Federal Bar Association | Annual Meeting & Convention 2024
Presenter Bios
Norman E. Siegel
Partner, Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP
Perspectives from the Bench: Multidistrict Litigation
Norman E. Siegel litigates high-stakes cases for companies and individuals. He has earned a reputation locally and nationally for his ability to strategize, negotiate and deliver results. He was recently named by Best Lawyers as a 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” and by Law360 as a “Titan of the Plaintiff’s Bar” for his work in class action litigation following big wins against some of the largest corporations in America. Norm began his career as an Assistant Attorney General at the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, where he gained a broad range of experience in complex litigation. He was later named partner at the firm now known as Dentons before starting Stueve Siegel Hanson in 2001. Norm was recognized as a 2020 Missouri Lawyers Awards Influential Lawyer by Missouri Lawyers Weekly; has been named among the “500 Leading Plaintiffs’ Lawyers in America” by Lawdragon; and is listed among Best Lawyers in America and Kansas City Business Journal’s “Best of the Bar.” He has been honored several times as a Top 100 Missouri/Kansas “Super Lawyer” and a Benchmark Plaintiffs “Local Litigation Star.” Norm has served on the boards of the Healthcare Foundation of Greater Kansas City, the Kansas City Bar Foundation and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Outside the office, he enjoys tennis, collecting art, and spending time with his family and his dog, a Whoodle named Lucky.
Hon. Karen K. Caldwell
District Judge, U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Kentucky
Perspectives from the Bench: Multidistrict Litigation
Judge Karen K. Caldwell has served as a U.S. District Court judge in the Eastern District of Kentucky since her appointment in 2001, serving as the district’s chief judge from 2012 to 2019. In October 2018, Judge Caldwell was appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts to serve as a member of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (“JPML”). In October 2019, the Chief Justice selected Judge Caldwell to serve as the chair of the JPML.
Hon. Beth Phillips
District Judge, U.S. District Court – Western District of Missouri
Perspectives from the Bench: Multidistrict Litigation
Judge Phillips is the Chief Judge of the Western District of Missouri. She was appointed to the bench in 2012.
Hon. Dan Aaron Polster
Judge, U.S. District Court – Northern District of Ohio
Perspectives from the Bench: Multidistrict Litigation
Dan Polster was appointed a federal judge by President Clinton on August 3, 1998. He assumed Senior Status on January 31, 2021. Judge Polster assumed the vacancy created by the assumption of senior status by United States District Judge David D. Dowd, Jr. Judge Polster is stationed in Cleveland, OH. Prior to his appointment, he served as a federal prosecutor in Cleveland for 22 years, first as a trial attorney with the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, and then for 16 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, handling a wide variety of fraud and corruption cases. Judge Polster is a graduate of Harvard College (A.B. cum laude, 1972) and Harvard Law School (J.D. cum laude, 1976). He and his wife, attorney Deborah Coleman, have three children and four grandchildren.
Lucinda Luetkemeyer
Partner, Graves Garrett Greim LLC
Keys to Successful Federal Criminal Outcomes
Lucinda Luetkemeyer represents individuals and companies in a wide range of litigation, including high-stakes criminal and civil investigations and complex commercial matters. A partner at Graves Garrett, Lucinda has represented clients in investigations involving state and federal campaign finance law, the False Claims Act, anti-bribery laws, criminal tax matters, and fraud. In addition to ongoing investigations, Lucinda also counsels clients on related disclosure and regulatory issues and helps conduct internal investigations to assess potential liability before the government becomes involved. Lucinda has advised clients facing investigations conducted by civil and criminal divisions of the Department of Justice, various U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and the Federal Elections Commission, as well as by state agencies, state attorneys general, and congressional investigative committees. She regularly counsels clients on compliance with state and federal ethics and campaign finance laws, with experience advising candidates for state and federal office, statewide officials, members of Congress, political committees, and non-profits. After graduating first in her class at the University of Missouri School of Law, Lucinda clerked for the Honorable Duane Benton at the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
James R. (“J.R.”) Hobbs
Shareholder, Wyrsch Hobbs & Mirakian, P.C.
Keys to Successful Federal Criminal Outcomes
James R. Hobbs is a shareholder at Wyrsch Hobbs & Mirakian, P.C. He has an active practice in the areas of white-collar criminal defense, criminal defense, and commercial litigation. He represents individuals and businesses. Mr. Hobbs is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, a Fellow in the International Society of Barristers, and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He has served on the Missouri Appellate Judicial Commission and is currently a member of the Missouri Supreme Court Commission on Race and Ethnic Fairness. He is a co-chair of the Missouri Supreme Court Task Force on Criminal Justice, which is addressing pre-trial release and bond reform, among other issues. Mr. Hobbs is a past recipient of the Lon O. Hocker Memorial Trial Lawyer Award bestowed by the Missouri Bar Foundation and continues to serve as an Adjunct Professor at UMKC Law School. Mr. Hobbs is listed in the Naifeh & Smith, Best Lawyers in America publication in the areas of white-collar criminal defense, criminal defense, commercial and “bet the company” litigation.
