MIP podcasts

The former Western District of Texas judge addresses perceptions of his courtroom, reveals what comes next as he returns to practice at A&O Shearman and explains why marathon running is ‘cathartic’.

Alan Albright became one of the most closely watched judges during his tenure as US District Judge for the Western District of Texas.

His heavy patent docket and preference for fast-paced trials had some questioning his practices, but was all the criticism justified?

Managing IP’s senior reporter, Sanjana Mishra, sat down with Albright to speak about growing his IP career in Texas.

From serving as a US magistrate judge at the mere age of 32 and later becoming one of the most well-known patent litigation district court judges, to now returning to private practice as an IP litigator at A&O Shearman, Albright’s career continues to be of significance.

When he’s not working, Albright spends his free time running marathons; an experience he says is not always enjoyable but always cathartic.

Following his move to A&O Shearman, Albright explains what drew him back to private practice and how his experience overseeing thousands of patent cases will shape his approach to litigation from the other side of the bench. He also reveals what separates the exceptional patent trial lawyer from the competent one.

While Albright’s career has certainly left its mark on the patent litigation world, he hopes that people remember his legacy as a career led with respect, kindness, and approachability. 

Ben Scott has faced deliveries from fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and legendary spinner Shane Warne, enough to make anyone quake in their boots.

The former professional cricketer was a wicketkeeper and batsman, primarily playing first-class county cricket for Surrey and Middlesex in the UK. He was also selected for the England Lions tour of New Zealand in 2009. 

But he faced a different challenge altogether when, after ending his cricket career, he launched Etched – a legal tech platform for creatives to help manage and log their ideas and creations. 

Scott left his comfort zone to enter the world of shiny boardrooms and business development, all the while navigating the tricky subject of IP, a topic he had little knowledge of at the start.

Asked which was harder, pitching to a room full of lawyers or facing Shane Warne and Shoaib Akhtar, he responded: “At least back then I had a bat.”

In this episode, Scott talks through his journey from sportsman to businessman, when he first became aware of IP, the parallels between the life of a sports star and an entrepreneur, and why he sees a gap in the market with Etched.  

Rapid shifts in the intellectual property landscape are raising new challenges for businesses striving to avoid the last resort of litigation and the resulting drain on time and resources. Zacco’s Thomas Rukin, the group IP litigation director, and Maria Beijer, a senior partner, highlight the key considerations in a podcast with Phil Myers, Managing IP’s commercial editor.

The following points are addressed:

• How the Unified Patent Court’s introduction has affected the handling of patent disputes, and why a localised IP strategy remains important;
• The increasing prominence of AI in infringement disputes and evidence-gathering;
• How disputes escalate into formal legal proceedings;
• Alternative routes for resolving disputes without litigation;
• How the scope of counterfeiting and copycat behaviour is broadening from apparel to fields such as software and food products; and
• Practical advice for stakeholders who believe they are the victim of infringement or those forced to defend themselves against accusations.

IP owners can face an arduous process involving experts, patent and trademark offices, appeal boards, and mediation before a case even reaches a court’s books. However, proactive steps can help mitigate the risk of incurring substantial costs. As Rukin says, “the best defence is a good offence”.

Academic Eden Sarid joins us for a special Pride Month episode to discuss the intersection of queer expression and IP law, Patagonia v Pattie Gonia, and how both queer and AI-generated creations pose novelty concerns.

In the US, UK, and other places around the world, June marks Pride Month, a month-long recognition of the LGBTQIA+ community.

To mark this celebration, Managing IP’s senior reporter, Sanjana Mishra, sat down with Dr Eden Sarid, lecturer at King’s College in London.

In this episode, Sarid talks through his academic article, ‘A Queer Analysis of Intellectual Property’ where he explores why IP law is not neutral and often excludes queer communities.

He shares that queer innovators, including fan fiction artists, drag queens, and queercore subcultures, are not afforded the same IP protections that heteronormative creators enjoy, often because of sex-negative and queer-negative attitudes in court.

Sarid believes that IP law structures do not need a complete dismantling to account for queer creators; rather, they need to be reimagined.

IP law can be more inclusive, he says, by adopting a ‘bottom up’ approach and providing greater tools, opportunities, and power to queer innovators, allowing for an environment where queer expression and IP law thrive simultaneously.

Additionally, Sarid discusses the Patagonia v Pattie Gonia trademark case in the US, which has sparked plenty of debate.

He speaks about why IP lawyers and corporates will be monitoring the case to determine how to approach lawsuits with drag queens who use pseudonyms that are similar to brand company names. 

Chris Adams, Managing IP’s research lead, joins us to explain what practitioners need to know ahead of our first rankings release of 2026.

In this episode, we are joined by Chris Adams, research lead at Managing IP, who talks us through the changes to our 2026 rankings releases.

Starting next week, we will release four batches of jurisdiction-specific rankings, each covering specific practice areas, as well as firm reviews and client testimonials.

Our first release, covering Asia-Pacific, is scheduled for June 4.

