Live Social Event & Zoom Webcast
Overview (Program Summary)
A program hosted by:
ACC San Francisco Bay Area
Join us March 4-6, 2025. All in-house counsel welcome!
All in-house counsel are invited to participate in up to 10 hours of virtual California CLE programming, an in-person networking reception, lunch delivery across the U.S. and more! Discover new and timely legal updates pertaining to the Life Sciences industry both at home and across the globe.
Register March 6
8:30am | COBBLESTONE SOFTWARE
Coffee Delivery
8:30am-9:30am | FRESHFIELDS
Dodged that Bullet- Navigating Traps in Strategic Commercial/IP Arrangements
We’ll discuss terms that often arise in license and collaboration agreements as well as other strategic commercial arrangements commonly entered into by life sciences companies such as non-dilutive royalty agreements or venture debt, and how they can affect future transactions, the valuation of a company and potential liquidity events. The panelists will discuss real examples from recent life sciences deals and how they analyzed the terms from the perspective of future licensees, potential acquirors, bankers and investors in order to resolve the issues in a way that preserved optionality for the company. The session will include practical drafting and negotiation tips, as well as the opportunity for audience members to ask questions.
SPEAKERS:
Vinita Kailasanath, Partner, Freshfields
Phil Stoup, Partner, Freshfields
Blaine Templeman, Chief Administrative and Legal Officer, Cartography Biosciences
9:45am - 10:45am | SPECIALTY MCLE
Making Teams More Productive Through Neurodiversity (Implicit Bias)
Neurodiverse individuals make up a significant portion of the workforce, including the legal workforce. Due to actual and perceived biases in companies and law firms, these talented individuals often try to mask their true selves, which is exhausting, inauthentic, and can be permanently damaging. This presentation will explore how to recognize different forms of neurodiversity and how to ally to create an inclusive environment beneficial for everyone. The panel will provide easy and practical strategies that legal teams can adopt to accommodate neurodiverse individuals and allow them to thrive. This presentation will provide 1 hour of California "implicit bias" credit.
SPEAKERS:
Betsy Haanes, Ph.D., J.D., SVP, IGM Biosciences, Inc.
Mercedes K. Meyer, Ph.D., Partner, Banner Witcoff
Lisa Mueller, Partner, Casimir Jones, S.C.
Haley Moss, Esq., Speaker, Writer, Consultant
11:00am-12:00pm | SHOOK HARDY
From Trials to Market: Litigation Risks and Strategies for Life Sciences Companies
Litigation risk is a constant concern for life sciences companies, from clinical trials to commercialization. This session will explore key litigation triggers across the product lifecycle and provide practical strategies for in-house counsel to mitigate risk. Through real-world case studies, our panel will share best practices for assessing and managing litigation exposure to protect both products and business operations.
SPEAKERS:
Alicia Donahue, Partner, Shook Hardy
Lori McGroder, Partner, Shook Hardy
Tom Sullivan, Managing Partner, Boston, Shook Hardy
John Alden, General Counsel, FibroGen
Janet Kwuon, Global Head of Litigation and Investigations, Gilead
12:00pm | ANKURA
Lunch Delivery
12:30pm-1:30pm | NEWFRONT
Insuring Life Sciences Update 2025: Cyber Considerations for Legal Leaders
Cyber threats and regulatory pressures are constantly evolving and exposing your company to new risks. Newfront's experts break down the key trends legal leaders need to watch—from cybersecurity claims and data privacy breach reporting, to recent D&O market developments.
SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Wilson, Head of Cyber, Newfront
Brandon Settle, AVP Life Science Practice, Newfront
Dan Lindell, SVP, Executive Risk Solutions Practice, Newfront
Caryn McDowell, Director & Board Member, California Life Sciences
1:45pm - 2:45pm | KEKER VAN NEST & PETERS
Litigation in the Life Sciences: Key Trends and Issues for In-House Counsel to Keep in Mind
Life science companies face a host of litigation challenges that can significantly impact both strategic decision-making and day-to-day operations. This one-hour session will explore critical litigation topics that shape the industry, providing a deep dive into the latest case trends and risk areas.
Participants will gain insights into:
- Navigating post-merger milestone disputes and litigation involving commercially reasonable efforts clauses.
- Significant recent patent decisions, double patenting, patent term adjustments, guardrails on prior art, and trade secrets protections.
- The landscape of recent False Claims Act enforcement litigation.
- Antitrust litigation trends including payments, product hopping, pricing and PBMs, and FTC orange book scrutiny.
SPEAKERS:
Laurie Carr Mims, Managing Partner, Keker Van Nest & Peters
Maya James, Partner, Keker Van Nest & Peters
Sharif Jacob, Partner, Keker Van Nest & Peters
THANK YOU TO OUR 2025 LIFE SCIENCE CONFERENCE SPONSORS!
