Diversity Committee
This committee encourages diversity of thought and perspective through recruitment and retention of diverse lawyers, agents, and law students, including diversity based on religion, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and age for active involvement in the overall mission and leadership of the Association. This committee is expected to coordinate with other committees, including the Membership Committee, Women’s Committee, and the Young Lawyers/Agents Committee.
Join us: diversity.committee@ptabbar.org
| Ashley Cheung | Saurabh Gupta | Matthew Berntsen | Sandra Frantzen | Scott Amankwatia | Kim Leung |
| Committee Co-Chair | Committee Co-Chair | Committee Vice-Chair | Committee Vice-Chair | Committee Vice-Chair | Committee Vice-Chair |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
The PTAB Bar Association is committed to engaging on all different aspects of diversity and dedicates a session at each Annual Conference to delve into diversity, equity, and inclusion topics relevant to practice before the PTAB.
***
The PTAB Bar Association Diversity Committee is finalizing the 2024 Diversity Committee Survey, and we are asking for your cooperation.Last year, we embarked on a mission to identify and recognize the top diverse practitioners appearing before the PTAB. With your invaluable support, we made significant progress towards our goal of compiling a report highlighting the Top 100 Diverse Practitioners in this domain.
Diversity encompasses a multitude of dimensions, and for our report, we are considering diversity in terms of racial/ethnic representation, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, and military service.
If you are an eligible individual and are interested in contributing to this report, please contact the PTAB Bar Association Diversity Committee at diversity.committee@ptabbar.org . If you know of someone that is eligible and would be interested, please forward this request to them. If your organization includes a designated diversity administrator, please provide their contact information to us.
We deeply respect individuals' preferences regarding participation and identification in such reports and understand if some may choose not to partake. We will not include anyone without a confirmation of their willingness to participate and the criteria under which they are comfortable being identified.
If you have any questions regarding the Diversity Committee Survey, please contact diversity.committee@ptabbar.org.
***
Recently, the PTAB Bar Association Diversity Committee hosted or partnered on the following events:
- On July 16, 2025, the PTAB Bar Association’s Diversity, Women’s, and Young Lawyers & Agents Committees, hosted a “Speed Mentoring” event to connect newer practitioners with those who are more experienced, stimulate productive conversations, and provide an avenue to form effective mentoring relationships. The event provided a forum for open conversation between newer and more experienced practitioners, while giving everyone a chance to connect with different people. The program was moderated by Connor Scholes from Jones Day and facilitated by Ellyar Barazesh of Baker Botts and Thomas Yeh of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton.
- The PTAB Bar Association’s Diversity Committee, in conjunction with the Young Lawyers & Agents Committee, held a Mentoring event on June 24, 2025. This program was the kick-off to the YLA Committee’s Lunch & Learn Series, where the Committee organizes informational panels on various topics over the lunch hour. Panelists Lisa Nguyen, Paul Hastings; Scott B. Amankwatia, Marbury Law Group; Saurabh Gupta, Orrick; and Kim Leung, Fish & Richardson, explored topics related to their own experiences with influential mentors and how mentors have played a role in their career development. The panelists also discussed cultivating informal and formal mentor relationships. The program was moderated by Hayley LeBlanc, Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone.
- On November 7, 2024, the Diversity Committee and Women’s Committee of the PTAB Bar Association and the American Association of Patent Judges hosted an evening of networking and discussion about the experiences of some of the first women judges at the PTAB at the National Inventor Hall of Fame Museum at the USPTO Headquarters. Moderated by Hon. Lynne Browne, along with panelists Hon. Adriene Hanlon, Hon. Joan Ellis (Ret.), and Hon. Catherine Timm, attendees learned from women judges as they shared their inspiring stories of overcoming challenges, demonstrating resilience, and rising to new heights in their remarkable journeys.
- The Diversity Committee hosted a Diversity Breakfast at the California venue of the PTAB Bar Association Thought Leader Summit on October 10, 2024. Attendees enjoyed a wonderful buffet breakfast and presentations by ADAPT.legal, FADIPL, and the PTAB DEIA Committee.
- The Diversity Committee of the PTAB Bar Association partnered with the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC) to host a night of networking and debates at the Windy City Meet Up on September 24, 2024. The event featured student from Chicago Public Schools debating the 2024-25 national high school debate topic: whether the U.S federal government should significantly strengthen its protection of domestic intellectual property (IP) rights in copyrights, patents, and/or trademarks. The attendees enjoyed an opportunity to network with area practitioners as well as representatives from multiple organizations, including IPLAC, Chicago Debates, ADAPT.legal, Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation (IPOEF), and the PTAB Bar Association.
- On May 15, 2024, the Diversity Committee partnered with the Women's Committee and Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) to host a panel discussion moderated by Vice Chief Judge Michael Kim of the USPTO, Unveiling AAPIH Excellence: Personal Stories of Professional Achievement.
- On February 8, 2024, the Diversity Committee and Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) hosted an in-person event, Transforming Self and Society: DEIA and Personal Growth, with speakers including Iolani Bullock of The Carlyle Group, Natasha Craig Durkins from FAA, Ambassador Lisa Gable, as well as Vice Chief Judge Michael Kim and Lead Administrative Patent Judge Annette Reimers from the USPTO.
Previous Diversity Committee events include:
- On November 2, 2023, the Diversity Committee hosted an in-person Meet Up in Washington, DC with about 50 attendees, including around 10 members of the PTAB (including judges and law clerks). This event was sponsored by Allen & Overy, ArentFox Schiff, Crowell & Moring, Finnegan, Fish & Richardson, Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone, Michael Best, Perkins Coie, and Virtual Patent Gateway. A videos from the event can be accessed here. Photos from the event are posted above.
- On September 6, 2023, the Diversity Committee and PTAB Bar Association sponsored an event hosted by Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG), Women Practitioners’ Viewpoint: What Does it Take to be PTAB Whisperers?
- On June 6, 2023, the Diversity Committee and PTAB Bar Association sponsored an event hosted by Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG), Emerging Trends and DEIA Topics: Insights into Building an Inclusive Workforce
- On February 23, 2023, the Program Committee hosted a Webinar, Veterans Before the PTAB and in IP: A Discussion of Veterans as a Diverse Constituency Appearing Before the PTAB. Click here to access a recording of the presentation. The PowerPoint from the presentation can be found here.
In addition, the Diversity Committee of the PTAB Bar Association has continued its Diverse Practitioner Spotlight initiative on social media platforms. Visit the PTAB Bar Association’s LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages to see the recently spotlighted practitioner.