Kate Mahoney
Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District of Missouri
Keys to Successful Federal Criminal Outcomes
Kate is Chief of the Fraud and Corruption Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Missouri, where she has worked for 21 years. Before that, she was an Assistant Prosecutor with Jackson County for 12 years.
Shazzie Naseem
Partner, Berkowitz Oliver LLP
Keys to Successful Federal Criminal Outcomes
Shazzie Naseem is a partner at our firm and concentrates his practice in the areas of complex federal white collar criminal defense and general business litigation. Prior to joining Berkowitz Oliver LLP, Shazzie served on active duty for six years as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG Corps). During his tenure with the military, he litigated to verdict variously contested courts-martial involving violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He represented hundreds of military personnel throughout various stages of internal investigations, inspector general requests, and administrative boards. In 2004, Shazzie was selected by his Command to act as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California for Naval Base Ventura County where he prosecuted violations of both federal and state law. Shazzie was appointed to serve as the interim national co-chair of the Defender Services Advisory Group for 2024, the organization that sets policies and guidance to ensure that the Sixth Amendment right to counsel is protected and that attorneys who are entrusted with that duty are appropriately resourced to defend their clients. As part of that leadership function, Shazzie will serve as the CJA Panel Representative on the Defender Services Committee, which is currently tasked with oversight of the defense function in our federal courts. The committee is chaired by Judge Cathy Seibel (NY-S) and consists of other federal judges from across the country appointed by Justice John Roberts.
Nico Stillwell
Attorney, ELM Law
The Rocky Landscape and a Path Forward
After receiving their law degree from Washington University School of Law, Nico clerked on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District for the Honorable Alok Ahuja. Since then, Nico has assisted clients in navigating litigation and arbitration matters across the country, including in the Fourth, Fifth, and Eighth Circuits. Currently, Nico manages the appellate division for ELM Law, a plaintiff’s firm specializing in civil rights and discrimination-based litigation.
Russell Beck
Partner, Beck Reed Riden LLP
The Rocky Landscape and a Path Forward
Russell is a business litigator, nationally recognized for his trade secrets, restrictive covenant, and employee mobility experience. He was invited to the Obama White House to develop guidelines for the proper use of noncompetes, has been cited as an expert on trade secrets and noncompetes by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Department of the Treasury, National Public Radio, BBC World News Service, PBS Newshour, Le Monde, and many others, drafted much of the language in the 2018 overhaul of Massachusetts noncompete and trade secrets law, and prepared his firm’s widely used 50 State Noncompete Survey (the first of its kind and updated regularly since 2010) and the firm’s 50 State Trade Secrets Comparison Chart (also the first of its kind). He writes and administers the award-winning Fair Competition Law blog, is the author of the books, Negotiating, Drafting, and Enforcing Noncompetition Agreements and Related Restrictive Covenants (6th ed., MCLE, Inc. 2021) and Trade Secrets Law for the Massachusetts Practitioner (1st ed., MCLE 2019), and teaches Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at Boston University School of Law. Russell also served as President of the Boston Bar Foundation.
