2023 NDA 9th Annual Conference

Stephen Arathuzik Senior Docketing Specialist Trademark Docketing Team Stephen Arathuzik is a Senior Docketing Specialist with the Trademark Docketing Team at Perkins Coie LLP. He is based in Southern California and supports prosecution teams throughout the country. In addition to his daily docketing tasks, Stephen works to develop and deliver training to his own team as well as to the paralegal group he supports. His interest in the Madrid Protocol developed while onboarding a trademark team with an expansive Madrid portfolio, and it has only deepened in the years following. While Stephen’s career has spanned the better part of seventeen years and has included all facets of IP docketing, he most enjoys sharing his knowledge of and experience with the Madrid Protocol.

Andrew Barnes Chief Deputy Clerk Second Circuit Andrew Barnes is the Chief Deputy Clerk for the Second Circuit. He joined the Court of Appeals in 2017 as Counsel to the Clerk after working in litigation for 7 years and at the NY Attorney General’s Office prior to that. He holds a J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law and a B.A. from Tulane University

Kristin Bigelow Patent Administration Supervisor Foley Hoag LLP Kristin Bigelow is the Patent Administration Supervisor at Foley Hoag LLP. She has worked in Intellectual Property for over 15 years and has experience in most areas of patent and trademark prosecution, including docketing, filing support, and annuities in both US and foreign jurisdictions. She is well versed in training new hires on procedure and policy. She has been an active member of the NDA since its first year and has participated in multiple committees, and currently serves on the Resource Library subcommittee.

Lisa Cadungug Paralegal and Firm Administrator McEwen Gisvold LLP Joining us from Portland, Oregon, is Lisa Cadungug, Paralegal and Firm Administrator at McEwen Gisvold LLP. Lisa is a certified litigation paralegal with over twenty years of experience in the legal field, and wears many hats– paralegal work and docketing for the litigation department, as well as a variety of practice management and administrative tasks for the firm. She has been a co-editor of the NDA newsletter since 2012. For this service, she, along with the other co-editors, received the National Docketing Association 2018 Achievement Award. In addition, Lisa has held a number of board positions on both the Portland and Oregon chapters of the National Association for Legal Support Professionals. Lisa enjoys collaborating with her different teams to improve processes and ensure the office runs smoothly.

Ross Centanni Deputy Circuit Executive Second Circuit Ross Centanni has 16 years of experience in the Federal Judiciary working with Louisiana Middle District, Texas Southern District, and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He is currently the Deputy Circuit Executive for the Second Circuit and involved in the judicial administration of the federal courts in New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.

Chris De Santis Organizational Behavior Practitioner, Speaker, Podcast Host, and Author Chris De Santis is an independent organizational behavior practitioner, speaker, podcast host of Cubicle Confidential, and now an author of “Why I Find You Irritating: Navigating Generational Friction at Work.” He has over thirty-five years of experience working with clients in professional services firms, technology companies, and financial services, and often, based on their sponsorship, working with their clients, both domestically and internationally. While he has been speaking on behalf of embracing generational diversity for past fifteen years, this is his first book on the topic. He has his undergraduate degree in business from the University of Notre Dame, his master’s degree in business from the University of Denver and a master’s in organization development from Loyola University. He lives in a quiet corner in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Sean Dougherty Primary Patent Examiner and Outreach Advisor Rocky Mountain U. S. Patent and Trademark Office Sean Dougherty is a Primary Patent Examiner in Technology Center 3700 at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He started work at the USPTO in 2007 as a Patent Examiner specializing in medical diagnostics. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biosystems and Biomedical Engineering from Michigan State University.

Lori Grazio Associate Director of Docket & Court Services Jones Day Lori Grazio is the Associate Director of Docket & Court Services at Jones Day. Lori earned her law degree from The Catholic University of America and got her start in the Docketing profession after a short stint as a practicing attorney. Prior to starting at Jones Day in 2019, she was the DC Managing Attorney at Willkie Farr & Gallagher and the Supervising Attorney of Litigation Services at Latham & Watkins. During Lori’s tenure at Jones Day, she has managed a conversion from two separate docketing platforms to a single platform. Following that transition, Lori centralized the Docket & Court Services team by transforming it into a firm-based department with four regional teams. Lori has been based in Washington, DC throughout her career and is a member of the NDA’s DC Chapter.

