Virtual Water Cooler Chat – Details, episodes & analysis

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast features Arthur Uratani, Director of Marketing and Outreach at Bookoff McAndrews, PLLC.

Arthur spends his life doing what brings him joy. He relishes connection and promoting the people, things, and causes he takes an interest in. As a Marketing Director at the law firm of Bookoff McAndrews, he handles professional development coaching, branding, graphic design, presentations, pitches, events, digital media, social media, rankings and article submissions, and more. Besides his marketing work, Arthur is also a Sculpt Instructor and Coach, a Public Speaking Coach, and a current board member and former President of the Legal Marketing Association Mid-Atlantic Region. 

  For fun outside of work (which he does consider fun!), Arthur enjoys traveling. His favorite countries in the world are Japan and Switzerland. He is an environmentalist and promotes sustainable living and green policy and ideas in various forms. 

Connect with Arthur on LinkedIn. 

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here. 

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Eva Kalivas-Krieger, Founder and Board Member of Empower Women That Rock (EWTR).  

Eva is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, Certified Plan Advisor Fiduciary through The National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) and has been a financial advisor since 1990.  

In 1999, Eva co-founded EPIC Retirement Services Consulting, which specialized in qualified retirement plans and was built around providing clients with excellence, principle, integrity and care (EPIC). Then, in 2014, Eva co-founded Global Retirement Partners (GRP), a hybrid RIA tailored for the specific needs of independent, retirement plan advisors. EPIC and GRP were acquired by HUB International Northeast, in 2019, with Eva staying on as Senior Vice President of Retirement and Private Wealth through 2024.  

In 2024 Eva founded EWTR (www.womenrock.world), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a robust network of female executives and fostering meaningful mentorships. She serves as a member of Alma Bank’s Board of Directors, is actively involved at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City, and is a member of Leadership 100 (a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the Orthodox Faith and the life-giving legacy of Hellenism in America), Women in Pensions, Beta Gamma Sigma, the Golden Key Honor Society, and the Hellenic American Women’s Council and the American Women of Greece.  

Eva was named as one of The National Association of Plan Advisors top Defined Contribution (DC) Advisor Teams in 2024 and 2022, as well as being listed as one of their Top Women Advisors in the “Captains” category* every year between 2020 and 2024, acknowledging her contribution to the retirement industry and for bringing excellence to the profession every year.  

Eva supports the Athletic Program at UC Davis and Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF). She is the author of the book I Get Knocked Down – A Woman’s Survival Guide to Business and Life, originally published in 2008 and currently available on Amazon.  

Eva lives in New York with her husband, Bob, and their daughter, Nikolette. 

Connect with Eva on LinkedIn.

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here. 

Today’s Virtual Water Cooler Chat podcast episode features Jonathan Stroud, General Counsel at Unified Patents, LLC.  

In his role at Unified Patents, Jon manages a growing team of diverse and talented attorneys, and oversees a docket of administrative challenges, appeals, licensing, pooling, and district court work in addition to trademark, copyright, administrative, amicus, policy, marketing, and corporate matters.  

Prior to Unified, Jon was a litigator with Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP, and prior to that, he was a patent examiner at the USPTO.  

He earned his J.D. with honors from the American University Washington College of Law, his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University, and his M.A. in Print Journalism from the University of Southern California.  

In his spare time, Jon enjoys teaching, writing, and speaking on patent and administrative law. 

Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn. 

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here. 

Legal Disclaimer: This video is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. 

Disclaimer: The content of this discussion is for educational purposes. The opinions expressed here belong solely to Janice Jabido and do not reflect the views of Peloton Interactive.

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Janice Jabido, Managing Director, IP Litigation & Licensing for Peloton Interactive. Peloton uses technology and design to connect the world through fitness, empowering people to be the best version of themselves anywhere, anytime. Janice is responsible for all aspects of intellectual property disputes, including litigation and post-grant review as well as developing strategies to manage and license patents, trade secrets, copyrights, and trademark portfolios. She also provides counsel on general, transactional, and compliance client matters related to intellectual property. 

