YUSEF ABUTOUQ
Attorney at ArentFox Schiff

Yusef guides clients through complex US and international intellectual property issues across diverse industries. Whether in contentious or non-contentious contexts, his experience centers on helping clients with the adoption, enforcement, and protection of proprietary rights. Drawing from deep-seated knowledge of emerging technologies, Yusef offers specialized counsel on novel challenges in the AI and Web3 domains, including GenAI, blockchain applications, crypto, smart contracts, and NFTs. Actively involved in the firm’s AI, Metaverse & Blockchain Industry Group, and the dedicated AI x Web3 IP Enforcement Task Force, he spearheads efforts to closely monitor litigation, legislation, and other legal developments. Yusef also frequently imparts his insights via various mediums, including publications and presentations, contributing a broader understanding of the swiftly evolving landscape.

JJ AHEARN
Managing Director at Licensing Street

JJ Ahearn is a veteran of the licensing industry and currently serves as Managing Director of Licensing Street, a full service licensing and consulting firm with offices in New York. Started in 2009, their clients have included Sega, the NFL, American Greetings, The Jim Henson Company, Paramount Pictures, The Fred Rogers Company, Universal, MTV Networks and more. Before starting Licensing Street, JJ worked for Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products, CBS Television, and Memcorp Asia. While at Nickelodeon, JJ worked on such hit properties as: SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, South Park, and Chappelle’s Show. At CBS Television JJ was responsible for new business licensing of over 50 CBS properties including Survivor, CSI, Beverly Hills 90210 and Star Trek. He turned around the CBS online store and was responsible for all retail development across specialty, mid-tier and mass channels. JJ served as both Director of Marketing and General Manager for Memcorp Electronics in Hong Kong, makers of Memorex consumer electronics. As General Manager of Memcorp Asia, he oversaw marketing, promotion and finance, both in Hong Kong and China. JJ also established licensing agreements worldwide for Memorex brand consumer electronics including Canada, Mexico, Latin America, United Kingdom, Australia, Europe, and more. JJ has an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and a BSBA from the University of Florida.

MATTHEW BERLIN
Partner at ArentFox Schiff

Matt counsels clients in a variety of corporate and complex commercial transactions primarily in the technology, health care, and retail industries. He advises clients of all sizes in a broad range of US and international matters, including mergers and acquisitions, strategic initiatives, joint ventures, technology transactions and licensing, and venture capital financing. Matt is a Co-Leader of the firm’s AI, Metaverse & Blockchain Industry Group where he helps identify key legal considerations for clients and provides strategic advice for AI-driven business innovations. His technology practice also includes representing Web3 clients in licensing and development initiatives, routinely helping clients launch new software and SaaS solutions.

MICHELLE BOWLING
Associate at ArentFox Schiff

With over 12 years’ experience in privacy and cybersecurity, Michelle has developed compliance programs for a broad range of clients – from Fortune 500 technology companies, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and startups – to align with international and domestic privacy and data security laws. She also provides her clients with tailored and actionable advice relating to commercial transactions and the product design lifecycle, especially those involving biometrics, Big Data, children’s data, Artificial Intelligence, and audiovisual recording and disclosure. Michelle is an active member of the firm’s AI, Metaverse & Blockchain Industry Group where she assists in providing innovative compliance strategies for AI-driven solutions.

RANDALL COLLINS
Trademark, Copyright, and Marketing Counsel at HP

Randall is Trademark, Copyright & Marketing Counsel at HP Inc. and has been with the company for five years. Randall protects thousands of corporate trademarks through clearance searches, prosecution, maintenance and enforcement. He supports business, marketing, legal and functional teams on the naming and marketing of PCs, hardware, software and services. Randall prepares trademark license agreements, including licenses of HP’s PCs, services and marketing memorabilia. He advocates for the responsible use of generative AI by HP product and marketing teams. At HP, Randall successfully integrated nearly 2,000 trademarks during HP’s $3.7 billion acquisitions of Poly and HyperX. He secured a sponsorship with NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports and driver William Byron (7 wins in 2023-24). Randall negotiated a HyperX global ambassador agreement with tennis star (currently ranked #5 worldwide) and avid gamer Daniil Medvedev. More recently, Randall supported the inbound licensing of a major technology company’s generative AI platform on HP PCs.

PAMELA DEESE
Partner, ArentFox Schiff

Pam’s intellectual property representation includes counseling patent pools and other IP owners in developing and maintaining strategic licensing programs as well as maintaining IP portfolios. Her work also includes advertising review and litigation for consumer products companies. Among other things, she provides counsel with respect to the creation, negotiation and enforcement of licenses and related agreements, management of worldwide IP rights, as well as representation involving counterfeiting issues, privacy, sweepstakes and promotions, celebrity endorsements, and litigating related business disputes. Pam also serves on the Board of Directors of Licensing International, which is the industry trade association for IP Licensing. Additionally, Pam is an adjunct member of the faculty of American University’s Washington College of Law, where she teaches IP Licensing. She is active in numerous professional associations. She holds membership in the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Law sections, the District of Columbia Bar Association, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Additionally, she is a member of the NY Intellectual Property Lawyers Association and Licensing International Association. She served as Vice Chair of the ABA Section of Science and Technology, Committee on Technical Standardization and Infrastructure for a decade and on the Licensing Journal’s Editorial Board and as the Trademark Licensing Columnist for nearly 20 years.

