Views from the Bench: Discussion of Patent Trials by Judges of the Southern District of California
Panelists: Hon. Judge Marilyn L. Huff, Hon. Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo, District Judges, and Hon. Judge Linda Lopez
Moderator: Eric Acker of Morrison & Foerster LLP
Date: Thursday, February 27, 6:00 pm
Location: San Diego Marriott Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130
Buffet will be served.
Our panelists:
HON. MARILYN L. HUFF, Senior District Judge, Southern District of California
Marilyn L. Huff was appointed in 1991 as a federal district judge for the Southern District of California. She was the Chief Judge of the Southern District of California from 1998 to 2005. She is a patent pilot judge.
She is the Immediate Past President of the Federal Judges Association and on the Judicial Advisory Board of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers in San Diego and the Executive Board of the Louis Welsh Chapter of the American Inns of Court. Previously, she was the Chairperson of the Ninth Circuit’s Public Information and Community Outreach Committee, a member of the U. S. Judicial Conference Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure, a member of the United States Judicial Conference Budget Committee, a member of the Ninth Circuit’s Education Committee the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council, a member of the Judicial Resources Committee for the United States Judicial Conference, chairperson of the Ninth Circuit Gender Fairness Committee, President of the Louis Welsh American Inns of Court, President of the Lawyers Club of San Diego, and Vice President of the San Diego County Bar Association.
HON. CATHY ANN BENCIVENGO, District Judge, Southern District of California
Judge Bencivengo was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California by President Barack Obama and confirmed on February 10, 2012. Prior to her confirmation, she served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Southern District since December 2005. Judge Bencivengo is a participant in the Southern District’s Patent Pilot Program and is a member of the District’s Patent Local Rules Committee.
Before joining the bench, Judge Bencivengo was a partner with the law firm of DLA Piper (formerly Gray Cary), where she specialized in intellectual property litigation and was National Co-Chair of the firm’s Patent Litigation Practice Group. Judge Bencivengo attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, earning a B.A. in journalism and political science and an M.A. in political science as a Fellow at the Eagleton Institute of Politics. She received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, magna cum laude. She is a Master in the J. Clifford Wallace Chapter and the Louis M. Welsh Chapter of the American Inns of Court. She currently serves on the Ninth Circuit Education Committee and formerly served on the U.S. Magistrate Judges Education Committee for the Ninth Circuit, chairing the committee in 2009 and 2010. She was a Ninth Circuit Director of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association, served on the Advisory Board of the San Diego Chapter of the Federal Bar Association from 2009-2012, and is a member of the Board of Governors of the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers.
HON. LINDA LOPEZ, District Judge, Southern District of California
Judge Lopez most recently practiced as Senior Trial Attorney with Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. Prior to joining Federal Defenders in 2007, Judge Lopez practiced in the private sector in Florida, litigating primarily criminal defense cases before moving to San Diego.
Judge Lopez is an active member of the legal community. She was selected to be a Lawyer Representative for the Southern District of California from 2014 until her appointment to the bench and has served as its Chair and Co-Chair. She is also a Master of the Welsh Inn of Court and serves on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. While practicing in Florida, Judge Lopez served on the Board of Directors for the Florida Bar Association.
Judge Lopez enjoys volunteering in the community. She was the liaison for community outreach while at Federal Defenders, and regularly participates in the Open Doors to Federal Courts program. In addition, she volunteers in programs geared toward educating students about the judicial system and constitutional law. Judge Lopez assists in the preparation for, and presentation of mock trials for students of all ages, and is a member of a reading program at a downtown elementary school. Judge Lopez was recently honored with a Service Award from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California in recognition of her dedicated service and leadership in community engagement.