Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court 17th Annual Reception and Dinner January 22, 2025 Union League Club
The Honorable William C. Conner
Program 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Cocktail Reception 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Dinner Congratulations to The 2025 Conner Inn Excellence Award Honorees Hon. William Curtis Bryson Senior Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Hon. Alison J. Nathan Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Hon. LaShann DeArcy Hall District Judge, U.S. District Court, Easterm District of New York Hon. Vincent L. Briccetti District Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York Dinner Committee Jeffrey M. Butler and Melvin C. Garner
At the Inaugural Dinner in 2009, members of the Conner Inn presented Mrs. Janice Files Conner with a bouquet of her favorite flowers - yellow roses. Honorable William C. Conner passed away on July 9, 2009 and Mrs. Janice Files Conner passed away on September 12, 2011. The Conner Inn continues to commemorate Mrs. Conner every year with yellow roses on each table at the Annual Dinner.
Mission of the Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court, to promote excellence in professionalism, ethics, civility, and legal skills for judges, lawyers, academicians, and students of law and to advance the education of the members of the Conner Inn, the members of the bench and bar, and the public in the fields of intellectual property.
Message from the Conner Inn Executive Committee Chair Welcome to the 17th Annual Reception and Dinner of the Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court. This year, we are very proud to present the 2025 Conner Inn Excellence Awards to four outstanding jurists -- Hon. William Curtis Bryson, Senior Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; Hon. Alison J. Nathan, Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; Hon. LaShann DeArcy Hall, District Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York; Hon. Vincent L. Briccetti, District Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York -- for their dedication to the promotion of excellence in our profession. Please enjoy this commemorative journal, including biographies of our award recipients and an article written by Melvin C. Garner that highlights the many excellent programs that were presented by judges, senior lawyers, junior lawyers, and law student members of the Conner Inn during its sixteenth year of substantive IP programs. As we continue to have in-person programs and events like this, we look forward to continuing to build on Judge Conner’s legacy of excellence and professionalism through the enthusiasm of our membership. As chair of the Executive Committee, I would like to thank our Conner Inn President, Hon. J. Paul Oetken for his continued leadership; the other members of the Executive Committee: Jeffrey M. Butler, Amy Gallup Klann, Melvin C. Garner, Patrice P. Jean, Anne E. Li, and our newest member professor Saurabh Vishnubhakat for their commitment; Jeffrey M. Butler and Melvin C. Garner for coordinating this event and putting together this commemorative journal; Hon. Richard Linn for his vision and initiative; and each of you for your enthusiastic support of the Conner Inn and its mission to promote professionalism, legal skills, ethics and civility in the practice of intellectual property law which Judge Conner exemplified. Anthony Giaccio Executive Committee Chair
Conner Inn Leadership Officers President: Hon. J. Paul Oetken, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York Counselor: Hon. Roslynn R. Mauskopf (Ret.) Bracewell LLP Secretary/ Treasurer: Anthony Giaccio Executive Committee Chair: Anthony Giaccio Members: Jeffrey M. Butler, Amy Gallup Klann, Melvin C. Garner, Patrice P. Jean, Anne E. Li, Saurabh Vishnubhakat Judicial Members of the Inn Hon. Laura Taylor Swain, Southern District of New York Hon. Margo Brodie, Eastern District of New York Hon. Norman Beamer, USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board Hon. Kerry Begley, USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board Hon. Gary Brown, Eastern District of New York Hon. Sarah Cave, Southern District of New York Hon. John Cronan, Southern District of New York Hon. Thomas L. Giannetti, USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board Hon. Cynthia L. Hardman, USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board Hon. Lewis Liman, Southern District of New York Hon. Kimberly McGraw, USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board Hon. Shelia McShane, USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board Hon. Grace Obermann, USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board Hon. J. Paul Oetken, Southern District of New York Hon. Donna Praiss, USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board Hon. Barbara S. Jones, Southern District of New York (Ret.) Visiting Judicial Members of