Prior to joining Peloton, Janice was Director & Senior IP Counsel for Pratt & Whitney, a world leader in the design, manufacture, and service of commercial and military aircraft engines; prior to moving in-house, she spent nearly a decade in private practice and has litigated in many district courts throughout the country as well as the Federal Circuit, the International Trade Commission (ITC), and before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. 

Janice serves as Peloton’s corporate sponsor of the Peloton Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG) and has previously served as a vice-chair of the diversity committee of the PTAB Bar Association. She has also been active on the board of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association as Regional Governor, Secretary, Vice President for Membership and At-Large. In addition, Janice served as secretary for the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago. 

Janice received her J.D. and B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. She has also spent visiting semesters studying at the University of Chicago and Cambridge University, Trinity College in England. Outside of work and enjoying her family time, Janice also volunteers as a firefighter and EMT in her hometown. 

Connect with Janice on LinkedIn. 

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here. 

Today’s episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features McNeal Maddox, an independent brand consultant and former Group Director of Brand Strategy at Innovation Protocol, a Los Angeles-based brand strategy consultancy.  

Legends and stories have always intrigued him, but understanding the deeper meaning contained within them has driven McNeal’s creative focus for years. As a student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, he channeled his interest in creative storytelling and problem-solving into a degree in graphic design. His desire to understand the "why" behind the marketing communications he created for ERP software and investment finance companies led him back to college to complete his MBA at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business; his innate curiosity and desire to use design thinking to solve business challenges have helped him deliver strategic B2B brand solutions for enterprise clients across a range of industries including gaming (Sony Playstation), bio-tech (Amgen), enterprise software (Microsoft), logistics (Prologis) and semiconductors (NXP).  

McNeal draws inspiration from the magic that happens when timeless wisdom meets the latest innovation. A husband, a father of two, and a maker at heart, he enjoys solving puzzles and exploring ways to scale small ideas to achieve bigger impact. 

Connect with McNeal on LinkedIn.  

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here.

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Megan F. Raymond, Partner, Groombridge Wu Baughman & Stone, LLP.  

Megan is one of the top 50 women in Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) trials, representing clients in over 100 post-grant proceedings to date. She also tries patent cases in federal district courts and in the International Trade Commission and argues appeals before the Federal Circuit. 

Ranked in Chambers USA as a leading practitioner for Intellectual Property: Patent, Chambers describes Megan as having expertise in PTAB proceedings and describes her as “a very smart and capable lawyer, who represents clients in a very effective way.” She has also been recognized by IAM 1000 and The Legal 500, as “a rising star who can handle difficult arguments and witnesses with grace and effectiveness.”, and was named to the PTAB Bar Association’s “Top 50 Women in PTAB Trials” list in 2019 and 2021. Megan also authored the latest edition of PLI’s treatise, Post-Grant Proceedings Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. 

Megan currently serves as Vice President of the PTAB Bar Association, and is also the chair of the Federal Circuit Bar Association’s Patent Litigation Committee.  She previously served as a chair of the Federal Circuit Bar Association’s PTAB and Mock Argument Committees, and served previously as the vice-chair of the PTAB Bar Association’s Programming Committee and Women’s Committee. On the Women’s Committee she worked on preparing the PTAB Bar Association Women at the PTAB report on gender diversity in the PTAB. She received the Federal Circuit Bar Association’s George Hutchinson Committee Award recognizing committee leadership in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2023. She is a frequent speaker on developments in patent law, including topics primarily related to the PTAB. 

Megan was the Managing Editor of Virginia Law and Technology at the University of Virginia School of Law. Before law school, Megan was a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Laboratory of Immunoregulation (Center for Biologics, Evaluation, and Research), where she coauthored papers on vaccine design and development. 

Megan received her A.B. in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard University, and her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. She was a clerk to the Hon. Haldane Robert Mayer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 

Connect with Megan on LinkedIn.  

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here. 

