ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Cleveland State University College of Law, Cleveland, OH 2020-present
Assistant Professor of Law
· Organizer of IP+ Conference (2021-present); Program Director of Intellectual Property Program; created IP certificate program; other service below
EDUCATION
The George Washington University Law School, Washington, DC 2011
Juris Doctor, with honors
· World Champion, International & NorthAmerican Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition
· ResearchAssistant, Professor Lawrence Cunningham, Contracts &Business Law
· Notes Editor, American Intellectual Property LawAssociation Quarterly Journal
Arizona State University, Barrett Honors College, Tempe, AZ 2008
Bachelor of Science, magna cum laude, Biochemistry, GermanMinor
· BeckmanScholar (1 of 23 grants nation-wide for scientific research)
· BiochemistryAward (senior with most significant research contributions)
WORKS IN PROGRESS
Intangible: How Intellectual Property Affects Our Lives from Drugs to Startups to Taylor Swift and Why Recipe Blogs Are So Darn Long (Book)
Scientific Educations Among U.S. Federal Judges, an empirical study of judges' educations
PUBLICATIONS
Law Review Articles
Legal Issues in Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, andNon-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), forthcoming 102:4 Neb. L. Rev. 101 (2024), https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=4591858
o Made several SSRN top ten lists of the most downloaded recent papers in its field, including in Intellectual Property;Corporate Law Interdisciplinary Approaches; Securities Law; Corporate Governance & Law; Law & Culture
o Featured on Ipse Dixit podcast, https://shows.acast.com/ipse-dixit/episodes/christa-laser-of-the-law-of-the-blockchain
Rethinking Patent Law's ExclusiveAppellate Jurisdiction, 71 Clev.St. L. Rev. 19 (2022), https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=4313817
o Made several SSRN top ten lists of the mostdownloaded recent papers in its field, including in Patents; Law of Technology,Innovation, & Media; Intellectual Property; and Entrepreneurship & Law
o Featured in Federal Circuit Blog and PatentlyO
o Presented at George Washington University LawSchool (Jan. 2023), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW2sQcW7gTM&t=2m52s
Equitable Defenses in Patent Law, 75 U. Mia.L. Rev. 1 (2020), https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3686120
o Made several SSRN top ten lists of the mostdownloaded recent papers in its field, including in Patent; IntellectualProperty; and Innovation & Patent Law & Policy;
o Cited in well-known patent blog, PatentlyO
Certiorari in Patent Cases at the SupremeCourt, 48 AIPLA Q.J. 569 (2020), https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3728706
o Made several SSRN top ten lists of the mostdownloaded recent papers in its field, including in Patent; IntellectualProperty: Empirical Studies; Federal Courts & Jurisdiction; Courts; Judges; and Innovation & Patent Law & Policy
o Cited in PatentlyO
The Scope of IPR Estoppel: A Statutory, Historical, and Normative Analysis, 70 Fla.L. Rev. 1127 (2018), https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3133096
o Cited in brief to the Supreme Court on petition for certiorari in Apple Inc. v.California Institute of Technology, 22-203 (U.S.), and in PatentlyO
Continuing the Conversation of “The EconomicIrrationality of the Patent Misuse Doctrine,” 11 Chi.-Kent J. Intell. Prop. 104 (2012), https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2109700
ADefinite Claim on Claim Indefiniteness: An Empirical Study of DefinitenessCases of the Past Decade with a Focus on the Federal Circuit and the InsolublyAmbiguous Standard, 10 Chi.-Kent J. Intell. Prop. 25 (2010), https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=1664515
o Citedby Judge Plager in In re Packard, 751F.3d 1307 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (concurring)
o Citedby briefs to the Supreme Court in Nautilus,Inc. v. Biosig Instruments, Inc.
