Events

Topic: Top Trends in IP Litigation Date:  Thursday, September 18, 2025 Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm Location:  Rutan & Tucker, LLP 18575 Jamboree Rd 9th Floor, Irvine, CA 92612 Registration:Member: $35.00Non-Member: $60.00Student Member: $20.00   SPEAKER Meredith Williams (Sivakumar) Meredith Williams is a Partner at Rutan & Tucker, LLP, where she focuses on representing and advising clients in protecting their intellectual property rights. Meredith’s practice emphasizes trademark and copyright litigation, trade secret misappropriation, false advertising, and unfair competition, and she advises clients on how best to promote and defend their brands and other IP assets given novel legal issues raised by social media and advances in technology. Her experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state court, in ex parte and inter partes proceedings before the USPTO and TTAB, and in domain name dispute and other takedown procedures gives Meredith a variety of tools to assist clients in both enforcing and defending their rights.

Topic:  Trade Secrets Litigation: Avoiding Trouble, and Fighting When It's Unavoidable Date:  Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm Location:  Knobbe Martens 2040 Main Street, Irvine, CA 92614 Registration:Member: $35.00Non-Member: $60.00Student Member: $20.00 Parking Included   SPEAKER Matt is a trial and appellate lawyer representing clients in complex business and intellectual property disputes. Prior to founding the firm, Matt practiced law for seven years in international law firms. Matt has written a number of articles on business litigation and co-authors California’s leading treatises on state and federal trial practice. In law school, he was Editor-in-Chief of the Minnesota Law Review. He is currently a co-author of the Rutter Guides on California Civil Trials and Evidence and California Federal Civil Trials and Evidence (both of which are published by Thomson Reuters).  

Topic: The Cutting Edge of AI Use in IP Legal Practice Date:  Thursday, November 13, 2025 Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: Fish & Richardson 4695 MacArthur Ct #1100 Newport Beach, CA 92660 Registration:Member: $55.00Non-Member: $80.00Student Member: $20.00 Parking included   PANELISTS Arjun Sivakumar, Partner at Brown Rudnick Kyre Stucklin, eDiscovery Manager at Rutan & Tucker MODERATOR Tyler Train, Principal at Fish & Richardson Arjun Sivakumar, Partner at Brown Rudnick Arjun Sivakumar is a first-chair trial attorney who focuses on complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts and arbitration tribunals. He has successfully represented individuals and companies in disputes involving technology, real estate, and business process outsourcing (BPO) companies. He has significant experience litigating fraud, breach of contract, and other business and financial disputes. His expertise extends to the intersection of law and technology, as he is the Co-chair of the OCBA’s AI and Technology Committee and the Annual AI Symposium. He has spoken numerous times on the topic of AI in legal practice locally, statewide, and internationally, and in 2025, he was the winner of the Excellence in Litigation & Artificial Intelligence Award at the Bespoke Global Litigation Summit. Tyler Train, Principal at Fish & Richardson Tyler Train’s practice […]

You're Invited! We are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the OCIPLA 2025 Holiday Celebration on Thursday, December 18, 2025. Join us in the courtyard at The Boardwalk for an evening of holiday cheer. The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a brief program at 7 p.m. (thanking our sponsors, welcoming our new Board members, and handing off the epic President’s sombrero). Drinks and Soho Tacos dinner (tacos, beans, rice, & chips) will be served.The event will be held outdoors, so please dress accordingly; in case of rain, we will share indoor arrangements. Member tickets are $15. Non-member and guest tickets are $25. We look forward to seeing everyone there. Whether or not you’re able to join, please share your thoughts with us using this short survey: OCIPLA 2026 Member Interest Survey OCIPLA Board of Directors Event Details DATE: Thursday, December 18, 2025 TIME: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. LOCATION: The Boardwalk - Courtyard: 18575 Jamboree Rd., Irvine, CA 92612 REGISTRATION: Member: $15.00 Non-Member: $25.00 Guest: $25.00

TOPIC:  Tips and tricks for successfully filing or defending domain name complaints under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) DESCRIPTION: Have a problem with cybersquatters infringing your brand in a domain name? Interested to learn the ins and outs of filing or defending a UDRP case with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)? Date:  Tuesday, January 13, 2026 Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm Location: SOL Mexican Cocina 1910 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614 Registration:Member: $35.00Non-Member: $60.00Student Member: $20.00 In-House Counsel:  FREE     SPEAKER Willem Leppink, European intellectual property & marketing lawyer, Ploum (Netherlands) Willem Leppink is a European intellectual property & marketing lawyer at the Dutch law firm of Ploum. He litigates and advises especially on trademark, design and copyright issues, domain names and unfair commercial practices, including comparative and misleading advertising.  For 20 years, Willem has been a domain name panelist with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Czech Arbitration Court. He is also a Legal Rights Objections (LRO) expert and a panelist for the Trademark Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Procedure (Trademark PDDRP) with WIPO.  He has been a panelist in over 400 domain name decisions. Willem is also a part-time lecturer in trademark law with the […]

