Health Tech Forum - Nov. 27

Description

Catastrophic missteps in life science partnerships: 
A first-hand account in which even the most savvy get conned

Featuring:    Sanford Warren and Scott Rhoades, Warren Rhoades, LLP

Join the Health Tech Forum for a candid recounting of jaw-dropping experiences, serious consequences, and lessons learned in the medical device industry led by seasoned attorneys involved in a well-known medical fraud case.  

Sanford Warren and Scott Rhoades, then attorneys with the prestigious law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, took on a seemingly typical case in which a Dallas-based medical device company was their client.  Initially, everything seemed aboveboard, and they won their case.  In a shocking twist, the entire case was turned upside-down and ended with a completely different verdict.  Hear Sanford and Scott recount the surprising realizations regarding their own client, the evidence presented, and the exposure of deep, intentional fraud - all of which they unwittingly supported, ultimately landing them in federal court... as witnesses!  They will explain how this case and eventually their careers were impacted by the deceit.

This is a rare opportunity to hear the inside story about something that happens all too often, yet is rarely acknowledged.  So many companies - especially early stage and young companies - are so eager to establish partnerships that they rush to ink the contract.  Due diligence is often side-stepped when the connection originated as an introduction from a trusted source.  Take it from the most savvy of all, at the top of their game:  You can never underestimate the criticality of doing your research.  Sanford and Scott will unselfishly bare all in an effort to help others learn from their experience and avoid such a costly misstep!

About the speakers:
Sanford Warren has been one of the lead attorneys in intellectual property litigations representing:  a major medical device company in the successful defense of a patent infringement suit involving catheters used in kyphoplasty, a major semiconductor company in a successful patent infringement suit involving processes for manufacturing integrated circuits, a major telecommunications company in the successful defense of a patent infringement suit relating to wireless communication protocols, a major retail company in the successful defense of a patent infringement suit relating to RFID technology, a major restaurant chain in the successful defense of a copyright claim relating to its architectural design, and more.  He recevied his BS at Millsaps College and his JD at Tulane University Law School.  He is a lifetime fellow of the Dallas Bar Association Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation.

R. Scott Rhoades has extensive patent litigation experience in the wireless communication and electrical/computer fields, including disputes regarding both hardware and software inventions.  He has extensive experience representing the interests of clients, including the counseling of clients, management of world-wide patent and trademark portfolios, management of discovery, and involvement in  hearings/trials.  For the past several years, he has acted as lead counsel for defendants in multiple patent litigations in the Eastern District of Texas.  He is directly responsible for the determination and implementation of case strategies, the selection and pursuit of claim constructions through briefing, tutorials and claim construction hearings, the preparation and evaluation of fact and expert discovery, and preparation for trial on the merits.  He received his BSBA and BSEE from Kansas State Univeristy, and JD from University of Texas School of Law.