o Citedin John M. Golden et al., Principles of Patent Law: Cases andMaterials (Foundation Press 2018) and other textbooks
Other Legal Publications
Comments to the Copyright Office on GenerativeArtificial Intelligence (2023)
How A Century-Old Insight of PhotographyCan Inform Legal Questions of AI-Generated Artwork, Technology & Marketing Law Blog (Aug. 2,2023), https://blog.ericgoldman.org/archives/2023/08/how-a-century-old-insight-of-photography-can-inform-legal-questions-of-ai-generated-artwork-guest-blog-post.htm
Guest Post - A New Proposal for FederalCircuit and Patent Jurisdiction, Federal Circuit Blog (Jan. 11, 2023), https://fedcircuitblog.com/2023/01/11/guest-post-a-new-proposal-for-federal-circuit-and-patent-jurisdiction/
Deepfakes, Privacy, and Freedom of Speech, YourWitness Blog (June 18, 2021), https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3869850
o Made several SSRN top ten lists of the mostdownloaded recent posts in its field, including in Innovation &Intellectual Property Law & Policy; Information Policy & Ethics; Law ofTechnology, Innovation, & Media; Innovation Law & Policy; and Innovation& Privacy Law & Policy.
An Alternative Forum for False Advertising Challenges: the National AdvertisingDivision, Lexis Practice Advisor, January 2018
Copyright for Photographers (Flatbooks 2013)
Tefft Smith, Michael Fragoso, ChristopherJackson, Christa Laser & Gregory Wannier, Selecting the Very Best: The Selection of High-Level Judges in theUnited States, Europe and Asia, Due Process of Law Foundation, November2013
Toward A World Patent Judiciary,IPToday, January 2011, at 8
Scientific Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals
Haiyu Wang, Su Lin, Evaldas Katilius,Christa Laser, James P. Allen, JoAnn C. Williams & Neal W. Woodbury, Unusual Temperature Dependence ofPhotosynthetic Electron Transfer Due to Protein Dynamics, 113 The Journal of Physical Chemistry 818(2009)
Haiyu Wang, Su Lin, James Allen, JoAnnWilliams, Sean Blankert, Christa Laser & Neal Woodbury, Protein Dynamics Control the Kinetics ofInitial Electron Transfer in Photosynthesis, 316 Science 747 (2007)
Amicus Briefs
Counsel of Record, Brief of Patent Law Professors as Amici Curiae in Support of Petitioners in Apple Inc. v. California Institute of Technology, 22-203 (U.S.)
LEGAL & INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
WilmerHale 2018 to 2020
Senior Associate, Intellectual PropertyLitigation
· Patent,trademark, and copyright litigation and other intellectual property matters,including ANDA litigation on small molecule drugs and litigation on biosimilarsunder the BPCIA, FRAND litigation concerning video compression, microprocessorlitigation, and medical devices
Kirkland & Ellis LLP 2011 to 2018
Associate, Intellectual Property &Advertising Litigation
· Patentlitigation, false advertising, trademark, copyright and other intellectualproperty matters.
· Technologiesincluded telecommunications, Li-Ion batteries, smartphone code, DNA-basedmedical diagnostic tools, and nutritional supplements
· Consulted onintellectual property legislation, including preparing for congressionalhearings
U.S. Court of Appeals for the FederalCircuit Spring 2011
Judicial Intern to Chief Judge Randall R.Rader
U.S. District Court for the District ofMaryland Fall 2010
Judicial Intern to Judge Roger W. Titus
Howrey LLP Summer 2010
Law Clerk
Fanelli, Strain, & HaagLLP Fall 2009
Patent Prosecution Intern, Pharma
Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor Summer 2009
Intern
The BioDesign Institute atArizona State University 2005 to 2008
Researcher, Department of BioOptical Nanotechnology
· Genetically modified photosynthetic bacteria and analyzed protein dynamics of photosynthesis using ultrafast laser spectroscopy
· Most Above and Beyond award
· Taught biochemistry laboratory techniques to undergraduate, graduate, and other researchers
· Research was published in Science, the most prestigious journal in its field
FELLOWSHIPS
Thomas Edison Innovation Fellowship, Part Time 2019 to 2020
Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University
The Internet Law & Policy Foundry, Part Time 2015 to 2017
PRESENTATIONS & MEDIA
TV, Podcasts, Panels, and Recorded Media
Featured Guest, Silicon Valley Investor’s Club Podcast, OpenAI sued by New YorkTimes - Copyright Lawyer and Google Engineering Director React (2023), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea0SLSzSyyA
Presenter, CS+Law (2023), hosted by UCLA, Legal Issues in Blockchain,Cryptocurrency, and NFTs
Presenter, Seat at the Sitting podcast, regarding Vidal v. Elster Supreme Courtcase, https://fedsoc.org/events/a-seat-at-the-sitting-november-2023
Featured Guest, Ipse Dixit podcast by Prof. Brian Frye (2023), Legal Issuesin Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and NFTs, https://shows.acast.com/ipse-dixit/episodes/christa-laser-of-the-law-of-the-blockchain
Presenter, O’Malley Inn of Court, Legal Issues & Professional Ethics in GenerativeAI (2023).
