WHO we are

The Licensing Executives Society International (LESI) Young Members Congress (YMC) is a global network for young (and young-at-heart) professionals in the intellectual property and licensing fields.

Under the guidance of LESI, we offer a platform to build professional connections and foster knowledge exchange with professionals from all over the world.

By organizing regional and international conferences, we allow members to meet and learn from established experts through interactive panels and discussions.

Our activities —including workshops, lectures, and networking events— are useful for sharing up-to-date knowledge on trends and best practices, which helps professionals stay current in the rapidly evolving IP landscape.

In this way, we aim to foster a supportive knowledge-sharing environment that encourages young professionals to build their expertise in IP.

The origin of the Young Members Congress (YMC) dates back to 2009 and has been developing itself as a vibrant community within the LESI community.

As of 2024, the YMC has evolved into a robust international community, providing a platform for driven young professionals to cultivate their network of professional peers and lifelong friends. This emphasis on professional relationships underscores the YMC's value to young professionals. The group's activities are now guided by the following Mission and Vision:

LESI YMC MISSION

"To enable and expand the community of young professionals within LESI by facilitating networking opportunities among peers and across the broader LES community. YMC aims to bolster the participation of young members in LES societies by providing speaking opportunities and supporting their involvement in LESI committees and leadership."

LESI YMC VISION

"LESI YMC fosters connections that provide opportunities for growth and collaboration, giving a voice to young professionals in the LESI community, helping them to develop, succeed, and thrive in their careers. We support young professionals in navigating the challenges of building a trusted network." 　　　　　

LESI YMC CHAIRS through the years

ROBERTO CARAPETO

2024-2025
Partner at Licks Attorneys, Professor at Waseda Univeristy, Associate Professor at Nagoya University.

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STACEY DUNN

2023-2024
Lawyer and Senior Patent Agent at ROBIC.

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KILIAN SCHÄRLI

2022-2023
Partner and member of the Managing Board at MLL Legal.

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DAVID SWAIN

2021-2022
General Counsel, Vice President, Essex Bio-Technology
Council Member of LES China (Hong Kong sub-chapter)

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GEORGINA BUSKU

2020-2021
Founder and Attorney-at-Law at BUSKU Law Firm, Secretary of LES Hungary.

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Vincent Bergeron

2019-2020
Principal, Intellectual Property / Technology Lawyer at ROBIC; Leader of the Emerging Tech Group;
Artist (Le Clan de la Savate)

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TOM GAUNT

2018-2019
Partner and Head of Intellectual Property at Lewis Silkin.

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NATALIE RAFFOUL

2017-2018
Managing Partner at Brion Raffoul LLP and Co-Founder at Fortress

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Sherry L. Rollo

2016-2017
Partner at Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP.

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Jean-Hyacinthe de Mitry

2015-2016
Partner at Gide Loyrette Nouel, UPC Representative.

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Thomas Adocker

2014-2015
Attorney-at-law and Partner at Taylor Wessing Österreich.

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Tilman Müller-Stoy

2012-2014
UPC Representative, German Patent Litigator, Licensing Expert at Bardehle Pagenberg, Board Member at LESI & LES Germany, Honorary Professor at Munich Technical University.

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Omer Hiziroglu

2010-2012
Principal at Azur Strategy, President and Member of the Board of LES Turkey.

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James E. Malackowski

2009-2010
Co-founder and Senior Managing Director at Ocean Tomo, LLC, a part of J.S. Held.

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