Developments in Global Intellectual Property: The 2025 Special 301 Report (RECORDING)

In his last role before his retirement from Medtronic, Steve handled International IP and IP Policy for Medtronic. Steve has served in several roles in IPO including Co-Chair of the IPO International Patent Law and Trade Committee, Vice Chair of the Asian Practice Committee and on the IPO Board in 2016. In his retirement, he has continued to volunteer for IPO including on the IPO Special 301 Comment team.

Santosh Chari is a founding partner of CPST Intellectual Property Inc. and is recognized domestically and internationally as a leading advisor on IP prosecution issues. With over 30 years of experience in the patent profession, Santosh provides clients with guidance and business-focused advice on the protection of intellectual property, with a particular focus on the preparation and prosecution of patent and industrial design applications. He also advises on infringement and validity issues relating to intellectual property and on licensing and patent portfolio management issues.

Dean Harts is Vice President Data Privacy, Associate Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, and interim Chief Privacy Officer for 3M Company.  He also leads 3M’s Global Trade Secret Protection Program team.  Prior to his current role, for the past seven years, he was the Assistant Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for 3M’s international operations, with over 50 employees in more than 10 countries.  Earlier in his 3M career, Dean served as the Assistant Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for 3M’s healthcare business, and 3M’s electro & communications business.  Before these IP management roles, Dean was IP counsel to several different 3M businesses in St. Paul, Minnesota and Austin, Texas.  Dean earned his Juris Doctor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has been admitted to practice with the Minnesota bar, US District Court of Minnesota, and the US Patent and Trademark office.  Dean earned his Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Mauricio Samano is a senior associate at the patent department of the Mexican based law firm OLIVARES. His work in OLIVARES mainly focuses in prosecuting Chemical, Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical patent applications, as well as in providing technical opinions regarding patent infringement. He has experience in conducting state of the art searches and drafting patent applications. Additionally, he is a member of the International Patent Law and Trade Committee, as well as of the Latin American Practice Committee of Intellectual Property Owners (IPO) organization.

John C. Todaro is an Executive Director and Managing Counsel in the Intellectual Property Group of Merck & Co., Inc.  John and his team support patent prosecution, due diligence studies and intellectual property counseling worldwide for Merck products, product candidates and development programs in various therapeutic areas, including immunology, neuroscience, oncology and infectious diseases.   John has been a member of the Merck IP group since 2003.  He previously was a senior counsel in the law firm of Darby & Darby P.C., in New York. John is a member of IPO’s International Patent Law and Trade Committee.  He is also a member of AIPLA and AIPPI, and serves as Chair of the AIPPI Pharma Committee.