Featured Guest, Ipse Dixit podcast by Prof. Brian Frye (2022), NFT Notes 22: ChristaLaser on NFTs & Intellectual Property, https://shows.acast.com/ipse-dixit/episodes/nft-notes-22-christa-laser-on-nfts-intellectual-property
Presenter, Steel City Arts Foundation, Intellectual Property for Artists (2022).
Panelist, Legal Issues in Blockchain, Twitter Spaces (2022).
Featured Guest, Young and Profiting podcast (2022), NFT Investing, Scams andRegulations, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/yaplive-nft-investing-scams-and-regulations-with/id1368888880?i=1000557671461
WKYC Channel 3 News, What is an NFT?(2022), https://www.wkyc.com/article/syndication/podcasts/3-things-to-know/what-is-an-nft-how-to-make-buy-sell-nfts-legal-issues-experts-explain-steve-kaczynski-christa-laser-3-things-to-know-stephanie-haney-podcast/95-e1a8947f-d3e4-45d0-a6da-d2a06fa303ef
Featured Guest, The SEP Couch by IPlytics (2022), SEP litigation and legal trends inthe US patent system, https://www.iplytics.com/events/podcast/
Cleveland19 News, Follow-up on Guardians Trademark Battle (2021), https://www.facebook.com/Cleveland19News/videos/287737199897516;https://www.cleveland19.com/2021/08/03/trademark-battle-over-cleveland-guardians-appears-be-ratcheting-up/
News5 Cleveland, Cleveland Guardians roller derby team files lawsuit overCleveland Indians name change (2021), https://www.news5cleveland.com/sports/cleveland-guardians/cleveland-guardians-roller-derby-team-files-lawsuit-over-cleveland-indians-name-change
CMLawFaculty Spotlight CLE, Intellectual Property Law Issues in Non-FungibleTokens (NFTs) (2021), https://youtu.be/b9Wm2Y7q_18
Cleveland19 News, Guardians Trademark Battle (2021), https://www.facebook.com/Cleveland19News/videos/522194025712645
Tools of Titans DC (2017), Substantiating Your Advertising Claims, https://www.facebook.com/groups/toolsoftitansdc/posts/300724490409822/
Panelist, This Week in Tech: Photo (2013), Photosharing on the Web: Know Your Rights,with Mike Linksvayer, Brian Rose, Catherine Hall, Trey Ratcliff, Zach Arias,and Nichole S. Young
Panelist, Trey’s Variety Hour (2011), The Great Watermark Debate, with Trey Ratcliff, Miss Aniela, Thomas Hawk, Doug Kaye, Peter Giordano, and Gino Barasa
Print & Media Quotes
Cited in Andrew Karpan, Justices Asked To Look Into Apple's Estoppel Challenge, Law360 (Oct. 11, 2022), https://www.law360.com/articles/1538199/justices-asked-to-look-into-apple-s-estoppel-challenge
Quoted in Matthew Bultman, Suppliers Out in Patent License Talks After AppealsRuling, Bloomberg Law (March 4, 2022), https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/suppliers-out-in-patent-license-talks-after-fifth-circuit-ruling
Scholarly & Professional Conference Presentations
Presenter, Intellectual Property Scholars Conference, Cardozo (2023)
Legal Issues in Blockchain, Web3, and NFTs
Presenter, Junior Intellectual Property Scholars Association Roundtable, Fordham (2023)
Legal Issues in Blockchain, Web3, and NFTs
Presenter, Three Rivers Colloquium, University of Pittsburg (2023)
Legal Issues in Blockchain, Web3, and NFTs
Invited Talk, George Washington University Law School IP Speaker Series (2023)
Rethinking Patent Law'sExclusive Appellate Jurisdiction, https://youtu.be/YW2sQcW7gTM&t=0m47s
Presenter, IDEA Symposium: IP in the Metaverse (2022)
Legal Issues in Blockchain, Web3, and NFTs
Invited Talk, University of Chicago Speaker Series (2022)
LegalIssues in Blockchain, Web3, and NFTs
Moderator, Careers in Intellectual Property Law, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law(2022)
Co-Chair & Moderator, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law IP+ Conference (2022),
Presenter, Intellectual Property Scholars Conference, Stanford (2022)
Intangible book project
Presenter,Junior Intellectual Property Scholars Conference, Berkeley (2022)
Intangible book project
Panelists, SEALS Conference, NFTs and Collective Creation (2022)
Presenter,Three Rivers Intellectual Property & Tech Law Colloquium (2022)
Rethinking Patent Law’s Exclusive Jurisdiction
Presenter, Northeast Ohio Faculty Conference (2022)
Book Project: Intangible
