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USPTO Road Show: Protecting and Enforcing Intellectual Property Concerning China -- What Houston Businesses Need to Know

  • April 29, 2025
  • 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Anne & Charles Duncan Hall, Rice University (see detailed directions)

Registration


Register


Agenda and Speakers confirmed! 

Approved for 3.0 hours Texas CLE credit

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has been among the top destinations for Texas exports in recent years.  But business owners doing business in or with China may find that their valuable intellectual property (IP) is being infringed.  Even businesses not operating in China may find counterfeit versions of their products for sale in China or the United States, or their trademarks registered in China without their knowledge.

At this program, U.S. government experts, IP attorneys, and local business representatives will share their insights on how U.S. rights holders can protect and enforce their IP in the United States. 

Topics include:

  • IP developments in China: Challenges and opportunities in a shifting IP environment
  • Enforcing IP rights in the United States against infringement originating in China
  • IP and China: The Texas experience

Houston-area business owners who are new to conducting business in or with China will benefit from this program, which will share basic knowledge needed to develop an effective IP strategy.

Please note that this is an in-person program only; there is no virtual attendance option.

Continuing legal education (CLE) credit may be available to attendees of this program, pending approval by the State Bar of Texas.

This program is organized by the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs and the USPTO’s Southwest Regional Outreach Office, in collaboration with Rice University’s Fondren Library.  The program is one of a series of China IP Road Shows that the USPTO conducts across the country. For more information about the series, visit the China IP Road Show homepage.


REGISTER TODAY via the "Register" button above.  



AGENDA and SPEAKERS:

  8:00  Registration/Check-in

  8:45  Opening Remarks

  • Dr. Tam Dao, Assistant Vice President for Research Security, Rice University
  • Branden Ritchie, Deputy Chief Policy Officer for Creative Works and Global Outreach, USPTO (appearing remotely)
  8:55  IP Developments in China:  Challenges and Opportunities in a Shifting IP Environment
  • Conrad Wong, Senior Attorney, China Team, USPTO (appearing remotely)
  9:15  Enforcing Intellectual Property Rights from an E-commerce Perspective
  • Kebharu Smith, Director, Counterfeit Crimes Unit, Amazon

  9:45  U.S. Export Control and the Effects on U.S. Right Holders

  • Grant Leach, Partner, Husch Blackwell, Omaha, Nebraska
  • Hannah Edlund, Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC), Rice University, Moderator

      10:05  Break

      10:20  IP Enforcement in the U.S.:  Border, Civil and Criminal Enforcement  

      • Mackenzie Martin, Baker McKenzie 
      • Juan Pagan, US Homeland Security Investigations, Port of Houston
      • Scott Flake, Counterintelligence Task Force Coordinator, FBI
      • Dr. Patricia Stepp, Assistant Vice President for Technology Transfer, Rice University, Moderator

      11:00  Best Practices When Doing Business in/with China:  The Texas Experience

      • Leslie Streeter, IP Counsel, LyondellBasell
      • Marlene Valderrama, Senior IP Asset Manager, Halliburton
      • Oren Gelber, Associate General Counsel, Academy Sports + Outdoors
      • Phyllis Turner-Brim, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Products, Services, and Global Brand Security, HP Inc.
      • George Webb, School of Engineering & Computing, Rice University, Moderator

      11:50  Closing Remarks

      • Hope Shimabuku, Regional Director, Southwest Office, USPTO.(appearing remotely)

      12:00  Road Show adjourns


      Note that the agenda is subject to change.


      For additional details, visit the USPTO event page https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/events/strategies-protecting-and-enforcing-intellectual-property-china-what-houston-area.

      LOCATION:


      Anne & Charles Duncan Hall, Rice University

      6100 Main Street, Entrance #1 or #2

      Houston, Texas 77005 

      https://map.concept3d.com/?id=473#!m/119192?share

      DIRECTIONS AND PARKING:

      The China IP Road Show is open to the public and is hosted at Rice University with financial support from HIPLA and organizational support from these Rice departments: 

      • Patent & Trademark Resource Center, Fondren Library 
      • Rice Center for Engineering Leadership
      • Office of Technology Transfer 
      • Science & Technology Policy Program, Baker Institute for Public Policy



      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

      For more information, please contact: 

      Lakeisha Harley

      USPTO Office of Policy and International Affairs

      lakeisha.harley@uspto.gov


      George Webb 

      Rice Center for Engineering Leadership

      (713) 348-2704

      gwebb@rice.edu

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      Tell them you're going!  


      Tell your friends and colleagues about this event and invite them to join you by sharing this link:

      • https://hipla.org/event-6113046

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      For a schedule of HIPLA programs and other IP events of interest, we invite you to visit the HIPLA Calendar at https://hipla.org/calendar 

      To submit items for inclusion in the calendar, please contact the HIPLA Meetings & Programs chairs. 

       

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