NAPP AMC 2026 Speakers
Jennifer Bales
Partner
Presentation Title: In Re Blue Buffalo and Functional Language Murkiness

Jennifer Bales was employed as an engineer with Hughes Aircraft Company prior to law school at the University of Colorado. While at Hughes, Jennifer developed systems for digital signal processing, image processing and radar, while attaining a master’s degree in optics from University of Southern California. Jennifer has extensive experience obtaining and enforcing patents in the fields of signal processing, optics, optoelectronics, radar, and lidar. She is currently a partner in the intellectual property firm Macheledt Bales LLP.
David Boundy
Partner
Presentation Title: Using Petitions to Keep from Getting Stuck

David Boundy is a partner at Pierson Ferdinand LLP. Mr. Boundy practices at the intersection of patent and administrative law, and consults with other firms on court and administrative agency proceedings, including PTAB trials and appeals. In 2007–09, Mr. Boundy led teams that successfully urged the Office of Management and Budget to withhold approval of the USPTO’s continuations, 5/25 claims, information disclosure statements, and appeal regulations under the Paperwork Reduction Act. He may be reached at DavidBoundyEsq@gmail.com
Devin Brennan
Co-founder, Principal
Presentation Title: An Introduction to Standards Essential Patents

Devin Brennan is the co-founder of Flare, an IP boutique firm, where he leads the preparation and prosecution team for several large companies. Before Flare, he transitioned from engineering into patent law, culminating in his promotion to Principal Patent Agent — the first partner-level patent agent position at an AM Law 200 firm. His work spans standards essential patents (SEPs), semiconductors, and cybersecurity.
Tom Cecil
Owner
Presentation Title: Updated Prosecution Strategies for a Rapidly Changing Patent Office

Tom Cecil is a registered patent attorney, owner of Cecil Law PLLC, and an adjunct professor of patent law at the Texas A&M University School of Law where he supervises the patent clinic. Tom has a background in electrical and computer engineering and assists clients of various sizes obtain IP protection, primarily in the electrical arts. Tom also has over a decade of complex IP litigation experience and applies lessons learned in litigation in his prosecution practice today.
Srini Chakravarthi
Partner
Presentation Title: Strategies for Writing Winning Pre-Appeal and Appeal Briefs

Srini Chakravarthi, Ph.D. is a partner at Slater Matsil, LLP, where he focuses on patent portfolio management including patent prosecution, licensing, and enforcement support, and leads a practice group specializing in semiconductors, circuits, signal processing, networking, and AI. With nearly two decades in IP practice and over a decade as an engineer and researcher, he is a named inventor on 25 U.S. patents and holds engineering degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology (B.S.) and Boston University (Ph.D.). He serves as Co-Chair of the Dallas Bar IP Section CLE Committee and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Texas A&M Law School.
Kirby Drake
Coming Soon
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Lee Eubanks
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Dahlia Girgis
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Genna Hibbs
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Jon Hobbs
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Greg Kavounas
Retired
Presentation Title: Patenting from In-House: Procuring Juror-Friendly Patents

Greg Kavounas was a patent attorney for over 30 years, of which 10 were in various in-house positions, defining the patenting of operating companies. He has authored the book Patent Ready®️ and has published articles in the industry about how to patent more robustly and how company management should think about patenting.
John Landells
Partner
Presentation Title: Patent practice essentials in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia

John is a patent attorney in Australia and New Zealand with about 25 years’ experience. John has a PhD in chemistry with a focus on drafting and global prosecution for Australian and New Zealand companies in therapeutics, food technologies, and materials area. John is also the current President of the Australian Institute of Patent and Trademark attorneys. (IPTA)
Mike Locklar
Principal
Presentation Title: In Re Blue Buffalo and Functional Language Murkiness

Michael G. “Mike” Locklar represents clients in a variety of fields, including chemicals, oil & gas, software, computers and computer hardware, electronics, consumer products, and medical devices. In his 23 years of IP practice, Mike’s practice has included litigation, prosecution, and transactional work.
Lissi Mojica
Coming Soon
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Gary ONeill
Managing Director
Presentation Title: Examiner Typology: A Humorous Look at Some Types and Stereotypes

Gary ONeill is Managing Director of Examiners Edge®️ Patent Agency and a licensed US Patent Agent. He has over 25 years of experience in areas of patent practice spanning private law firms, boutique IP businesses, and government, including as a former US Patent Examiner at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from NYU Polytechnic, a Master’s degree in Theology from Calvary Seminary, earned the Senior grade of the Institute of Elec/Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and serves on the international board of Elsevier’s Invention Disclosure Journal.
Peter-Anthony Pappas
Coming Soon
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Tammy Pennington Rhodes
Principal
Presentation Title: Intersection of AI, Ethics and the USPTO

Tammy Pennington Rhodes is the Principal at Supercharger, where she plays an active role in AI search strategy designs for the many AI powered services provided by Supercharger and counseling clients on AI effective and efficient search strategies. Prior to Supercharger, she represented clients in complex patent litigation as well as managed a diverse prosecution portfolio.
Kip Werking
Of Counsel
Presentation Title: The Power Law Curve of Patent Valuation

Kip has been practicing intellectual property law for over 15 years and is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Kip previously worked at several patent law boutiques, where he assisted numerous technology companies with preparing and prosecuting patent applications. His extensive experience spans various technology areas, including displays, projectors, xerography, electric vehicles and batteries, digital cameras and optics, games and artificial intelligence, cellular networks, cybersecurity, virtual/augmented reality, and semiconductors.
Bruce Young
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