Co-Chair & Moderator, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law IP+ Conference (2021), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqk3L5ZEqcU
Moderator, Careers in Intellectual Property Law at Tucker Ellis (2021), https://youtu.be/4CN6F8lgv00
Junior Intellectual Property Scholars Association Conference (2021)
Rethinking Patent Law’s Exclusive Jurisdiction
Co-Chair & Moderator, Innovation in the Pandemic panel, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Health Law Conference (2020), https://youtu.be/C750mLN4cnI
NotreDame Patent Colloquium (2020-2021) (invited presenter and commentator)
Rethinking Patent Law’s Exclusive Jurisdiction
SeminarPresentation for Professor Irina Manta at Hofstra University (2021) (invited)
Rethinking Patent Law’s Exclusive Jurisdiction
Seminar Presentation for Professor Paul Gugliuzza at Temple University (2021) (invited)
Rethinking Patent Law’s Exclusive Jurisdiction
Works-in-Progress Intellectual Property Conference (2021)
Rethinking Patent Law’s Exclusive Jurisdiction
New Voices in Intellectual Property, AALS Annual Meeting (2021) (invited presentation from competitive call for papers)
Rethinking Patent Law’s Exclusive Jurisdiction
Akron Law FReD Workshop (2020), University of Akron School of Law (invited)
Equitable Defenses in Patent Law
Works-in-Progress Intellectual Property Conference (2020), Santa Clara University School of Law, Equitable Defenses in Patent Law
Works-in-Progress Intellectual Property Conference (2019), The University of Houston Law Center, Certiorari in Patent Cases
PatCon (2018), University of San Diego School of Law, The Scope of IPR Estoppel
Works-in-Progress Intellectual Property Conference (2018), Case Western Reserve School of Law, The Scope of IPR Estoppel
Kirkland & Ellis LLP Advertising Law Seminar (2016), Substantiating Your Advertising Claims
SERVICE, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND INTERESTS
Service at Cleveland State University
Committee Service
Academic Service
· Created and manage intellectual property certificate program, 2021 to present
· Faculty director, Intellectual Property Fellows program, 2022 to present
Professional Organizations
Pro Bono & Community
Interests
COURT & BAR ADMISSIONS
Bar Admissions: United StatesPatent & Trademark Office, California, District of Columbia (Inactive)
Court Admissions: United States Supreme Court; United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; United States District Court for the Central District of California; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
Patent Matters
· Nokia Technologies Oy v. Lenovo (Shanghai) ElectronicsTechnology Co, Ltd., et al. (E.D.N.C.; ITC): Counsel for Lenovo in defense of infringement action regarding patents that Nokia asserts to be standard essential
· Sebela Ireland Limited v. Prinston Pharmaceuticals, Inv. et al.(Fed. Cir.): Counsel for Sebela in Federal Circuit appeal of patent infringement case regarding drug for treatment of menopause symptoms
· Vectura Limited v. GlaxoSmithKline LLC et al. (Fed. Cir.): Counsel for GSK in Federal Circuit appeal of patent infringement case regarding dry powder inhaler drug delivery formulations
· Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation v. Apple Inc. (Supreme Court): Counsel forApple in opposition to petition for writ of certiorari in patent infringementmatter concerning predictions used for out-of-order execution inmicroprocessors
· Globalfoundries U.S. Inc. v. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. et al. (W.D. Tex.):Counsel for TSMC in defense of patent infringement action concerning manufacturing and design of semiconductors
· Counsel to major technology companies on legislative and regulatory changes tointellectual property laws and agency rules
· Rex Medical, L.P. v. Covidien LP (D. Del.): Counsel for Covidien in defense ofpatent infringement action regarding patents on surgical staplers
· 1ASmart Start, LLC et al. v. Consumer Safety Technology (D. Del.): Counsel for CST in defense ofpatent, trade secret, and breach of contract action related to calibration of ignition interlock devices
· Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. v. Aurobindo Pharma Ltd., et al. (D. Del.): Counsel for Bristol-Myers in patent infringement action regarding ANDA for proposed generic of Eliquis
