CLE Meetings
Noon CLE meetings are typically held at the Belo Mansion on the fourth Thursday of every month (with some exceptions).
We also host periodic breakfast CLE roundtable discussions at a North Dallas location on important IP topics.
April 23, 2026
(Virtual Only, Noon)
IP Section CLE
Presentation
"Developing and Defending Consumer Surveys in 2026: Federal Courts, the TTAB, and the Emerging Role of AI"
CLE Credit: 1.00 hr
Speaker: J. Michael Keyes, Partner
Consumer surveys remain among the most powerful—and most closely scrutinized—forms of evidence in trademark litigation. At the TTAB, surveys are central to disputes involving genericness, secondary meaning, and likelihood of confusion, while federal courts continue to refine expectations around methodological rigor, universe selection, controls, and expert testimony under Daubert. This presentation will address recent developments in the treatment of survey evidence, including decisions from the Fifth Circuit, and highlight the issues the TTAB and courts are focusing on right now. The program will also briefly touch on emerging AI-driven developments—including early discussions surrounding “synthetic respondents”—to demonstrate where survey evidence may be headed.
IP Section
Officers and Directors
for 2026
Officers:
Chair – John Tower
Vice Chair – Kirby Drake
Secretary – Matt Acosta
Treasurer - Stephanie Sivinski
Imm. Past Chair – Justin Cohen
Directors:
Craig C. Carpenter
Jeff Becker
Ozz Siddiq
Srini Chakravarthi
Bill McSpadden
Sarah Foley
Tiffany Johnson
Bethany Salpietra
David Diamond
Matt Cornelia
By Xato (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Sheet music: "Beauiful Dreamer" by Stephen Foster
May 28, 2026
IP Section CLE Lunch (Noon, Hybrid)
Arts District Mansion (1 Hr CLE)
"The IP-Tax Nexus: R&D Tax Credits, IP Ownership, and the Evolving Legislative Landscape"
Speaker: Kevin H. Culver, Royse Partners Limited
Description: This CLE program examines the significant and often overlooked intersection of intellectual property law and federal R&D tax credits, offering practitioners a practical framework for advising clients engaged in innovative activity.