Laurie Jennings Docketing Specialist Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough Joining us from Columbia, SC, is Laurie Jennings, Docketing Specialist at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough. Laurie has held various positions at Nelson Mullins for over twenty-five years, most recently as Docketing Specialist for the last 15 years. She joined the National Docketing Association in its first year and currently serves as one of three co-editors for the Newsletter. For this service, she, along with the other co-editors, received the National Docketing Association 2018 Achievement Award. In addition, Laurie is President of the South Carolina Roster Administrators, established in 2009, to facilitate communication between docketers and state court clerk’s offices during the transition of rosters to the online platform. In addition to core responsibilities as Docketing Specialist, Laurie actively collaborates with docketers, departments and other legal professionals inside and outside of her firm to maintain and promote docketing as an integral tool for the legal profession.

Molly Kocialski Director of the Rocky Mountain Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office As the Director of the Rocky Mountain Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), since January 2016, Mollybeth (Molly) Kocialski carries out the strategic direction of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, and is responsible for leading the Rocky Mountain regional office. Focusing on the nine states within this region and actively engaging with the community, Ms. Kocialski ensures the USPTO’s initiatives and programs are tailored to the region’s unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders. Ms. Kocialski brings more than 20 years of intellectual property experience to the USPTO. Most recently, Ms. Kocialski was the Senior Patent Counsel for Oracle America, Inc, where she was responsible for managing an active patent prosecution docket and was also responsible for all of the post-grant procedures and patent investigations for Oracle and its subsidiaries. Prior to Oracle, she worked at Qwest Corporation and was also in private practice in both New York and Colorado focusing on intellectual property litigation for multiple high-tech companies while maintaining an active prosecution docket. Ms. Kocialski is a recognized IP leader in the Rocky Mountain region. Ms. Kocialski currently serves on the Colorado Federal Executive Board’s Executive Committee. Ms. Kocialski is the Vice President of the Colorado IP Inn of Court and was previously the Chair of the Planning Committee and a member of the Board of Directors of the Colorado IP Inn of Court. Further, Ms. Kocialski is a member of the Planning Committee for the Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property Institute, an annual two-day conference on intellectual property that attracts over 500 attendees. She was the Chair of the Intellectual Property Section of the Colorado Bar Association and served on the Colorado Bar Association’s Board of Governors. Ms. Kocialski served as the head of the IP Committee and was a member of the Board of Directors for the Colorado Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel and served on the National IP Committee of the Association of the Corporate Counsel. In 2015, Ms. Kocialski was recognized by Managing IP magazine as one of its North America Corporate IP Stars. Ms. Kocialski is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law and received a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. Ms. Kocialski is a registered patent attorney and is admitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the New York and Colorado state bars as well as to the United States Courts in those jurisdictions.

David Le Assistant Regional Director Rocky Mountain USPTO David joined the USPTO in January 2009, and examined patents relating to information security and cryptography. He joined the outreach team in various roles at the Rocky Mountain Regional Office in 2016 and 2018, and transitioned to the Assistant Regional Director in February 2020. The Rocky Mountain USPTO services Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. He has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and a Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University School of Law. He is also a member of the Oklahoma State Bar. He enjoys all sports and outdoor activities including snowboarding, camping, and all sorts of fishing.

Lori Martin IP Paralega The J.M. Smucker Company Almost nineteen years of experience as an IP Paralegal, the last eight of which having been spent with The J.M. Smucker Company, where I am responsible for the filing, docketing, and maintaining of the entire patent portfolio, and for assisting IP attorneys and R&D scientists with clearance searches. Am also in charge of keeping the Company’s virtual patent marking website updated and ensuring that product packaging is properly marked.

Marie Milovanovich Litigation Docket Manager Weintraub Tobin Marie Milovanovich is the Litigation Docket Manager at Weintraub Tobin in Sacramento, CA, since 2014, and an NDA member since year 2 of our organization. She is currently a Co-Chair for the NDA SF Bay Area Chapter since 2018. She has 20+ years of experience in the legal field as a paralegal and docket professional - litigation docketing in state and federal civil litigation, appellate, CEQA, CPUC, Eminent Domain, Criminal, FCC, WCAB, EEOC, Probate, Family, Bankruptcy, Patent, Trademark, National Labor Relations Board, Fair Employment and Housing Act, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, Unlawful Detainer, OAH, JAMS, and AAA. In 2004, Marie obtained an ABA approved paralegal certification and completed the BA in Law Studies Program from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA.