· AbbVieInc. v. Boehringer Ingelheim International GMBH (D. Del.): Counsel for AbbVie in patent infringement action under the BPCIA regarding proposed biosimilar of Humira
· VLSI Technology LLC v. Intel Corp. (N.D.Cal.; D. Del.; Fed. Cir.): Counsel for Intel in defense of patent infringement actions regarding microprocessor features and manufacturing methods
· Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. et al. v. Chervon North America, Inc. (E.D. Wis.): Counsel for Chervon in a patent infringement action involving lithium ion battery technology in handheld power tools
· Enzo Life Sciences v. Abbott Laboratories, Inc. (D. Del.): Counsel for Abbott in patent infringement action in federal district court in Delaware regarding DNA probe technology
· Certain Formatted Magnetic Data Storage Tapes and Cartridges Containing the Same, ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-931: Counsel for IBMin patent infringement action in the International Trade Commission regarding magnetic tapes
· Certain Wireless Telecommunications Equipment and Articles Therein, ITC Inv. No. 337-TA-866: Counsel forSamsung in patent infringement action in the International Trade Commission about wireless equipment
· Counsel for consumer products company in intellectual property dispute with licensor
· Counsel for major electronics company in enforcement proceeding in the ITC regarding smartphone technologies
· InfineonTechnologies AG v. Atmel Corp.(D. Del.): Counsel for Infineon in patent infringement action in federal district court in Delaware regarding semiconductor technology
Copyright, Trademark,Advertising, and Other Matters
· Counsel in over a dozen proceedings beforet he National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus(NAD) and the National Advertising Review Board (NARB), for clients includingAbbott Laboratories, Verizon, and The Honest Company
· Morris v. Wise et al. (N.D. Ohio): Counsel for media personality and news anchor in suit asserting violations of his right ofpublicity, privacy, copyrights, and trademarks
· Dean v. Colgate-Palmolive Co. (C.D. Cal.; N.D. Cal.; S.D.N.Y.;FTC): Counsel for Colgate in putative class actions and Federal TradeCommission investigation regarding advertising claims on Colgate whitening toothpaste
· KrogerCo. v. Lidl (E.D. Va.):Counsel for Lidl in trademark dispute under the Lanham Act concerning private label grocery products, including opposition to preliminary injunction
· In re: Dial Complete Marketing and SalesPractices Litigation (D.N.H.):Counsel for Dial in multidistrict class action regarding advertising claims onDial Complete hand soap
· Turnbull v. Carfax (E.D. Va.; 4th Cir.): Counsel for Carfax in putative class action regarding vehicle history services in federal court in Virginia and on appeal to the Fourth Circuit
· Cablevision Systems Corp. v. Verizon Communications, Inc. (E.D.N.Y.): Counsel for Verizon in competitive false advertising action in federal district court in New York regarding wirelessInternet, including cross-requests for preliminary injunctions
· Otto v. Abbott Laboratories, Inc.(C.D. Cal.; 9th Cir.): Counsel for Abbott Laboratories in false advertising class action in federal district court in California regarding Ensure products and in multiple appeals to the Ninth Circuit
· Cablevision Systems Corp. v. Verizon Communications, Inc. (E.D.N.Y.): Defended Verizon against competitor’s request for temporary restraining order against Verizon’s advertising in federal district court in New York regarding Internet speeds
· Counsel in Federal Trade Commission (FTC)proceedings
· Electronic Arts, Inc. v. Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. and Textron Innovations, Inc. (N.D. Cal.): Counsel for Bell Helicopter in trademark, trade dress and unfair competition action in federal district court in California related to helicopters in the game Battlefield 3
· Pro bono counsel to deserving individuals and charitable organizations, including SophieG. v. Wilson County Schools (6th Cir.) regarding disability rights and United States v. $17,900 (D.D.C.; D.C.Cir.).