Blog

8:30 – 9:30 AM

Speakers:

• Melissa Buss, 3M, St. Paul, MN

• Bea Koempel-Thomas, Lee & Hayes, PC, Spokane, WA

Speakers

• Kepler, Tracy L

  CNA | Rick Control Consulting Director, Lawyers' Professional Liability Program

  Tracy L. Kepler is the Risk Control Consulting Director for CNA’s Lawyers Insurance Program. In this role, she designs and develops content and distribution of risk control initiatives relevant to the practice of law. She collaborates with the underwriting and claims teams to develop and execute strategies for the profitable growth of the program. Tracy lectures frequently at CNA-sponsored events and at state and local bar associations and national seminars hosted by industry-leading organizations. She also writes articles focusing on law firm risk control and professional responsibility issues.
• Loza, Christina

  Managing Partner | Loza &Loza

  Christina “Tina” Loza founded Loza & Loza, LLP in 2005 and currently acts as managing partner of the firm, a distributed and mostly virtual intellectual property boutique. Tina is a registered patent attorney but enjoys practicing mostly trademark prosecution and litigation. Tina is a former President of NAWBO-CA and NAWBO-IE and currently sits on the boards of the 100 Mile Club and FAR For A Reason. She is also an adjunct professor at University of La Verne – School of Law, where she teaches Intellectual Property Law and Trademark Law.
• Koempel-Thomas, Bea

  Lee & Hayes | Patent Attorney/Partner

  Bea leads Lee & Hayes’ International Practice. She advises and assists clients on a variety of intellectual property issues including drafting patent applications for international prosecution to enhance the business value of assets and managing international patent portfolios.
• Buss, Melissa E.

  3M Company | Assistant Chief Intellectual Property Counsel & Global IP Team Leader

  Melissa is an Assistant Chief Intellectual Property Counsel and Global IP Team Leader at 3M Company based in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has been practicing law for 3M since her graduation from law school in 2000. She is the currently the Global IP Team Leader for 3M’s Industrial Adhesives & Tape Division, which has the largest product portfolio within 3M with $3 Billion in WW sales. After the COVID pandemic started, Melissa was asked to become the Global IP attorney for 3M’s Disposable Respirator Business, which includes N95 masks, and has approximately $1.5 Billion in WW sales. Prior to these assignments, Melissa was the Global IP Team leader for a large Health Care Division with over $1 Billion in WW sales.
• Bevacqua-Lynott, Amber

  Buchalter | Senior Counsel

  Amber Bevacqua-Lynott is Senior Counsel in the Firm’s Portland and San Diego offices, and a member of the Firm’s Professional Responsibility and Litigation Practice Groups.  Ms. Bevacqua-Lynott provides guidance and legal representation to attorneys, licensed professionals, and other business clients, including firms and in-house legal departments. Her practice centers on legal ethics, risk management, and discipline defense. She acts as outside counsel to clients in a variety of industries, providing advice and counsel on all manner of ethics issues, including conflicts, confidentiality, malpractice, risk management, and fee issues.