the Inn Hon. Timothy B. Dyk, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Hon. Richard Linn, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Hon. Pauline Newman, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Hon. Jimmie V. Reyna, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Hon. John C. Lifland, District of New Jersey (Ret.) Hon. Paul R. Michel, Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court Activities for the Year 2024 The Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court held the 16th Annual Reception and Dinner on January 24, 2024, at the Union League Club. Fifty-three federal judges attended. At the dinner, a Conner Inn Excellence Award was presented to Judge Kimberly A. Moore, Chief Judge of United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by Judge Richard Linn of that Court. The second Excellence Award was presented to Judge Raymond J. Lohier Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit by Judge Alison Nathan of that Court. The third Excellence Award was awarded to Judge Katherine Polk Failla of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York by Judge J. Paul Oetken, President of the Inn and a judge of that Court. An Excellence Award was also presented to Judge Joan M. Azrack of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York by Judge Gary R. Brown of that Court. On March 22, 2024, prior to the New York Intellectual Property Law Association’s 102nd Annual Dinner in Honor of the Federal Judiciary, the Inn hosted a Linn Inn Alliance Reception. At the reception, the Alliance presented the 2024 Distinguished Service Medals to a total of seven members of the Linn Inn Alliance. The medalists included: 2024 Distinguished Service Medal Recipients Hon. Roslynn R. Mauskopf – Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court Hon. Mark R. Hornak – Hon. Q. Todd Dickinson American Inn of Court Hon. Stanley R. Chesler – Hon. John C. Lifland American Inn of Court Julianne M. Hartzell – Hon. Richard Linn American Inn of Court Anne Elise Herold Li – Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court Megan D. Hoyt – Hon. Barbara M.G. Lynn American Inn of Court Sharon Israel – Hon. Nancy F. Atlas IP American Inn of Court The Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court and the Pauline Newman IP American Inn of Court jointly presented a program entitled “Intellectual Property Jeopardy-Style Competition” on March 27, 2024 at Crowell & Moring LLP. The attendees had the opportunity to participate in a fast-paced, fun-filled Jeopardy-esque game that tested knowledge of all-things-IP. The Conner Inn’s annual “Jury Deliberation with Inner-City Scholar Fund High School Student Jurors” was held on April 16, 2024 at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse. As in the past, the presentation featured mock closing arguments before a jury of high school students. The case was a variation of the litigation, Sedlik v. von Drachenberg, which concerned tattoo artist Katherine von Drachenberg’s (e.g., “Kat von D”) alleged copyright infringement of Jeffrey Sedlik’s photographic portrait of Miles Davis. The New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. offices of Crowell & Moring LLP were the scene of a “Tri-Inn IP Jeopardy-Style Competition.” It was held on October 8, 2024. Participating with the Conner Inn were the Pauline Newman IP American Inn of Court and the Richard Linn American Inn of Court. This program challenged participants’ knowledge of Supreme Court and Federal Circuit cases, the names of the Judges in important IP cases, and other fun and exciting IP related topics. On November 14, 2024, the Conner Inn held a CLE program entitled “The Future of Copyright Royalty Judges after Arthrex” at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Professor Saurabh Vishnubhakat of Cardozo Law School presented the facts and holding in the Supreme Court’s recent decision in United States v. Arthrex. He then led a discussion of the future of the Copyright Royalty Board in view of the Arthrex decision. He defended the provocative thesis that while the Arthrex decision resolved uncertainty about Administrative Patent Judge appointments in the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board, the same decision may have thrust the status of Copyright Royalty Judges back into constitutional doubt. Melvin C. Garner Executive Committee Member