Tony Durone
Co-Managing Partner, Berkowitz Oliver, LLP
The Rocky Landscape and a Path Forward
Tony Durone has extensive experience in business litigation and, in particular, representing companies and professionals in the financial services and lending industries, including securities broker/dealers, accounting firms, tax preparation firms, banks, consumer loan lenders and other financial service providers. He has served as lead and trial counsel in hundreds of cases involving professional negligence claims, business torts, unfair competition, restrictive covenant, trademark and data privacy issues. He has litigated cases in more than thirty-five states and tried cases in more than a dozen, in state and federal court, in FINRA and other arbitration forums and before the SEC, CFTC and state securities commissions. Tony graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law in 1995, and served as Note and Comment Editor for and was published in the Missouri Law Review. In addition, he has been recognized as a top litigator by his peers, including in the annual publication of Benchmark Litigation, and by Martindale-Hubbell with a rating of AV Preeminent. He is also involved in several local community organizations and he served from 2007 to 2010 as the Co-Chair for the annual Kansas City Spirit Awards Gala, benefiting Gillis House for Families and Children. Tony also serves as President of the Board of Trustees for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
Stacey R. Gilman
Partner, Berkowitz Oliver, LLP
The Rocky Landscape and a Path Forward
Stacey Gilman is an experienced civil litigator whose practice focuses on business litigation, intellectual property, professional liability, consumer, and other complex commercial matters. For more than twenty-five years, she has successfully represented clients in complex and high-profile disputes, including trademark, copyright, patent, trade secret, restrictive covenant, cybersquatting, advertising, unfair competition and class action matters, just to name a few. Recognized as a “Super Lawyer” by her peers and selected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation for her extraordinary leadership in the legal profession, Stacey has extensive trial and arbitration experience in state, federal and international tribunals. Stacey also serves as an arbitrator, and is a member of the American Arbitration Association® National Roster of Arbitrators. Whether Stacey’s client is a Fortune 500 company, a small business, or an individual, Stacey personifies Berkowitz Oliver’s people-first philosophy by staying accessible and prioritizing her clients’ goals at every juncture. Her longstanding relationships with clients who routinely turn to her not only as trial counsel but also for day-to-day and pre-suit legal advice, are a testament to the care and consideration she gives every case entrusted to her. A former newspaper editor, Stacey continues to publish work on intellectual property, the Freedom of Information Act, and notable developments in the law. She also dedicates her time to several non-profit organizations benefitting children’s causes, the homeless, and the community at large; and serves as a frequent lecturer at the University of Kansas School of Business.
Prof. Thom Lambert
Professor of Law, University of Missouri
Burnett v. National Association of Realtors
Thomas A. Lambert is the Wall Chair in Corporate Law and Governance and Professor of Law. Prof. Lambert’s scholarship focuses on antitrust, corporate and regulatory matters. He is the author of How to Regulate: A Guide for Policymakers (Cambridge Univ. Press 2017) and co-author of Antitrust Law: Interpretation and Implementation (5th ed., Foundation Press, 2013). He has also authored or co-authored numerous book chapters and more than 20 journal articles in such publications as the Antitrust Bulletin, the Boston College Law Review, the Minnesota Law Review, the Texas Law Review and the Yale Journal on Regulation. He blogs regularly at Truth on the Market, a site focused on academic commentary on antitrust, business and economic legal issues. In 2017, Professor Lambert received the University of Missouri’s Kemper Faculty Fellowship (awarded annually to five professors throughout the university for exemplary teaching). He has also received the law school’s Blackwell Sanders Award for Teaching Excellence and the university-wide Gold Chalk Award for excellence in graduate teaching. He is a three-time winner of the University of Missouri Law School’s Shook Hardy & Bacon Excellence in Research Award, which is awarded annually for most outstanding faculty scholarship. Before entering academia, Professor Lambert practiced law in the Chicago office of Sidley Austin and was a John M. Olin Fellow at Northwestern University School of Law and the Center for the Study of American Business (now the Murray Weidenbaum Center) at Washington University. After graduating from law school, he clerked for Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Brandon Boulware
Partner, Boulware Law LLC
Burnett v. National Association of Realtors
Brandon began his legal career working for judges—first clerking for a Missouri Supreme Court judge and then for a U.S. District Court judge. He then entered the courtroom as a litigator, and over the last 19 years has litigated significant, high-stakes cases in courts in Kansas, Missouri, and eighteen other states. Brandon has represented corporate and individual clients in matters ranging from trucking accidents to antitrust monopolies to large breach of contract and business tort matters. He has developed a reputation for an aggressive yet strategic and practical approach. Brandon lives in Kansas City with his wife and their four children. He enjoys live music, all things outdoors, and boxing.
