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This week on IPWatchdog Unleashed, our host and the founder of IPWatchdog, Gene Quinn, speaks with Nancy Braman. The conversation focuses on Nancy’s journey through intellectual property returns. From taking PLI patent bar review course before law school, to attending Franklin Pierce Law School, to spending more than three years writing and researching for IPWatchdog and now litigating high-stakes patent and intellectual property disputes for life sciences and technology companies.

Recorded before a live audience at IPWatchdog’s Women’s IP Forum, the conversation explores what it takes to build a career in patent law—and what conventional measures of achievement can miss. From commercial fishing in Alaska to patent prosecution and litigation, Braman’s experience illustrates how resilience, deliberate follow-through, and meaningful professional relationships create opportunities.

Quinn and Braman discuss the practical realities of developing talent in a demanding profession, including increasingly early law firm recruiting and the pressure on students to make career decisions before receiving their first-semester grades. They offer concrete guidance on approaching mentors, making professional outreach personal, and communicating the value of an unconventional background. For aspiring practitioners and those responsible for hiring and mentoring them, the discussion examines how potential is recognized and cultivated.

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This week on IPWatchdog Unleashed, our host and the founder of IPWatchdog, Gene Quinn, speaks with Fran Cruz and Marlene Valderrama. Recorded before a live audience following IPWatchdog’s Women’s IP Forum, the conversation brings together perspectives from Juristat and Halliburton to explore how authentic relationships drive business development, career advancement, and more effective IP operations.

The discussion examines what earns the attention of overstretched in-house teams: understanding their business, identifying specific challenges, and offering insights that make their jobs easier. From patent portfolio reviews to maintenance-fee decisions, the guests explain how careful listening and tailored outreach create opportunities to deliver value. As AI fuels a growing volume of generic messages, preparation, relevance, and follow-through become critical differentiators.

Gene, Fran, and Marlene also explore the distinction between mentorship and active sponsorship, the importance of referrals, and why networking matters even for professionals who are not seeking clients. For IP practitioners and leaders, the conversation offers practical guidance on building trusted relationships, exchanging useful insights, and translating professional engagement into lasting business and career opportunities.

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This week on IPWatchdog Unleashed, IPWatchdog President Renee C. Quinn, speaks with Coke Morgan Stewart about her time leading the USPTO and her new role as president and CEO of the Council for Innovation Promotion. Stewart describes the operational pressures she encountered at the agency, from the patent application backlog and hiring freeze to the challenge of leading a largely remote workforce through rapid change.

The conversation turns to the uncertainty facing patent owners: eligibility questions, limited confidence in remedies, and repeated validity challenges, including proceedings before the PTAB. Stewart explains why strong examination and agency action matter, but argues that lasting improvements to patent rights require Congress to act.

Recorded at IPWatchdog’s annual Women’s IP Forum, the discussion also explores leadership under pressure, career transitions, and the difference between mentoring and sponsorship. Stewart offers practical advice on building relationships with people who can champion your career—and on asking them for help with a specific purpose.

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