Hon. Gregory M. Sleet (Ret.) 
Mediator, Arbitrator and Neutral Evaluator — JAMS

Description of field of expertise

Hon. Gregory M. Sleet (Ret.) joined JAMS after serving 20 years on the bench of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, including seven years as chief judge. During Judge Sleet’s tenure on the bench, he gained deep experience in a number of areas of complex commercial litigation, especially patent litigation involving pharmaceutical patents and a wide variety of other technologies. As a neutral, Judge Sleet focuses his practice on mediations, arbitrations and neutral analysis (case evaluation, mock trial).

Judge Sleet is a sought-after speaker on patent litigation. Select examples of speaking engagements include RPX, the Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property and Technology Institute, the Sedona Conference, the USC Gould School of Law, the New York Intellectual Property Law Association’s symposium on patent litigation, the Practising Law Institute and ACI.

Beginning in 2006-2007, Judge Sleet served as an adjunct professor, teaching patent litigation, at Rutgers Law School, Widener University Delaware Law School and, most recently, Duke University School of Law. Before taking the federal bench in 1998, Judge Sleet acquired varied experience in civil and criminal litigation and corporate legal work. He served as the United States attorney for the District of Delaware from 1994 to 1998. He also served as in-house counsel for Hercules Incorporated (1992–1994) and as deputy attorney general, handling major civil cases, for the State of Delaware (1990–1992). Prior to that, he practiced law in Philadelphia for 14 years, six of those as an assistant public defender with the Defender Association of Philadelphia.

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

We live in an age of specialization in our profession. Given the vast scope and complexity of subject matter in today’s legal practice, the desire to demonstrate your expertise and competence in a given field is understandable, if not altogether desirable. I am reminded of being corrected by a great American trial lawyer during an appearance before me. I referred to Bill Lee as a patent attorney. With a smile, he said, “Judge, I am a complex civil trial attorney.” Point taken and words to live by. Don’t let them stovepipe you. It will stunt your growth as an attorney and make your practice much less interesting than it could be. Put simply, don’t be afraid to be a generalist.

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Ikedi O. Onyemaobim

Associate — Jackson Lewis

Description of field of expertise

Ikedi O. Onyemaobim is an associate in the Los Angeles, California, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. His practice focuses on representing employers in workplace law matters, including preventive advice and counseling.

Ikedi has defended employers in a wide variety of industries, including automotive, medical, retail, and hospitality. Ikedi advises employers in various areas of employment matters, including compliance and counseling, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution.

Ikedi’s litigation practice includes defending employers in a broad spectrum of labor and employment law disputes in federal and state court and administrative proceedings against allegations of unlawful discrimination, harassment, retaliation; wrongful termination; unfair competition; and wage and hour claims. He also has experience defending employers in individual and class action matters involving wage and hour claims and PAGA actions.

Ikedi also provides day-to-day counseling and assists employers with developing personnel handbooks and training supervisory employees on the prevention of sexual harassment. He has also conducted in-house seminars and trainings for managers, supervisors, and employees concerning employment compliance, including but not limited to trainings regarding workplace harassment, discrimination and retaliation, wage and hour issues, workplace violence and effective communication in the workplace.

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

New attorneys should seek mentorship early on. Having a mentor is one vital way to stay on track and maximize opportunities both inside and outside of the firm. The guidance and support new attorneys receive from respected members of their firms is invaluable when it comes to creating professional development opportunities.  Additionally, mentorship within one’s firm will lead to an increased institutional knowledge and understanding of how the law firm operates.

Terry M. Sanks

Managing Partner — Beusse Sanks PLLC

Description of field of expertise

Terry M. Sanks, a registered patent attorney, is the founding partner of the firm. With a
comprehensive practice spanning the spectrum of intellectual property (IP) law, he provides
representation in all areas of intellectual property (“IP”) law, including patents, trademarks,
copyrights, trade secrets, IP litigation, licensing, and other IP related business transactions.
Terry’s diverse practice includes developing and managing patent portfolios and trademark
portfolios for various sized entities ranging from Fortune 500 companies to regional companies
to universities to startup companies to individuals. Terry approaches each case holistically,
crafting strategic solutions to maximize and safeguard intangible assets. With his unique
approach, he has become a sought-after resource for a wide range of technology start-ups. One
of the mottos of his firm, “From Beneath the Seas to Outer Space — Providing IP Solutions,”
best describes the depth and breadth of IP matters Terry has personally handled.
Operating from his Orlando, Florida office, Terry's global reach extends to clients worldwide.

His remarkable legal ability has earned him honors and recognition at the local, national, and
international levels. Notably, he has been featured in Best Lawyers consecutively from 2016 to
2024. He earned distinctions such as Orlando "Lawyer of the Year" in Copyright Law (2019 & 2024), Patent Law (2022 & 2024), and Trademark Law (2023). Other accolades include his inclusion in the World Trademark Review 1000 (2022-2023), Florida Super Lawyers (2008-2009 and 2013-2023), Florida Legal Elite (2018), an AV Preeminent 5.0 rating by Martindale Hubbell, and a Superb 10.0 rating by AVVO.

Terry’s impressive journey also includes his service as a decorated military veteran of the
United States Air Force (USAF) and USAF Reserves, where he served as an officer. He holds a
B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Tuskegee University and an M.S. in Engineering from Fresno
State, earned during his active-duty service. After leaving active duty, Terry pursued his legal
education and obtained his J.D. from Florida State University College of Law, where he served
as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Land Use and Environmental Law.

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

Decide early in your career the type of lawyer you want to be. Specifically, do you want to be
the lawyer whose focus is simply meeting a billable hire requirement, or do you want to be the
type who solves intellectual property issues for your client? From my experience working with
and training attorneys, if your focus is just meeting your billable hour requirement, you are
doing yourself, your employer, and your client a grave disservice. However, if you strive to be
able to think outside the box when the need arises to provide your client IP solutions to their
issues, this approach goes further with advancing your career in the long run.

Final thoughts…

Death and taxes are generally identified as the only guarantees in life. I submit there is a
third—change. Most hate and resist change. Do not get fixated on the change. Instead,
challenge yourself to accept it sooner. Also consider pivoting in another direction in response.
There are always options.

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