Eric Dirks, Principal Attorney
Williams Dirks Dameron LLC
Burnett v. National Association of Realtors
Eric is a founding attorney of Williams Dirks Dameron LLC. Eric represents companies involved in business disputes and workers, and individuals who have been injured on a contingency basis. Eric’s litigation practice includes: commercial litigation, trademark and copyright infringement, class action, wage and hour and personal injury. Eric has extensive experience on both the plaintiff and defense side of cases. Now he focuses on representing individuals and businesses who are looking for an alternative to paying a lawyer by the hour. Eric started his career at one of Kansas City’s largest law firms. While there, he represented well-known corporate clients in the areas of products liability, class actions, and complex litigation. From there, he became a partner at one of Kansas City’s most prestigious plaintiffs law firms. Eric is routinely recognized by “Best of the Bar” and “Super Lawyers” as one of the top attorneys in Missouri and Kansas. In fact, Eric has been recognized as one of the top 50 lawyers in Kansas City by Super Lawyers. Eric is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell. He is also active in his community. For example, in July 2015, Governor Jay Nixon appointed Eric to the Missouri Ethics Commission. The Missouri Senate confirmed Eric to the Commission in 2016. The Missouri Ethics Commission serves the public interest by promoting and maintaining transparency, accountability, and compliance with campaign finance, lobbying and conflict of interest laws. Eric served the Commission and the State of Missouri through 2018. Eric also serves on the board of Steam Studio, a nonprofit STEM program for students in the City’s core. Eric has represented individuals and classes nationwide and obtained relief for clients totaling over $75 million, including settlements against companies such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo. He has also handled numerous copyright and trademark disputes for plaintiffs and defendants across the country achieving favorable verdicts and settlements. Eric won the first ever wage and hour overtime class action trial in the state of Kansas against Tyson Foods in 2011. Eric also successfully argued the issue of class certification before the Missouri Supreme Court in State ex rel. Fogle Enterprises, et al. v. Johnson, No. SC95949. Eric has also helped recover millions of dollars for clients injured by the negligence of others. Eric serves as lead counsel on numerous class and collective actions in the Midwest and elsewhere. As a contingency lawyer, Eric provides legal representation for those who need outstanding representation without the cost and expense of a large firm. Eric has been designated to serve as independent advisor by a catholic archdiocese to provide assistance to victims of priest sexual abuse. Eric provides these services pro bono. Eric’s success as a contingency lawyer was no accident — he worked hard to become such an accomplished professional. He attended the University of Iowa for law school where he received his J.D., with high distinction and was elected to the Order of the Coif. Eric received his B.A. in English from the University of Kansas in 1999. Before college, Eric enlisted in the United States Army Reserves where he was a combat medic and went on to obtain the rank of Sergeant. He takes the discipline, professionalism, and respect for others he learned in the military with him whenever he goes to court — contingency fee cases are no exception.
Ashley Belleau
President (Shareholder/Attorney), Foundation of the FBA (Lugenbuhl)
It is Literally Impossible to be a Woman [Lawyer]
Ashley Belleau is a shareholder with Lugenbuhl Wheaton Peck Rankin & Hubbard in its New Orleans office. With more than 30 years’ experience as a commercial litigator and 20 years’ experience as an arbitrator and mediator, Ashley successfully handles commercial, construction, estate and trust, fidelity and professional liability disputes. She is the current President of the Foundation of the Federal Bar Association and a Past National President of the Federal Bar Association (FBA) having served as the President for the period of October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. The New Orleans Chapter of the FBA honored her with the 2018 John R. “Jack” Martzell Professionalism Award.
Chloé M. Chetta
Member/YLD Member, Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, L.L.C.
It is Literally Impossible to be a Woman [Lawyer]
Chloé M. Chetta is a member of Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, L.L.C. in New Orleans, Louisiana. She practices complex and commercial litigation with a special focus on appellate issues, and she also maintains a robust federal constitutional and civil rights practice. Before private practice, Chloé clerked for the Honorable Sarah S. Vance (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation) and the Honorable Stephen A. Higginson (U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals). Chloé recently completed her term as the Executive Chair of the Younger Lawyers Division Board for the New Orleans Chapter of the FBA, for which she also served as Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and held various committee leadership roles.
Hon. Janis van Meerveld
Judge, U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Louisiana
It is Literally Impossible to be a Woman [Lawyer]
Judge Janis van Meerveld was sworn in as Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana on July 29, 2016, and was reappointed in May, 2024. Judge van Meerveld grew up in Brussels, Belgium, and then graduated from Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1984. She obtained her J.D. from Tulane Law School in 1987, where she served on the Moot Court Board, and as an oralist on the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court team. Judge van Meerveld spent 29 years in private litigation practice, 27 of them with Adams and Reese LLP where she litigated maritime and general insurance cases before she developed a specialization in labor and employment litigation, representing management in all areas of employment law, including class actions, ERISA claims, and Directors and Officers liability claims. Since joining the federal bench, Judge van Meerveld has been active in serving numerous bar associations through continuing legal education and other presentations. She has served as a board member of the New Orleans Federal Bar Association since 2016, co-founding and chairing its Justice Camp program, co-editing the Advocate magazine, and co-chairing the CLE committee. She teaches classes on discovery and settlements at Loyola and Tulane Law Schools, and regularly judges local and national moot court competitions. Judge van Meerveld serves on the Diversity Committee of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association, and has presented at new judge orientation and other national FMJA programming. In 2023, she was appointed as the Fifth Circuit representative to the Magistrate Judges Advisory Group to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, which provides assistance to the Judicial Services Office in supporting the Judicial Conference of the United States Courts. In 2024, she was named its Chair.