Rather than launching separate rankings for different practice areas with multijurisdictional inclusion, practice area rankings will instead be included in four separate jurisdiction-based updates.

The timeline for releases is as follows:

• Asia-Pacific: June 4
• Western Europe: June 25
• CEE Middle East and Africa: July 16
• Americas: July 30

Adams explains why IP STARS decided to make the change and how the new format will help firms plan their communications and marketing material around the rankings.

IP STARS rankings for corporate stars and the Top 250 Women in IP will be published separately.

Michelle Lee discusses reaching milestones at the USPTO, AI’s role in legal work, and empowering women in tech and IP law.

In this episode, we are joined by Michelle Lee, the former undersecretary of commerce for IP and director of USPTO, and the founder and CEO of Obsidian Strategies.

Lee sat down with Managing IP’s senior reporter, Sanjana Mishra, to talk through her career.

She reveals that her career was inspired by her childhood, noting that the fathers in her community had technical backgrounds and often experimented with innovation.

Her love for creation and technology kick-started her journey in patent law and eventually led to her becoming the first woman director of the USPTO.

Lee says her USPTO achievement fuels her passion to uplift women in tech and IP law. She emphasises the importance of creating more opportunities for inventors across all races, genders, and ages.

We also discuss Lee’s current role as the CEO of Obsidian, which specialises in guiding companies through AI transformation, risk management, and executive training, and her partnership with the youth organisation Girl Scouts.

João Negrão, EUIPO executive director, is joined by a seasoned official to reflect on three decades of stories. 

On April 1, the EUIPO will celebrate 30 years since EU trademarks first became available to register.

Although the 1994 EU Trade Mark Regulation formally established the EUTM – originally called the community trademark – it was not until April 1 1996, that the new IP right became available to applicants.

The milestone marked the introduction of the EUTM system, which has significantly simplified trademark protection across Europe.

To mark this anniversary, our latest podcast welcomes two EUIPO stalwarts – João Negrão, the EUIPO’s executive director, and Jacqueline Winkelmolen, a team leader who has been in Alicante since that first day in 1996.

Winkelmolen recalls those early days, including dealing with paper-based applications, and assesses whether the demand for EUTMs exceeded predictions. Negrão considers how the office has developed in the years since, taking on competencies for designs and geographical indications.

Simon Wright explains why the UK should embrace the possibility of rejoining the UPC, and reveals how CIPA is reacting to this month’s historic Emotional Perception AI case at the UK Supreme Court. 

In the latest episode, we are joined by Simon Wright, the 2026 president of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys.

Wright, who became president in January, shares what he has been up to in his first two months and outlines his priorities for the year.

Chief on his agenda is maximising UK attorneys’ use of the Unified Patent Court. The UK, he argues, should explore whether there is an appetite for rejoining the system. He says CIPA is well placed to help in this regard. 

We explore how he became involved with the association and other main themes for 2026, including navigating the potential opportunities arising from the UK Supreme Court’s ruling in the Emotional Perception AI case.

We also discuss Wright’s passion for engaging with SMEs.

In this Managing IP podcast, recorded in collaboration with Maiwald, leading European patent attorneys unpack what it takes to patent AI successfully in a field where technology and regulation are moving at speed.

Reflecting the pace of change in this area, the EPO issued an updated preview of its AI-related guidance after the podcast was recorded, underlining how quickly examination practice continues to evolve.

The following speakers from Maiwald share their insights based on deep technical and strategic experience across software, machine learning, and industrial applications:

• Dr Ian Weaver, partner;
• Dr Fabian Kiendl, counsel; 
• Attila Kimpan, of counsel; and
• Lutz Kietzmann, partner.

They explore how the EPO approaches AI-related inventions and address the following key issues:

• The question of whether an AI invention is truly technical;
• What patent offices expect to see regarding training methods, data sources, and model structure – and why enablement can reveal hidden claim opportunities;
• How narratives can help open the ‘AI black box’ to guide examiners, judges, and future enforcement; and
• The importance of matching filing strategies to the speed of AI innovation.

Listen to the podcast for practical insights on turning AI ideas into defensible intellectual property rights.

Deborah Hampton talks through her hopes for the year, INTA’s patent focus, London 2026, and her love of music. 

In this episode, we are joined by Deborah Hampton, the 2026 INTA president.

Hampton, global brand enforcement and trademark leader at the Chemours Company, started her one-year term on January 1 2026. She succeeded Elisabeth Stewart Bradley of Bristol Myers Squibb.

Hampton sat down with Managing IP’s senior reporter, Sanjana Mishra, to discuss her plans for the year.

We explore how she became involved with the association, the main themes for INTA during 2026, and how the association is preparing for the 2026 Annual Meeting in London.

We also discuss what it means for Hampton to become INTA’s first African-American president and what the IP profession lacks when it comes to equal opportunities.

Lastly, our guest takes on a ‘quickfire’ round to give us a flavour of the person behind the president.