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Decoding the Corporate Transparency Act: Navigating the Changes Ahead

The reporting requirements for beneficial ownership information under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) will come into effect on January 1st, 2024. Juan D. Arau and Andrea Sánchez Tapia explain what companies need to report and key steps to ensuring compliance. The CTA aims to boost corporate transparency and counter illicit activities such as money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption, tax fraud, and others within the United States.

Opportunities

Limited Spots Remain for the 2024 LaunchPad Incubator

A limited number of slots remain for the 2024 class of San Diego’s renowned LaunchPad incubator. A program of Procopio Business Advisors, LLC (PBA) since 2012, this highly competitive nine-month program hosts emerging growth companies in Procopio’s Del Mar Heights offices, located in the heart of San Diego’s high-technology community.

The companies’ entrepreneurs work side by side with Procopio attorneys as they begin the formation, protection of core technology, early funding and growth of their startups. LaunchPad participants receive a selection of complimentary corporate and intellectual property legal services along with office space and back-office business support.

The program also includes educational opportunities on key topics including valuation, funding, intellectual property strategy, employment issues, and pursuing a strong exit. Procopio attorneys provide ongoing legal support and assist with corporate structuring, patent protection, investor pitches, branding, and growth strategy.

Seeking Applications for Procopio's Annual Native American Law Summer Internship

Procopio’s Native American Law practice group is committed to doing its part to empower future leaders in Indian Country by providing paid internships to Native American law students and law students with a strong interest in federal Indian law and/or tribal law. We’re now on the lookout for Summer 2024 candidates.

The Native American Law Internship provides an opportunity for two law students to gain hands-on experience dealing with everyday legal issues facing Native American communities. Interns are involved in matters that deal with specific Indian law-related legal practice matters and other legal problems facing tribal governments and Native entities.

Applications are due Sunday, December 10th, by 5 p.m. PST. Contact Native American Law practice leader Kerry Patterson to learn more.

Awards & Accolades

4 From Procopio Named Most Influential San Diego Leaders

Three Procopio attorneys and one senior executive were named to the 2023 SD 500 list of Most Influential Business Leaders in San Diego by the San Diego Business Journal. Managing Partner John Alessio, Partners Bill Eigner and Jeff Morton, and Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer Kevin Wilson were recognized alongside other distinguished professionals across the San Diego metropolitan area. John is a commercial litigator who has served as Procopio’s Managing Partner since January 2018. Bill counsels clients in venture capital, angel financing, seed capital and financing, governing, operating, and M&A. Jeff is an IP attorney leading Procopio’s Life Sciences practice and co-leading its Licensing and Technology Transactions practice. Kevin directs Procopio’s external marketing and business development operations, engaging with general counsel and executives in a range of industries.

2 Procopio Partners Named to 2024 IAM Strategy Global Leaders List

Two Procopio IP Partners, Miku Mehta and Jeff Morton, have been named to the 2024 IAM Strategy 300 Global Leaders list. Miku advises clients in the U.S. and Asia on patent prosecution and counseling, as well as trademarks and copyrights. His practice focuses on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications, due diligence projects, including preparation of opinions in the areas of patentability, validity, infringement and product clearance, and patent licensing. He leads Procopio’s Intellectual Property team and its Asia Pacific practice. Jeff provides strategic intellectual property advice, including patent prosecution, and related transactional support for emerging and mature companies in a wide variety of industries, with a particular focus on life sciences and medical technologies. A PhD immunologist, he leads Procopio’s Life Sciences practice and co-leads its Licensing and Technology Transactions practice.

Social Media

Congratulations to Sara Neva on her latest accolade, being named a San Diego Business Journal Business Woman of the Year finalist! Recently named a Leader of Influence in the Law by SDBJ, Sara has also been recognized in Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers Ones to Watch and Super Lawyers Rising Stars.