Laurel Stevenson
Director of Mediation and Assessment Program (MAP), U.S. District Court – Western District of Missouri
Mock Mediation Workshop
Laurel has been the Director of a federal court ADR program since August of 2020. Prior to becoming the Director, she litigated cases for more than two decades, and served as a mediator, facilitator, and arbitrator. Her current responsibilities include oversight of a federal ADR program for civil cases, and assisting with a pilot program for inmate litigation. Laurel also provides training to judges, judicial staff, attorney-advocates, and neutrals, and serves as a mediator and facilitator. She has mediated more than 300 cases via Zoom, and has handled hundreds of mediations including in the areas of insurance, transportation, trade secrets, civil rights, employment, ERISA, personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. Many resolutions have involved organizational policy changes. She is admitted to practice in Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, and before the 8th Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. She is the Co-Editor of The Resolver, a publication of the FBA’s ADR Committee, and is the Co-Chair of the ABA’s Court ADR Committee.
Hon. Mark Beatty
Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court – Southern District of Illinois
Mock Mediation Workshop
Judge Beatty was sworn in as a United States Magistrate Judge on January 2, 2019. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri and the University of Dayton School of Law. He previously worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Madison County, Illinois and served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge G. Patrick Murphy in the Southern District of Illinois. Judge Beatty then entered private practice where he focused on civil litigation and represented businesses of all sizes as well as individuals at all stages of litigation, including through trial. In 2021, Judge Beatty along with Chief Judge Rosenstengel, worked to develop and implement the Southern District of Illinois’ first formal mediation program. Since its implementation, the Court has seen measurable benefits of early resolution and continues to look to ways to broaden the reach of its program. For example, Judge Beatty has worked closely with various stakeholders to expand opportunities for mediation in Section 1983 cases involving incarcerated persons (which comprise nearly half of the Court’s docket) and has seen an increase in the willingness to discuss resolution. Judge Beatty continues to conduct settlement conferences on a regular basis and works closely with the Court’s ADR Coordinator to further develop ADR opportunities at the Court.
Amy Coopman
Owner/Mediator/Attorney, Bridge Mediation, LLC
Mock Mediation Workshop
Amy Coopman founded Bridge Mediation LLC in 2020 and conducts mediations on a wide range of civil disputes, including business, education, employment, and personal injury matters. Amy has a track record of national leadership on employment law issues, and she developed a wide range of dispute resolution experience over 29 years, including 15 years at an insurance defense firm. Amy is a Qualified Neutral and Approved Mediator on Missouri and Kansas state and federal lists and also a FINRA Arbitrator. Amy is a frequent speaker on mediation, and in her spare time, Amy supports efforts to mentor new mediators and develop student-led mediation programs in secondary and post-secondary education.
Jo Colbert Stanley
Arbitrator Mediator Attorney, Stanley Legal Services, LLC
Mock Mediation Workshop
An independent neutral and legal consultant, Jo Colbert Stanley is a Florida Supreme Court qualified arbitrator and certified mediator and holds a Diploma in International Maritime Arbitration from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators where she is a Fellow. Jo is the Conflict Facilitation Ombuds at the law firm of Colodny Fass where she was also recently appointed Director of Maritime Affairs. Jo also serves as a Public Arbitrator, hearing financial services-related matters for FINRA, and is a Registered Mediator for Florida’s Department of Financial Services where she handles a heavy case load of property insurance disputes. During her 20-plus years as a litigator in private practice, Jo focused on commercial litigation, employment, and insurance law. In that continued capacity, Jo offers consultant services and is Of Counsel at Colodny Fass, a leading insurance defense firm in Florida, working with their litigation and employment departments. Rostered on the International Yacht Arbitration Council, Jo was recently appointed by the Broward County Government Commissioners to serve on the county’s Marine Advisory Committee. In 2023, Jo was also honored by being selected as an Associate of the College of Commercial Arbitrators. Jo is active in numerous national and local volunteer Bar associations, currently serving on the Admiralty Law Committee of The Florida Bar and as Chair of the Broward County Bar Association’s Admiralty/Maritime Law Section. Jo is also heading up the FBA’s Admiralty Law Section’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and is the ADR Section Chair for the FBA. Jo is currently working on her Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. In her “spare” time, Jo co-owns and operates Stanley Yacht Services (a yacht management and maintenance company based in Fort Lauderdale). She also endlessly practices her golf swing, to no avail.
Adam Seitz
Founder/Partner, Erise IP
Managing Patent Cases to Keep Them from Overtaking Your Docket
Adam is a founding member of Erise IP and an established trial lawyer in the district courts, at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and at the International Trade Commission. He has litigated more than 100 intellectual property matters in district courts across the country; has coordinated multiple global litigation campaigns; and has been lead counsel on more than 187 IPRs and 26 Federal Circuit appeals. Adam is particularly adept at litigating cases at the PTAB; he is consistently ranked by Patexia among the 10 most active attorneys at the PTAB for petitioners. He also is ranked among the best performing attorneys for outcomes obtained for both petitioners and patent owners. These rankings have consistently put him in the top 1% of all attorneys who litigate before the PTAB. Adam’s litigation record also comprises numerous defense verdicts in district courts and at the ITC.
