floyd’s tragic death and the civil unrest across Minnesota, the country, and the world, along with the socio-economic disparities that were heightened by the pandemic (e.g., housing, education, access to food and medical care). The YLD issued a statement and provided resources to help younger attorneys respond. The YLD then initiated a national pro bono challenge, the StepUp Pro Bono Challenge, and encouraged younger attorneys to step up and perform pro bono work, specifically addressing issues of systemic racism, socio-economic injustice, and access to justice. The YLD board has since adopted it as an annual program.

We’d like to thank those who participated in the StepUp Pro Bono Challenge in the last year (2020-2021), completing a total of 745 hours of pro bono service!

Elizabeth Horn

Lisa Kpor

Erin McAdams Franzblau

Adine S. Momoh

Nico Ratkowski

Izak C. Rosenfeld

Rachel Ellen Simon 

2022 Nominations and Elections Committee

Anh Le Kremer President and Chair

Matthew C. Moschella President-elect

W. West Allen Immediate Past President

Donna Mikel Circuit Vice President

Oliver Ruiz Circuit Vice President

Hon. Robin Feder Section or Division Chair

Daniel Hedlund Chapter Representative

Pursuant to Bylaw 8, Sec. A1, the Nominations and Elections Committee is responsible for administering the procedures applicable to nomination and election of national officers of the Association during the annual election as prescribed in Article V, Section 3, of the Constitution and Bylaw 6. The Committee shall be composed of the President, who shall chair the Committee; President-elect; immediate past-President; two Vice Presidents for the Circuit designated by the President; a Section or Division chairperson designated by the President- elect; and one Professional Chapter representative designated by the President-elect. The Nominations and Elections Committee (Committee) hereby gives notice that there will be an election for the following officers of the association for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022: President-elect; Treasurer; three Directors; and one Vice President for the following circuits: Second, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and D.C. Please review specific qualifications for each position at Bylaw 6B. www.fedbar.org/about-us/ governance-and-organizational-structure/fba-bylaws/#6

All officers will assume their elected position on October 1, 2022, and serve the following terms: President-elect and Treasurer, one year; three Directors, two years; and Vice Presidents for the Circuits, two years. The incumbent President-elect will automatically succeed the incumbent President on October 1, 2022.

Under Article V, Section 3 of the FBA Constitution, there are two ways for members to be listed on the ballot: • By nomination of the Nominations and Elections Committee; or • By petition: (1) a candidate for national office must be endorsed by not less than fifty members in good standing; and (2) a candidate for Vice President for the Circuit must be endorsed by not less than twenty members in good standing of chapters and/or members at large in that particular circuit.

Under Article V, Section 2 of the FBA Constitution, all members of the association at the time of nomination, whose dues are paid for the current fiscal year and who otherwise are in good standing, and meet all other qualifications, as may be required by the Constitution, Bylaws, and policies of the Association, shall be eligible as candidates for any elective office. The FBA welcomes and encourages diverse individuals to apply for leadership positions.

Nominations

Members interested in being nominated for office by the Committee shall complete and submit the FBA Application for National Office along with an electronic resume and photo to Anh Le Kremer, Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee, at elections@fedbar.org, to be received by February 1, 2022. The Committee shall require, at a minimum, that each candidate provide their name; place of professional practice (firm, office, court, agency or other); preferred mailing address; contact telephone number; facsimile number; e-mail address; date of FBA membership; and the title of the office sought. Also, the Application shall provide space for a candidate to provide a biographical sketch of their qualifications for the office that should include 1) why the candidate is seeking national office (2) a description of the candidate’s FBA activities and leadership positions; (3) professional experience and awards received; (4) other volunteer activities; (5) what is one significant issue facing the FBA and, as a leader, how would you address the issue? The biographical statement is limited to one page electronic document no larger than 8.5”X11” using 12-point font.

By March 1, 2022, the Committee shall nominate one or more members in good standing for each of the elective offices becoming vacant for the coming term. By March 10, 2022, the Committee shall cause to be transmitted to each member in good standing notice of the upcoming annual election and of the offices to be filled therein; of the Committee’s nominations for those offices; and the manner and time by which nominations of candidates may be made by petition as provided in Article V, Section 3.b. of the Constitution and Bylaw 6(C).

Petitions

Members who have not been nominated for office by the Committee, but who wish to be placed on the ballot for national office, may do so by delivering to Anh Le Kremer, Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee, at elections@fedbar.org, a petition, including an Application, specifying the office being sought and bearing the required number of signatures indicated previously. Petitions must be received by May 15, 2022.

Election

In accordance with Bylaw 6(D), by June 1, 2022, the Committee shall cause a Notice of Election to be sent to each member of the Association in good standing. The notice shall list the names of all nominated candidates and candidates by petition in alphabetical order under each elective office. The notice also shall contain such instructions as necessary for members to cast their votes as prescribed by policy adopted by the Board of Directors.

Completed ballots shall be received by the Chair of the Committee or by such person as designated by the Chair no later than June 15, 2022. The Committee shall review and certify the tabulated votes and report as elected the candidate for each office who has received a plurality of the votes cast for that office by the next business day following June 15.

In the event that any deadline herein specified is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal federal holiday, the next succeeding business day shall substitute for that specific deadline.