By Corrine A. Sukiennik, Principal, C-Synergies LLC; Co-Chair, Georgia IP Think Tank Local Chapters LES Atlanta Chapter—Sponsor of the Annual Georgia IP Think Tank
6 | LES Viewpoints
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he LES Atlanta Chapter has continued to build a strong foundation to grow its membership and increase organizational participation over the last several years. In 2017, for example, the LES Atlanta Chapter held educational programs and networking events, including a presentation on “How to Avoid the Biggest Mistakes in Licensing Agreements,” and a panel on the “Legal Aspects of Atlanta’s Booming Film Industry.” Additionally, this is the fourth year that the Atlanta Chapter of LES has supported the Georgia Intellectual Property Think Tank. The GA IP Think Tank is a key component of the broader Georgia IP Alliance that includes a partnership of the world’s leading law and business schools of Georgia State University and Georgia Tech. The Alliance includes major corporations, small businesses, and bar associations that provide a platform for IP collaboration and networking. The goal of the Georgia IP Think Tank is to bring together local IP professionals to work together on intellectual property strategy and policy matters impacting their businesses’ economic growth and development. Last year’s attendees of the Georgia IP Think Tank included more than 30 IP professionals from the greater Atlanta area. Past attendees represented a broad array of industry, government, academia and service providers, including AT&T, The Home Depot, GE Power Systems, The Coca Cola Company, Emory University, The CDC, Boehringer Ingelheim, Kimberly-Clark Corp, Equifax, Newell Brands, and PwC, among others. The LES Atlanta Chapter was a key sponsor for last year’s event. Brett Lockwood, the 2017 Atlanta Chapter Co-Chair and partner with Smith, Gambrell & Russell, took an active role in facilitating one of the several breakout sessions. Other gold sponsors of the event included Baker Hostetler, Cantor Coburn, Emory University School of Law, Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, and Smith, Gambrell & Russell. The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce refers to Atlanta as a “world class hub for technology and mobility,” “one of the fastest growing, high tech urban centers in the nation,” and a region “leading the way in creating a national center for innovation and industry growth.” Intellectual property,
an innovative culture, creative talent, and strong investments are critical for enterprise growth and on-going protection of competitive advantage. The Georgia IP community is poised to service the needs of Georgia’s diverse enterprises, from Fortune 100 companies—to venture funded start-ups. The Georgia IP Think Tank supported by the LES Atlanta Chapter is an important IP initiative supporting the intellectual property needs required for the successful economic development of the region. “The Think Tank seeks to address cutting edge issues at the forefront of new and emerging technologies, IP law, policy and infrastructure,” states Corrine Sukiennik, GA IP Think Tank Co-Chair. The event is focused on analyzing issues and developing recommendations based on a healthy exchange of creative ideas from a group of IP professionals having diverse backgrounds. “The output we seek is to further advance the future of IP policy and system effective- The Fourth Annual Georgia IP Think Tank was ness and efficiency.” This past year, held at the Georgia State University College of the specific goal was to understand Law. The Think Tank is one of the initiatives of IP requirements for protecting new the Georgia IP Alliance. Think Tank participants represent area industry, academia, research, technologies that support Atlanta’s private practice and consultancies. local and international businesses. One example of the output of the Think Tank was published by Dr. Jason Lye, GA IP Think Tank Co-Chair, in his paper entitled “Innovation Diversity and Impact-Based IP Strategy.” The publication, in IAM Magazine (Vol 80, 11/16), describes protecting Consumer Experiences via the patent process. LES Atlanta, continued on Page 7
Georgia Think Tank attendees listen to a review of a breakout session on IP Strategy and Economic Growth at the Knowles Center, Georgia State University, College of Law.