Padmaja Chinta
Partner, Dunnington Bartholow & Miller LLP
Managing Patent Cases to Keep Them from Overtaking Your Docket
Padmaja Chinta is an experienced intellectual property attorney and trial lawyer. She is a partner at Dunnington Barthlow & Miller where she chairs the patent group. Padmaja has extensively litigated cases in federal courts from inception of suit through trial. The products involved in her cases have included video games, data compressors, televisions, and car air bag controllers as well as pain medications, cancer drugs, and medical devices. She has obtained significant victories in claim constructions, summary judgment, pre-trial, and §101 motions to dismiss for her clients. Padmaja was selected to Law360’s Voices of the Bar as one of 50 IP experts in the U.S. She is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. She was the past Chair of the Patent Committee of the FBA and current president of the SDNY Chapter. Padmaja obtained her Masters in Law from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Benjamin Huh
Assistant General Counsel & Head of Litigation, CrowdStrike
Managing Patent Cases to Keep Them from Overtaking Your Docket
Ben is the Assistant General Counsel and Head of Litigation for CrowdStrike, a global cybersecurity company. Ben oversees the company’s global commercial and intellectual property litigations, and counsels business units on commercial risks and professional services issues. Prior to CrowdStrike, he was a senior counsel at Apple managing global litigations. He also practiced at international law firms and clerked for the Honorable Kathleen M. O’Malley at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Ben received his juris doctor (magna cum laude) from the University of Maryland School of Law and his bachelors of engineering in biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University.
Hon. Leonard Stark
Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Managing Patent Cases to Keep Them from Overtaking Your Docket
Judge Leonard P. Stark was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in 2022. Previously, he sat on the United States District Court for the District of Delaware as a magistrate judge (2007 – 2010) and district judge (2010 – 2022), including service as the District’s chief judge (2014 – 2021). Before taking the bench, Judge Stark served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, a litigation associate in the Delaware office of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, and a law clerk for the Honorable Walter King Stapleton of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Judge Stark earned degrees from the University of Delaware, the University of Oxford (Magdalen College), and Yale Law School.
Hon. Willie J. Epps, Jr.
Chief Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court – Western District of Missouri
70th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education: A Landmark in Legal History
Hon. Willie J. Epps, Jr. earned his law degree from Harvard Law School. His professional experience includes: Judge Advocate & Captain, U.S. Air Force JAG Corps, 1995-1999; Assistant Special Counsel, The Waco Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, 1999-2000; Solo Practitioner, The Epps Law Firm LLC, 2000-2003; VP & Deputy Compliance Officer/VP & Chief Compliance Officer, Charter Communications, 2003-2006; Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP, 2006-2013; Partner, Dowd Bennett LLP, 2013-2014; Associate General Counsel & Head of Litigation, Edward Jones, 2014-2017.
Cheryl Brown Henderson
Founding President, The Brown Foundation; Daughter of Oliver Brown
70th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education: A Landmark in Legal History
One of the three daughters of the late Rev. Oliver L. Brown who in the fall of 1950 along with 12 other parents, led by attorneys for the NAACP, filed suit on behalf of their children against the local Board of Education. Their case joined with cases from Delaware, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C. on appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court and on May 17, 1954, became known as the landmark decision; Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. This case was legally named for Oliver Brown, i.e., Oliver L. Brown et. al. vs. the Board of Education of Topeka, KS et. al. Brown died in 1961 before knowing the impact this case would have on the nation. Cheryl is the Founding President of the Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research, and owner of Brown & Associates, educational consulting firm. She has extensive background in education, business and civic leadership, having served on and chaired various local, state and national Boards. In addition she has two decades of experience in political advocacy, public policy implementation, and federal legislative development. Her education includes a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education, Minor in Mathematics from Baker University, Baldwin City, Kansas, a Masters Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Washburn University. She is the recipient of various awards and recognition for work in education and community service; presentations at numerous conferences, conventions and universities; and for her work with Congress and the National Park Service to preserve sites associated with the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling of 1954. In 1988 she founded the Brown Foundation. Since its establishment, the Foundation has provided scholarships to more than 100 minority students, presented awards to local, state and national leaders, established libraries for children in low income communities, developed curriculum on Brown for educators across the country, created traveling exhibits on and a web site on Brown, and sponsored programs on diversity and educational issues, for thousands of people. In 1990, under her leadership the Foundation successfully worked with the U.S. Congress to establish the Brown v Board of Education National Park in Topeka, which opened in May of 2004. In 2001 under her leadership the Foundation successfully worked with the U.S. Congress to establish the Brown v. Board of Education 50th Anniversary Presidential Commission, which served to provide a Federal presence in the 2004 anniversary of the Brown decision. She has been invited to the White House on seven occasions – In January 1994, May 1995, May 2003, June 2004, February 2005, June 2005, and May 2014, she was one of a group of individuals invited to receptions and dinner at the White House, (listed chronologically) in honor of Dr. King and the Children of Civil Rights Movement, the 75th Anniversary, U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau, 49th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act., African American History Month, African American Gospel Music Month, and the 60th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education.