Southern District of New York Hon. Laura Taylor Swain, Chief Judge Hon. Ronnie Abrams, District Judge Hon. Paul A. Engelmayer, District Judge Hon. Katherine Polk Failla, District Judge Hon. Margaret M. Garnett, District Judge Hon. Philip M. Halpern, District Judge Hon. John G. Koeltl, District Judge Hon. Lewis Liman, District Judge Hon. J. Paul Oetken, District Judge Hon. Jennifer L. Rochon, District Judge Hon. Cathy Seibel, District Judge Hon. Denise L. Cote, Senior District Judge Hon. Paul G. Gardephe, Senior District Judge Hon. Sidney H. Stein, Senior District Judge Hon. Stewart D. Aaron, Magistrate Judge Hon. Sarah Cave, Magistrate Judge Hon. Victoria Reznik, Magistrate Judge Hon. Ona Wang, Magistrate Judge United States Patent & Trademark Office Patent Trial and Appeal Board Hon. Thomas Giannetti, Administrative Patent Judge Hon. Cynthia Hardman, Administrative Patent Judge Hon. Sheila McShane, Administrative Patent Judge United States Court Executives and Clerks Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Catherine O’Hagan Wolfe, Clerk of Court United States District Court, Eastern District of New York Eugene Corcoran, District Executive United States District Court, Southern District of New York Tammi Hellwig, Clerk of Court
Honored Guests in Attendance Special Guests of Honor Hon. William Curtis Bryson Senior Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Hon. Alison J. Nathan Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Hon. LaShann DeArcy Hall District Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York Hon. Vincent L. Briccetti District Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York United States Court of Appeals Federal Circuit Hon. Raymond T. Chen, Circuit Judge Hon. Jimmie V. Reyna, Circuit Judge Hon. Leonard P. Stark , Circuit Judge Second Circuit Hon. Debra Livingston, Chief Circuit Judge Hon. Eunice C. Lee, Circuit Judge United States District Courts Eastern District of New York Hon. Pamela K. Chen, District Judge Hon. Ann M. Donnelly, District Judge Hon. Hector Gonzalez, District Judge Hon. Rachel P. Kovner, District Judge Hon. Nina R. Morrison, District Judge Hon. Ramon E. Reyes, Jr., District Judge Hon. Joan M. Azrack, Senior District Judge Hon. Nicholas G. Garaufis, Senior District Judge Hon. Dora L. Irizarry, Senior District Judge Hon. Kiyo A. Matsumoto, Senior District Judge Hon. James R. Cho, Magistrate Judge Hon. Marcia M. Henry, Magistrate Judge Hon. Peggy Kuo, Magistrate Judge Hon. Joseph A. Marutollo, Magistrate Judge Hon. James M. Wicks, Magistrate Judge
Honoree Hon. William C. Bryson U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
Judge Alison J. Nathan was sworn in as a United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit in March 2022. Before that, Judge Nathan served for ten years as a United States District Court Judge for the Southern District of New York. While on the district court, Judge Nathan served as Chair of the SDNY Security Committee and served on the SDNY Grievance Committee. Prior to taking the district court bench, Judge Nathan worked in state government as Special Counsel to the Solicitor General of New York from 2010 to 2011. From 2009 to 2010, she served in the federal government in the White House Counsel’s Office as an Associate White House Counsel and Special Assistant to the President. Previously, Judge Nathan was in private practice. From 2002 to 2006, she was an associate at the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, LLP in Washington, D.C. and New York. She was a member of the firm’s Appellate and Supreme Court Litigation Practice. Judge Nathan also spent time in legal academia. From 2006 to 2008, she was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at Fordham University Law School where she taught civil procedure. She was a Fritz Alexander Fellow at New York University School of Law from 2008 to 2009. Judge Nathan continues to teach as an adjunct professor at NYU School of Law, Cornell Law School, and UVA School of Law. Judge Nathan served as a law clerk for United States Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens from 2001 to 2002 and for Judge Betty B. Fletcher on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2000 to 2001. Judge Nathan received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Cornell Law School in 2000, and her B.A. from Cornell University in 1994.
Honoree Hon. Alison Nathan U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
William C. Bryson was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by President William J. Clinton in 1994. Prior to his appointment, Judge Bryson was with the United States Department of Justice from 1978 to 1994. During that period, he served as an Assistant to the Solicitor General [1978-79], Chief of the Appellate Section of the Criminal Division [1979-83], Counsel to the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section [1983-86], Deputy Solicitor General [1986-94], Acting Solicitor General [1989 and 1993], and Acting Associate Attorney General [1994]. He was an Associate at the Washington, DC law firm of Miller, Cassidy, Larroca and Lewin from 1975 to 1978. Judge Bryson served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Henry J. Friendly, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1973 to 1974, and as Law Clerk to the Honorable Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court of the United States, from 1974 to 1975. Judge Bryson received an A.B. from Harvard College in 1969 and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1973.
