Written Description and Sufficiency for AI Inventions

Yejin Kim is a partner at Sughrue Mion with twenty years of experience in patent prosecution, portfolio management, and counseling. Her practice is focused on electrical engineering and computer science arts. Before attending law school and practicing patent law in the U.S., Yejin gained experience as a Korean patent attorney at a reputable law firm in Korea and as in-house counsel at Samsung Electronics. 

Carl Kukkonen is a recognized leading IP strategist with Jones Day with more than 25 years of experience helping AI clients build litigation-ready patent portfolios, minimize risk through invalidity and freedom-to-operate analyses, and develop and implement litigation strategies.  Carl has helped clients protect diverse AI technologies including machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing innovations across diverse industries including cybersecurity, manufacturing and supply chain, drug discovery, and medical devices. 

Laura Sheridan is Head of Patent Policy at Google, advocating for an effective patent examination process, a patent litigation system that operates fairly for all participants, and transparency in these areas. She has shared her views on patent issues in numerous policy dialogues, including testifying before Congress on the intersection of AI and patents. Her patent policy work is shaped by years of private practice experience in patent prosecution, litigation, due diligence, and post-grant practice before the Patent Office. An active member of the IP community, Laura is part of the Intellectual Property Owners Association delegation to IP5 Industry, a group which engages on procedural harmonization matters with the IP5 Offices (the Offices of China, Europe, Japan, Korea, and the US). Laura also helped to form the New York chapter of ChIPs and is a member of the Advisory Board for the NYU Law Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy. Laura studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University and received her J.D. from Fordham Law School. 

Nicole A. Spence is an IBM Brand Counsel for the Data and AI business unit, as well as one of IBM’s AI and IP Policy attorneys for North America. Prior to her current IBM role, she was an IBM patent attorney for more than two years and IP Counsel for more than three years. She is also a certified information privacy professional in the US and the EU. Prior to IBM, Nicole practiced as a litigator for more than seven years, and she had her own practice for more than two years, where she advised start-ups in FinTech, music, fashion and software on IP and corporate matters. She earned her BA in Molecular Biology and History at Smith College, and her JD from New York Law School.