In today's increasingly competitive marketplace, where established business models are being challenged as never before, the focus on IP in the auto industry has intensified at all levels. Issues such as branding, reputation management and counterfeiting are moving up the corporate agenda, while technological convergence means that patent protection and enforcement, licensing and collaboration have become more important than ever. Against this backdrop, this unique event will provide IP professionals working within the auto industry with a forum to network, share best practices and discuss the latest strategies to create, protect and exploit their intellectual property.

WilmerHale is an event sponsor and Partner David Cavanaugh will moderate the panel session, "The impact of new players," which will discuss the impact of the auto industry attracting growing interest from a range of players not traditionally associated with it. As with other industries where this has occurred, this has the potential to increase the amount of patent-related disputes in the sector. The panel will deliberate how to identify the threats, reduce exposure to suits and effectively use the inter partes regime. Panelists include Shawn Ambwani, Linda Biel, Andrew Riley and Kevin Rivette.