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Franklin Chu, a senior associate at Gemini Law LLP.  

Franklin holds a Chemical Engineering degree from the Cooper Union (New York, NY) and is licensed to practice in Washington state, Texas, and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Prior to joining Gemini Law, Franklin was an associate in the PTAB Practice Group of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (Seattle, WA) and an associate in the intellectual property group of Baker McKenzie (Dallas, TX).  

Franklin has experience in both patent litigation and patent prosecution and with a wide range of technologies. Franklin is conversational in Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese. On weekends, he enjoys exploring various hikes in the PNW area. 

Connect with Franklin on LinkedIn.  

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here. 

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Ellyar Y. Barazesh, Senior Associate in the Intellectual Property group at Baker Botts, residing in the Austin, Texas office 

Ellyar's practice focuses on patent prosecution and counseling, post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and patent litigation. He has significant experience working with clients in a wide range of technology areas, including computer hardware and software, control systems, artificial intelligence, networking technologies, location tracking systems, video and image processing, semiconductor devices, data encryption, graphical user interfaces, and medical devices.  

Prior to joining the firm, Ellyar was a Senior Patent Counsel at Unified Patents, LLC. There, he focused on PTAB proceedings, reexaminations before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and international opposition proceedings. He has also served as a patent examiner at the USPTO, examining patent applications related to video compression and imaging.  

Ellyar earned his Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. During his undergraduate studies, he worked at a multinational engineering company researching optical systems and is a co-inventor on a U.S. patent related to his research. Ellyar earned his JD from Georgetown University Law Center, where he received the Leon Robbin Patent Award for achieving the highest grades in patent law courses of his graduating class, and served as a member of The Tax Lawyer. 

Connect with Ellyar on LinkedIn. 

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here.  

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Steve Gong, Patent Counsel, Head of Data Science, Technology and Ops at Google, and a data maverick at the cutting edge of legal innovation! 

Steve earned his B.S. in Bioengineering with a minor in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, his M.S. in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University, his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, and completed Executive leadership programs at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. With a unique blend of expertise in law, product leadership, and data science, Steve is revolutionizing the way we approach legal strategy and decision-making. 

In his work at Google, Steve leads a team of trailblazers pioneering the use of AI and machine learning in the legal domain. Together, they are breaking new ground, transforming both the practice and business of law with their groundbreaking applications of advanced analytics. 

Steve’s impact doesn’t stop there. As a seasoned product leader, he has launched game-changing products that have become staples for Fortune 500 companies and tech innovators alike. His knack for understanding market needs and delivering solutions sets him apart as a true visionary in the field. Steve is also a co-founder of ADAPT.legal, a powerhouse of non-profit collective driving inclusive innovation in the patent landscape. Teaming up with industry giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Disney, and now with over 70 members, Steve and the team at ADAPT.legal are leveraging data and technology to empower legal professionals and foster a more diverse pipeline of patent practitioners. 

Connect with Steve on LinkedIn.  

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here. 

This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Olga V. Mack, a Fellow at CodeX, The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics, and a Generative AI Editor at law.MIT Computational Law Report. Additionally, she is an award-winning general counsel, operations specialist, and tech startup advisor who encourages lawyers to embrace disruptive technologies that make law more functional and accessible.  

She served as the lateral CEO of Parley Pro, a cutting-edge contract lifecycle platform that revolutionized digital negotiation. Under her leadership, Parley Pro was successfully taken to market, experienced significant growth, and was eventually sold and integrated into LexisNexis, showcasing her ability to drive innovation and execute strategic business decisions.  

A six-time TEDx presenter with an exceptional blend of legal, technological, and business expertise, Olga is one of today's top speakers and thought leaders. Find her latest insights at Above the Law, Forbes, Bloomberg Law, ACC Docket, law.MIT Computational Law Report, Newsweek, Venture Beat, and her podcast, Notes to My (Legal) Self.  

Connect with Olga on LinkedIn. 

Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.   

Learn more about VPG here.