Mark A. Dupree Sr.
Founding President, The Brown Foundation; Daughter of Oliver Brown
70th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education: A Landmark in Legal History
Mark Dupree has practiced in a diversity of legal capacities. He clerked in Jackson County, Missouri, served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Jackson County, served as an Assistant Public Defender in Johnson Country Public Defender’s Office, and he and his wife practiced in their firm, Dupree and Dupree, LLC – Attorney’s at Law, until his swearing into office.
Michael Abrams
Attorney, Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP
Policing & People with Disabilities: From First Encounter to Litigation
Michael R. Abrams is an Attorney based in Baltimore with Brown, Goldstein & Levy LLP, where he primarily works on civil rights matters, especially those touching on disability rights, policing, or wrongful conviction. Before joining the firm, Michael was the Francis D. Murnaghan, Jr. Appellate Advocacy Fellow at the Public Justice Center. As the Murnaghan Fellow, Michael presented oral argument and filed principal briefs, amicus briefs, and cert petitions in state and federal courts, seeking to enforce civil rights and advance racial equity at the appellate level. Previously, Michael served as a law clerk to Judge Roger L. Gregory of the Fourth Circuit and to Judge Kathleen Cardone of the Western District of Texas, and he graduated from the University of Michigan Law School with honors.
William Goren
Consultant and Attorney, William D. Goren, J.D., LL.M., LLC
Policing & People with Disabilities: From First Encounter to Litigation
William D. Goren, Esq., of William D. Goren, J.D., LL.M. LLC in Decatur, GA, has been dealing with the ADA as an Attorney since 1990. His law and consulting practice, https://www.understandingtheada.com/, as well as his blog, Understanding the ADA, (an ABA Top 100 for five consecutive years during the last five years of the award, 2014-2018), all focus on understanding the ADA so that the client understands what it means to comply with that law and related laws. In particular, he provides consulting, counseling, representation, and training services involving compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and related laws- such as the Air Carrier Access Act and the Fair Housing Act-, among others. Mr. Goren also brings a deep, personal understanding of what it means to have a disability, equipping him with exceptional insight on how the ADA actually works. He is deaf with a congenital bilateral hearing loss of 70–120+ decibels, but functions entirely in the hearing world thanks to hearing aids, Bluetooth technology, automatic speech recognition, and lip-reading. For reasons independent of his deafness, he also uses voice dictation technology to access his computer. He is also a frequent presenter, a trained mediator, a FINRA arbitrator (Chairperson eligible), and an arbitrator on the CPR employment panel. Finally, he is the author of Understanding the ADA, now in its 4th edition (ABA 2013), and numerous other articles on the rights of persons with disabilities. He is and has been a member of various committees of the American Bar Association, including: Legal Technology Resource Center Board (2017-2023); ABA Law Practice Section Client Development and Marketing Committee; ABA Law Practice Section Ethics and Professionalism Committee and the ABA’s Law Practice Section DEI committee. He is also a member of various committees of the Federal Bar Association, including: the Federal Bar Association (FBA) Diversity and Inclusion committee; the FBA’s Civil Rights section and its Governing Board; FBA’s Civil Rights Amicus committee; and since 2022, the Chair of the FBA’s Disability Best Practices Working Group. In the first year of the Disability Best Practices Working Group, it formulated an accessibility manual for the FBA and its chapters. In the second year of the committee, it will be bringing out an accessibility manual that federal courts can use to help ensure that their courtrooms are accessible for persons with disabilities. He is also a member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association. He has an A.B. from Vassar College, a J.D. from University of San Diego School of Law, and was one of the first in the entire country to receive the LL.M. in Health Law, in his case from DePaul University College of Law. Interesting fact: He trained his miniature poodle to be a hearing dog while he practices virtually.