Honoree Hon. Vincent L. Briccetti U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
The Honorable LaShann DeArcy Hall received her commission to serve as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York on November 17, 2015. Prior to her nomination by President Barack Obama, Judge DeArcy Hall worked as a commercial litigation trial lawyer, serving as an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Immediately prior to her judicial confirmation, Judge DeArcy Hall served as a partner in Morrison & Foerster’s commercial litigation group. Judge DeArcy Hall was twice appointed by Mayor Bloomberg to serve as a Commissioner on the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. She also served as a Commissioner on the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics. Judge DeArcy Hall received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Antioch College and graduated, magna cum laude, from Howard University School of Law in 2000. She served in the United States Air Force from 1995 to 1997. As of the Fall 2023, Judge DeArcy Hall presides over the pilot RAISE (Reentry Assistance and Initiatives Supporting Everyone) Court, which is a special court of the Eastern District of New York dedicated to providing integrated services to justice-involved individuals returning to the district who are at a high-risk of recidivating to support their return home.
Vincent L. Briccetti was appointed a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York by President Barack Obama in 2011. Judge Briccetti is a graduate of Columbia College and Fordham Law School. At Fordham, he was Articles Editor of the Law Review. He later served as a law clerk to Judge John M. Cannella of the Southern District of New York and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District. As an AUSA, he served as Deputy Chief Appellate Attorney and received the Director’s Award for Superior Performance from the Executive Office of United States Attorneys. In 1992, Judge Briccetti founded his own law firm in White Plains, the focus of which was criminal defense. He has lectured at numerous professional conferences on various subjects, including criminal law and procedure, federal civil practice, the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the representation of controversial clients, ethics, and the “art” of cross-examination. Judge Briccetti is also an Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School, where he teaches a course on federal sentencing law. In 2011, the New York State Bar Association awarded Judge Briccetti its David S. Michaels Award for Courageous Efforts in Promoting Integrity of the Criminal Justice System.
Honoree Hon. LaShann DeArcy Hall U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
Previous Recipients of the Conner Inn Excellence Award 2024 Hon. Kimberly A. Moore, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Hon. Raymond J. Lohier Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Hon. Katherine Polk Failla, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York Hon. Joan M. Azrack, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York 2023 Hon. Kara F. Stoll, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Hon. Laura Taylor Swain, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York Hon. Brian Cogan, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York 2022 Hon. Debra Ann Livingston, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Hon. Evan J. Wallach, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Hon. Jed S. Rakoff, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York 2021 Hon. Alan D. Lourie, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Hon. Richard C. Wesley, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Hon. Margo K. Brodie, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York Hon. Paul A. Engelmayer, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York 2020 Hon. Richard G. Taranto, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Hon. Denise L. Cote, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York Hon. Pamela K. Chen, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York 2019 Hon. Raymond T. Chen, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Hon. Richard J. Sullivan, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Hon. Kiyo A. Matsumoto, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York 2018 Hon. Pierre N. Leval, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Hon. Jimmie V. Reyna, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit 2017 Hon. P. Kevin Castel, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York Hon. Dora L. Irizarry, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York Hon. Kathleen M. O'Malley, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
Previous Recipients of the Conner Inn Excellence Award 2016 Hon. Timothy B. Dyk, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit 2015 Hon. Denny Chin, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Hon. Sharon Prost, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit 2014 Hon. Robert A. Katzmann, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Hon. Richard Linn, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit 2013 Hon. Barbara Jones, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York Hon. Colleen McMahon, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York 2012 Hon. Carol Bagley Amon, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York Hon. Pauline Newman, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit Hon. Kimba M. Woods, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York 2011 Hon. Dennis Jacobs, U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit 2010 Hon. Raymond J. Dearie, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York Hon. Loretta A. Preska, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York Hon. Paul R. Michel, U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit 2009 Hon. William C. Conner, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
Hon. William C. Conner Inn of Court 2024 Annual Reception and Dinner
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