Inclusive Innovation and the Patent Pro Bono Program (RECORDING)

Grant Corboy joined the Office of Enrollment Discipline (OED)as a Patent Attorney in 2016. As a member of the Patent Pro Bono Team, he is dedicated to making sure that all inventors have access to the patent system, including those who are financially under-resourced. In addition to his Patent Pro Bono responsibilities, Mr. Corboy also serves as a Staff Attorney investigating discipline and enrollment matters. Mr. Corboy was a Primary Patent Examiner for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and, prior to joining the USPTO in 2010, he worked for fifteen years in industry as a design engineer, project manager and government contracts manager with DuPont and Lockheed Martin. Mr. Corboy is a member of the Maryland bar, and he is registered to practice before the USPTO. He graduated, cum laude, from The University of Baltimore School of Law and received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and his Masters of Science in Structural Engineering from the University of Delaware.

Dr. Jennifer Knight joined Clements Bernard Walker (CBW) as Of Counsel in 2018. Prior to joining CBW, Jennifer managed a solo law practice for two years after completing a successful thirty-year career with Eastman Chemical Company. While at Eastman Chemical, Jennifer spent seventeen years in various technical and managerial roles, three years in law school and law internships, and ten years as Intellectual Property Council. Jennifer is a member of the Tennessee and North Carolina bars, and she is registered to practice before the USPTO. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee College of Law, earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at the University of Tennessee, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts. She is also a Patent Pro Bono volunteer and Patent Pro Bono Co-chair for the North Carolina Bar Association, Intellectual Property Law Section. Jennifer lives in Charlotte with her husband and in close proximity to six grand people (ages 3 to 7) and their parents.

Sandra Nowak is Associate Chief IP Counsel of 3M’s Health Care Business Group, which connects people, insights, science, and technology to solve problems and make better health possible. Since joining 3M in 2005, Ms. Nowak held positions of increasing responsibility within the 3M Legal Affairs Department.  In her various roles, Ms. Nowak has worked on various patent, trademark, domain name, and trade secret litigation matters; negotiated numerous global IP agreements; and has filed and/or prosecuted over a hundred patent applications.  Ms. Nowak began her legal career as an IP attorney with Stoel Rives LLP in Portland, Oregon. Prior to law school, Ms. Nowak performed chemical research for the United States Department of Agriculture.  Ms. Nowak has a JD from the University of Oregon law school and a BA (Chemistry) from Franklin and Marshall College. Ms. Nowak is also passionate about diversity in innovation.  She helps lead this effort at 3M and around the world in her role as co-chair of the Intellectual Property Owners Association’s (IPO’s) Women in IP Committee and Diverse Inventors Subcommittee, where she works with a global group of IP professionals and inventors to advance diversity in the legal profession and in the innovation ecosphere. In April 2019, Ms. Nowak testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee on the topic of Trailblazers and Lost Einsteins: Women Inventors and the Future of American Innovation.

Warren Tuttle has for many years overseen the Open Innovation product programs for several industry leading companies including publicly traded Lifetime Brands in the housewares and tabletop arenas (Farberware, Kitchen Aid and 40 other brands), Techtronics Industries Power Tool Group in the power tool and hardware industries (Ryobi, Rigid, Hart Tools and other brands) and Merchant Media in the Direct Response Television category (True Touch and other brands). He was also the person behind the launch of several highly successful consumer products including MISTO, The Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer and the SmartSpin Storage Container System. Currently Warren is the Open Innovation Director for MarketBlast, the premier platform for innovators submitting new, unique & innovative products directly to leading companies. Warren personally interacts with thousands of inventors every year and has initiated well over 100 new consumer product licensing agreements that have collectively generated more than a billion dollars in retail sales. Warren is also a well-known advocate for inventor rights. He served for 12 years as the President of the United Inventors Association Board of Directors, a national 501c3 non-profit with high ethical standards that helps inventors through education, advocacy and the sponsorship of inventor booth pavilions at industry trade shows such as the National Hardware and Housewares Shows. Warren is also a member of the National Pro Bono Patent Council (PBAC) and the Department of Commerce Council for Innovation Inclusion (CI2). He also co-chairs the Creator Committee for the US Intellectual Property Alliance (USIPA). Warren’s book, Inventor Confidential: The Honest Guide to Profitable Innovation, is published by Harper Collins and available on Amazon. He lives with his wife Lynn in Southern Connecticut and has three wonderful daughters, all well-educated and pursuing inspiring careers. He enjoys skiing, motorcycling, golf and travel. Please visit Warren’s website www.tuttleinnovation.com or email him at wwtuttle@yahoo.com.