MAURA REGAN
President of Licensing International

Maura Regan joined Licensing International in 2016 and assumed the role of President in July 2018, bringing with her more than 20 years of experience in the global brand licensing and media industries. Licensing International is the premier association for the global brand licensing industry, and Maura is responsible for leading the organization in fostering the expansion of licensing around the world and creating greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. As the former Head of Global Consumer Products at Sesame Workshop, the home of Sesame Street, Maura drove the non-profit organization’s strategic commercial initiatives with a focus on delivering significant unrestricted revenue to support its overarching philanthropic goals. Prior to Sesame Workshop, where she enjoyed an exhilarating 17-year tenure, Maura held executive positions with MTV Networks, Scholastic Entertainment, and The Jim Henson Company.

DAVID TACKEL
SVP of Product Strategy at Fox/Blockchain Creative Labs

David Tackel is a product strategy leader at BCL, the technology research and development arm of FOX Corp. In his current role, Tackel explores integration of emerging technologies across key FOX business units, mostly centered on developments in artificial intelligence and blockchain tech. Most recently, his primary focus has been on Verify, BCL’s open source blockchain protocol, designed for media companies to create guardrails and retain control of their content when licensing their IP to AI platforms, while also providing consumers with the ability to verify the authenticity of source material. Before joining FOX and BCL, Tackel was Co-founder and COO of EdTech startup, Good Talk, an online language learning platform. Prior to that, he was an executive at CIVIC, building brand platforms and consumer experiences across Entertainment and Tech, working with companies like Snap, Ford, HBO, CNN and FOX, among others.

RAFFI TEPERDJIAN
Senior Counsel at Protocol Labs

Raffi Teperdjian is a corporate counsel at Protocol Labs, Inc., an open-source research and development lab that builds protocols, tools, and services to radically improve the Internet. Prior to going in-house, Mr. Teperdjian worked in the Washington, DC office of Ropes & Gray, LLP advising clients on matters dealing with emerging technologies across several practice areas including intellectual property (IP) transactions, IP litigation, privacy and cybersecurity, and asset management. During his legal academic career and currently as an attorney, Mr. Teperdjian regularly researches, publishes, and presents on emerging technology topics across a variety of legal subjects. His scholarship includes “The Puzzle of Squaring Blockchain with the General Data Protection Regulation” published in Jurimetrics for which he was awarded the Loevinger Prize as the article in Volume 60 that made the best contribution to the field of law, science, and technology. He also co-authored “A Structural Solution to Mitigating Artificial Intelligence Bias in Administrative Agencies” published in George Washington Law Review Arguendo. Prior to, and concurrently with, Mr. Teperdjian’s study of the law, he worked on a variety of systems development and big data analysis projects in both federal and commercial information technology consulting. In addition to his present in-house role, he teaches Artificial Intelligence Law and Policy.

JESSE XU
CTO & Co-Founder of Podqi

Jesse Xu is the CTO and Co-Founder of Podqi, an AI-powered platform revolutionizing intellectual property protection in the entertainment industry. At Podqi, Jesse leads the development of cutting-edge technology that enables IP owners to detect and take down infringements at scale while surfacing the most significant licensing opportunities. His core focus is to combat the billions in lost revenue due to illegal IP monetization and open new avenues for legitimate brand expansion. Prior to founding Podqi, Jesse designed and built AI tools at Google, where he was on the Generative AI team for Google Docs. The features he launched are used by millions of users worldwide, pushing the boundaries of how AI can enhance productivity and creativity in everyday digital tools. Jesse’s journey in tech began at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Computer Science and minors in Fine Art and Entrepreneurship. Outside of the office, Jesse enjoys cycling, cooking, and maintaining an optimistic (yet cautious) relationship with Philly sports teams.

KRISTINE YOUNG
Partner at Mayer Brown

Kristine Young is a seasoned intellectual property attorney with extensive experience in brand licensing and AI. Multinational corporations, entrepreneurs, and individuals in sectors such as technology, retail, banking, entertainment, and hospitality rely on Kristine’s deep experience in trademark prosecution and enforcement, brand management, and AI-related intellectual property issues. She provides strategic guidance on brand licensing, handling partner selection, contract execution, and ongoing management, ensuring successful brand expansions. Kristine also advises on the legal complexities of AI, helping clients protect their IP assets, draft corporate policies, and address challenges posed by AI technologies. Clients trust her with transactional work, litigation, and enforcement matters before the USPTO, TTAB, and WIPO. Her expertise includes global anti-counterfeiting initiatives, false advertising enforcement, and corporate transactions. As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a background in IT Risk Assurance, Kristine brings a unique perspective to her practice at Mayer Brown LLP.