Kudos to client Aya Healthcare on its acquisition of Winnow AI, a data science-driven solution provider that unlocks predictive physician insights and untapped connections to bolster an organization’s provider recruitment and retention strategies. Aya, the largest U.S. healthcare talent software and staffing company, benefits from Winnow AI’s combination of intelligence with business intelligence to help organizations tap into a unique source of passive physicians who are likely to relocate to their region. Procopio Business & Technology Team leader Dennis Doucette led the transaction for Aya, assisted by Trent Andrews, Takeshi Sumida and Kaitlyn Jensen.

“The hiding of this huge problem for so long and continuing to take money when they know they’re insolvent is one of the most egregious violations of public trust I’ve ever seen," Procopio's Brooke Oliver told KQED regarding a nonprofit accused of misappropriating funds belonging to Brooke's client, Artist as First Responder and its leader, artist and curator Ashara Ekundayo. Learn more about the case and Brooke's efforts.

What a thrill to attend the Biocom California Celebration of Life Gala, "Out of this World: Pioneering the Future of Science." The annual event highlighted 2023 Catalyst award winners and featured a conversation with actress Selma Blair moderated by former San Diego NBC 7 reporter and anchor Megan Tevrizian, now a West Coast Partner at White Label Media NYC. We sponsored a table enjoyed by Procopio attorneys Jeff Morton, Bob Ramos, Paul Johnson, David Crawford and Gabriela Turner and CMO Kevin Wilson as well as Barry Merriman of Avery Biomedical Devices, Inc. and his wife Karla, and Devan Shah of RNAVAXBIO and Raksha Shah of Lipidio Pharmaceuticals.

How key air initiatives may impact corporate operations directly or indirectly was the focus of an engaging panel discussion Nov. 9 with Procopio Partner John Lormon and San Diego County Air Pollution Control District Control Officer Paula Forbis, moderated by Procopio CMO Kevin Wilson.

We were proud to be a sponsor of the 2023 General Counsel awards by the Orange County Business Journal. Procopio attorneys Noel Gillespie, Rosemary Nunn, Raymond Chan, James Kramer, Rosie Kim, Nicholas Kawuka, and Jonathan Cheng and Business Development Manager Amy Wimer attended the event with our special guest and award finalist, AmWest Funding Corp. General Counsel Justin Fong. Congratulations to all of the winners!

Three Procopio Partners -- Lisel Ferguson, Mindy Morton and Sheree Rowe -- were on hand at this year's ChIPs Network Global Summit in San Francisco, where they engaged with peers on cutting edge topics at the intersection of technology, law and policy. We were pleased to be a sponsor of the conference and are a longtime supporter of ChIPs and its mission of advancing women in tech, law and policy.

We were honored to be a sponsor of Data Science in Sports, a major event at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium by Data Science Alliance. Numerous experts weighed in on the nexus between analytics and athletics, including increasing use of artificial intelligence. Several Procopio attorneys and staff were in attendance, including attorneys Neil Salyards, Elaine Harwell and Brian Kennedy, as well as Data Scientist Kenneth Martin and Business Development Manager Amy Wimer. The event included a keynote by Olympic medalist skier Shannon Bahrke and a panel with San Diego Padres Director of Baseball Research and Development Adam Esquer; UC San Diego Data Science Professor Bradley Voytek; Tagboard SVP Christine Chalk; and Booz Allen Hamilton Human Performance Lead Scientist Dylan Dahlquist. Shout-out to Data Science Alliance’s Patricia Lopez and Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, UC San Diego!

Kudos to litigation legal assistant Nafis Weirick on being named the Editor in Chief of Legalines, the monthly newsletter of the San Diego Legal Secretaries Association! Naf supports Procopio's award-winning family law practice.

Supporting Your IP Litigation Needs

Being accused of intellectual property infringement is not fun. Procopio’s IP litigators ask the key questions and take the necessary steps to best position you for success.

Learn more in this short video:

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