IP Strategy Refresh in the AI Era: Patents, Trade Secrets & What In-House Teams Need to Focus On

As AI becomes embedded in products, processes, and core technology, IP strategy needs a reset. In-house counsel are being asked to protect innovation that moves fast, blurs traditional inventorship lines, and carries new confidentiality and disclosure risks—often while legal budgets stay flat (or shrink). The result: tougher calls on what to patent, what to keep secret, and how to build an IP portfolio that supports the business without overbuilding cost.

Join us on Monday, March 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET / 9:00 AM PT as Dave Stevens (IP and IT Lawyer, Stevens Law Group) explores how in-house teams can make practical, cost-effective patent and trade secret decisions as AI becomes central to company technology. We’ll cover filing vs. secrecy decision-making, budgeting and portfolio planning, and how to prioritize protection when resources are limited—whether you’re supporting a lean startup or a global enterprise.

Key Takeaways:

• A practical framework for deciding when to file a patent vs. when to keep an innovation as a trade secret
• How AI changes risk, timing, and disclosure in the patenting process
• Budgeting approaches for building (or trimming) a patent portfolio without losing strategic coverage
• Portfolio prioritization tactics when you have limited headcount, limited spend, or both
• Common IP pitfalls when teams integrate new, fast-evolving, and sometimes unpredictable AI technologies

Who Should Attend: This program is designed for in-house legal professionals responsible for IP strategy, product counseling, or technology risk—especially those advising AI-enabled initiatives and balancing protection goals against tight budgets. It will be most relevant for in-house counsel at startups through large enterprises who need a pragmatic approach to patents and trade secrets, and who regularly partner with engineering, product, and leadership teams on innovation decisions.