Aisha Novasky
Managing Attorney, Civil Rights Practice Group, Disability Rights California
Policing & People with Disabilities: From First Encounter to Litigation
Aisha C. Novasky is the Managing Attorney of the Civil Rights Practice Group at Disability Rights California. At DRC, Aisha focuses on the intersection of people with disabilities and their disproportionate interactions with law enforcement. Aisha was also an adjunct clinical lecturer with the Veteran’s Justice Clinic at UCLA’s School of Law, where she supervised law students who served as legal advocates for low-income and housing insecure veterans. Aisha is a member of the Elimination of Bias Committee with San Bernardino County Superior Court, where she assists judicial officers, attorneys, and courtroom staff in maintaining a courtroom environment free of bias or the appearance of bias. She also serves on the Merit Selection Panel for the Central District of California, where she evaluates and recommends applicants for appointment to the position of United States Magistrate Judge. Aisha received her B.A. from California State University, Fullerton, and J.D. New York Law School. She is licensed to practice in California and New York.
Jamie Strawbridge
Attorney, Brown Goldstein & Levy, LLC
Policing & People with Disabilities: From First Encounter to Litigation
Jamie Strawbridge is an attorney with the Baltimore-based law firm of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP. He represents clients in state and federal court and on appeal in matters involving civil rights, disability rights, police misconduct, housing discrimination, and commercial litigation. His appellate experience includes drafting appeals in federal and state court, drafting briefs in opposition to petitions for certiorari before the Supreme Court, filing amicus briefs in the Fourth Circuit and the Supreme Court, and arguing before the Appellate Court of Maryland. After graduating from Georgetown University Law Center, he clerked for the Honorable Diana Gribbon Motz on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and for the Honorable Catherine C. Blake on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. While in law school, he served as a student attorney in Georgetown’s appellate litigation program and also served as an editor for the Georgetown Law Journal. Before law school, he worked as an investigative reporter in Washington, D.C., covering topics related to public health, labor and environmental rights, and international trade.
Ronika Carter
Senior Director of Legal Affairs, Minnesota Vikings Football
Fieldhouse to Courthouse: Emerging Issues in Sports Law and Litigation
Ronika Carter is an attorney and strategist, whose background includes a combination of sports and entertainment, global data privacy, business strategy development, intellectual property portfolio management, complex commercial transactions, and international & domestic regulatory compliance. Ronika has traveled the country speaking on various topics including sports law, athlete branding & marketing, intellectual property prosecutions, blockchain technology/cryptocurrencies, and smart contracts. She has also published several articles on these topics. Prior to accepting her current position as Senior Director of Legal Affairs for the Minnesota Vikings, Ronika worked at a national law firm ranked on the Am 100, served as Corporate Counsel for an international, professional sports league, and for a multi-billion dollar, multinational corporation. Ronika also worked for two boutique law firms specializing in sports law, entertainment law, and intellectual property. Ronika attended the University of Virginia School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor. During law school, she served as the editor-in-chief of the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Law Journal. Ronika also attended the University of Florida, where she earned both her master’s degree in business management, and her bachelor’s degree in sport management, with a minor in business administration. While studying at the University of Florida, gained invaluable experience by completing an internship at a regional sports television network, and by providing service to several departments of the University of Florida Athletic Association, including the Compliance Department.
Adam Lauridsen
Partner, Keker & Van Ness
Fieldhouse to Courthouse: Emerging Issues in Sports Law and Litigation
From high-stakes intellectual property and antitrust challenges to novel sports and entertainment disputes, Adam Lauridsen’s clients turn to him for sage advice and creative, compelling arguments that win cases and achieve results. Mr. Lauridsen has tried numerous civil and criminal cases to juries in state and federal court, including more than a half dozen as lead counsel. He has been named a Power Player by the Sports Business Journal, a Trailblazer by National Law Journal in both the West and Sports categories, a Law360 Rising Star in Sports (twice), among the Top 40 Lawyers Under 40 by the Daily Journal and is a member of the American Law Institute. His clients have included large corporations, executives of Fortune 500 companies and high-profile individuals. Mr. Lauridsen also maintains an active pro bono practice, with a focus on voting rights, immigration and criminal justice issues. Although Mr. Lauridsen is a generalist, litigating complex commercial disputes, he has carved a unique specialty in sports and gaming-related law. Major League Baseball has turned to Mr. Lauridsen to preserve its century-old exemption from antitrust laws, in three challenges by the City of San Jose, minor league players, and scouts. He also successfully defended MLB and the 30 Clubs in a putative class action concerning the postponement of games during the COVID-19 pandemic and a putative class action seeking extension of netting at ballparks. Mr. Lauridsen also successfully defended Electronic Arts in recent class actions targeting its successful sports games, Madden NFL and FIFA. A sports fan in and out of the courtroom, Mr. Lauridsen spent a decade blogging about the Golden State Warriors for the San Jose Mercury News. He earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School and served as a law clerk to Hon. David F. Levi of the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of California and for Hon. William W Schwarzer of the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California.