TOPIC:  Navigating Ethical Minefields in IP Practice: Conflicts, Candor, and Compliance for Patent and Trademark Attorneys Date:  Wednesday, February 18, 2026 Time:  11:30 AM – 1:00 PM 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: registration, lunch, networking 12:00 - 1:00 PM: program Location: Aptus Court Reporting 2040 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614 This ethics CLE, delivered by Emil J. Ali of McCabe & Ali LLP, provides a comprehensive overview of key ethical issues facing intellectual property lawyers, both in private practice and in-house. Attendees will explore the regulatory authority of the USPTO, dissect the complexities of IP conflicts—including subject-matter conflicts and in-house ethical dilemmas—and examine candor obligations in patent and trademark prosecution and litigation. The session also addresses the USPTO’s continued focus on candor and signature requirements, as well as tips for California practitioners dealing with CTAPP.  Join Emil as he takes you through practical examples, and best practices to uphold ethical standards, avoid malpractice, and navigate the evolving ethics landscape of IP law with confidence. Registration:Member: $15.00Non-Member: $30.00Student Non-Member: $20.00 In-House Counsel:  Register for a free membership and enjoy member pricing! Registration fee includes parking validation.     SPEAKER Emil J. Ali, Partner, McCabe Ali LLP Emil J. Ali is a […]

TOPIC:  AI Tools for IP Practitioners Date:  Tuesday, March 24, 2026 Time:  11:30 AM – 1:00 PM 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: registration, lunch, networking 12:00 - 1:00 PM: program 1.0 hour CLE credit for Technology Location: Rutan, LLP, 18565 (not the main building) Jamboree Road 1st Floor (Huntington conference room), Irvine, CA, 92612 Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a core competency in legal practice.  In 2026, AI tools are available to enhance practitioners’ capabilities for every aspect of litigation, as well as IP clearance and prosecution programs (for copyright, patent, trademarks, etc.). While these AI tools open up new opportunities, the sheer volume and variety of options present attorneys in law firms and in-house teams alike with a difficult balancing act, weighing cost effectiveness, risk management, and attorney productivity.  In short: what are the best tools out there, and how can they improve the value of legal work without generating liability? In this session, Kyre Stucklin and Allen Kim, along with moderator Meredith Williams, will share practical insights on how AI is being used in real-world litigation and IP practices today. Drawing from hands-on experience, they will explore how all attorneys—and especially IP practitioners—can approach AI adoption with confidence, […]

TOPIC:  Recent and Emerging Developments in UK Intellectual Property Law and Practice Date:  Wednesday, April 15, 2026 Time:  11:30 AM – 1:00 PM 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: registration, lunch, networking 12:00 - 1:00 PM: program 1.0 hour CLE credit for Technology Location: Knobbe Martens, 2040 Main St., First Floor, Irvine, CA 92614 Join us for an insightful and timely program featuring Jason Dainty of HLK, as he explores the evolving landscape of intellectual property law in the United Kingdom. This engaging presentation will provide valuable perspectives for practitioners, in-house counsel, and anyone interested in global IP trends. Jason will break down key developments, offering practical insights and comparisons relevant to U.S.-based professionals. Program Highlights: Litigating IP in the UKAn overview of the UK court system, how IP cases are handled, and key differences between UK and U.S. litigation. Trade Mark UpdateA look at recent issues, notable cases, practice updates, and emerging trends shaping trademark law in the UK. Unitary Patents & the Unified Patent Court (UPC)Insights into how the new system is functioning in its early stages and what it means for rights holders. AI and IP: Stability AI v. Getty ImagesA discussion of the UK’s first major judgment on generative AI […]

TOPIC:  Funding IP Litigation With Other People’s Money: Opportunities and Pitfalls Date:  Thursday, May 21, 2026 Time:  11:30 AM – 1:00 PM 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: registration, lunch, networking 12:00 - 1:00 PM: program 1.0 hour CLE credit Location: Knobbe Martens, 2040 Main St., First Floor, Irvine, CA 92614 TOPICS Procuring Insurance Coverage That Best Addresses IP Claims Securing Funding To Pursue or Defend IP Claims When insurer Coverage Denials support Bad Faith Recovery Indemnity Claims Accessing Other People’s Money Registration: Member: $15.00 Non-Member: $30.00 Student Non-Member: $20.00 In-House Counsel:  Register for a free membership and enjoy member pricing! Lunch will be provided.     SPEAKER David A. Gauntlett, Principal, Gauntlett Law David A. Gauntlett is the principal of Gauntlett Law. He earned his J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law in 1979, where he served on the California Law Review. He received his B.A., Magna Cum Laude, from the University of California at Irvine in 1976. Mr. Gauntlett serves as lead counsel in intellectual property and antitrust insurance coverage disputes pending in more than 30 states. He is recognized for his work in precedent-setting coverage litigation involving patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, as well as […]