Bradley Rank Assistant General Counsel / Director of Docket & Calendar Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP Bradley Rank is Assistant General Counsel / Director of Docket & Calendar for Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP. He is based in the firm's New York office, where he also fulfills managing attorney duties for the New York-based litigation matters. As Assistant General Counsel / Director of Docket & Calendar, Bradley oversees policy and procedure for the firm's Docket & Calendar Department, and works closely with the Office of the General Counsel and the Docket & Calendar Manager to ensure best practices with regard to docketing and calendaring deadlines, avoiding conflicts of interest, and maintaining professional responsibility for the firm's litigation matters. As managing attorney for the firm's New York office, Bradley provides procedural advice and assistance to the firm's attorneys in connection with litigated matters in New York state and federal courts. He acts as a primary point of contact between the firm's attorneys and the courts, and is heavily involved in the filing of court documents and litigation strategy with respect to any procedural issues. He also is responsible for oversight of the litigation docket and calendar (including calculation and calendaring of all future dates), service of court papers, and other litigation support tasks. Prior to joining Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, Bradley spent over ten years litigating commercial disputes in New York State and Federal Courts for a boutique litigation firm.

John Robinson Co-Chair San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Docketing Association John Robinson has been the Co-Chair of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Docketing Association since May, 2020. He is a Docketing Manager with over 20 years of experience as a senior docketing specialist, docketing specialist, paralegal, records supervisor, file clerk and legal assistant. John received his MPA from California State University East Bay and a BA in Political Science, Minor in Latin American Studies from Boston University. He also has his Paralegal Certificate from ABA-approved San Francisco State University.

Joe Scott licensed California attorney, entrepreneur, and consultant Joseph C. Scott, J.D., is a licensed California attorney, entrepreneur, and consultant with over 20 years of experience working in the legal industry. As a recognized expert, he has served on several industry and company advisory boards and authored numerous articles on legal technologies and risk management. He regularly speaks on the deployment and effective implementation of innovative technologies in the business and practice of law. At CompuLaw, the Company that pioneered Rules-Based Legal Calendaring Software, Joe was Vice-President and General Manager and part of the ownership and management team that led CompuLaw into a dominant market position and then played a key role during the company’s acquisition by Aderant. Through his consulting firm, GSS&P Consulting, Joe continues to provide strategic guidance on growth strategies and tactical direction to law firms and legal software companies. Joe has been an enthusiastic friend, collaborator, and supporter of the NDA since its very inception. He was our keynote speaker at our second Annual Conference in San Antonio, and now, we are delighted to have him join us in Boston. Joe is eager to share his unique perspectives on the evolving legal landscape and perhaps spark some revolutionary thinking in the face of technological advancements.

Yashita Sharma Primary Patent Examiner & Outreach Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Regional Office Yashita Sharma is a Primary Patent Examiner in Technology Center 3700 at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). She started work at the USPTO in 2008 as a Patent Examiner specializing in medical devices, implants and prosthetics. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Bradley Small Managing Attorney Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP Bradley Small is the Managing Attorney for Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP where he sets the strategic direction for the Managing Attorney’s Office. Bradley and his team provide docketing, calendaring and filing services, research and analysis to the firm’s litigators on procedural issues to assist with compliance with court rules. Cadwalader’s centralized docketing team, which Bradley oversees, serves as the primary point of contact between the firm and the courts. He also provides strategic advice to the firm’s attorneys and management on a broad range of risk management issues to assist with compliance of ethical and legal obligations. Bradley joined Cadwalader in 2019 after a career with extensive litigation experience. Prior to joining Cadwalader, he worked as an associate at two mid-size firms, Bradley was the primary handling attorney of cases and his responsibilities included everything from responding to or filing complaints through trial. Bradley was recently elected to the Managing Attorneys’ and Clerks’ Association board of directors. Bradley also presented at the NDA Conference in 2022 on the topic of “Building Your Brand.”

Karen Testa Litigation Docketing Manager Saul Ewing Karen Testa’s well-established career in the legal industry includes devoting the past 20 years to leading docketing teams in major law firm environments. Presently the Litigation Docketing Manager of the full-service national law firm Saul Ewing, Karen is committed to servant leadership, key stakeholders’ satisfaction, breaking down silos and empowering staff development. Karen is a member of ILTA’s (International Legal Technology Association) Litigation Docketing Workgroup and the IPMA (International Practice Management Association) Docketing Affinity Group, Communications Committee and Mid-Atlantic Chapter. She has been a member of the National Docketing Association since 2011, contributing to its Conference Speakers Committee and as a member and past co-chair of its Philadelphia Chapter. In addition, Karen is a member of the NDA’s Publications Committee. For this service, she, along with the other co-editors, received the National Docketing Association 2018 Achievement Award. Inspired by other NDA members, she encourages everyone to immerse themselves in its extensive resources.