by Kevin Hall, VPG Contributor
Ashley Cheung, founder of Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG), first met Haley Moss at the March 2023 Annual Conference Diversity panel organized by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Bar Association. This influential panel featured notable trailblazers in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), including Vint Cerf, one of the Internet's founding figures and current VP at Google; Bismarck Myrick, Director of the Office of EEO & Diversity at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO); and Haley, a passionate DEIA advocate and speaker since childhood. Moderated by David Higer, a shareholder at Winstead PC, the panel ignited meaningful discussions.
Following the event, Ashley and Haley formed a strong bond and collaborated on an episode of the podcast "Virtual Water Cooler Chat." They soon recognized the potential of further exploring Haley’s insights from her book, Great Minds Think Differently: Neurodiversity for Lawyers and Other Professionals, leading to the organization of a webinar on July 18, 2024. This webinar, Inclusive Advocacy: Navigating Neurodiversity in the Legal Profession, aimed to delve deeper into neurodiversity and its relevance in today’s professional environment.
Ashley opened the webinar by emphasizing the importance of a “safe” space for discussion and implementing Chatham House Rules. These rules allow participant discussions while protecting the anonymity of individual comments, fostering an open conversation. Attendees engaged meaningfully, sharing lived experiences and exploring how employers can support neurodiverse employees, especially within a demanding “billable culture.”
Haley introduced the concept of neurodiversity, outlining conditions such as autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, and Tourette syndrome. A recurring theme was “accessibility,” which is fundamental to DEIA. By accommodating neurodiverse workers, companies demonstrate commitment to all employees, fostering a culture of inclusion.
Haley highlighted that providing access not only empowers neurodiverse employees but enhances overall workplace productivity and morale. This webinar exemplified VPG’s dedication to advancing accessibility in the intellectual property community, ultimately benefiting everyone involved.
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