Connect with us

Technology

HKA expands its Intellectual Property practice with the appointment of Michael J. Lasinski as Partner

Published

on

LONDON and PHILADELPHIA, April 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — HKA is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael J. Lasinski as a Partner and expert consultant on the financial aspects of intellectual property (IP) and commercial disputes. With over 30 years of experience, Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the firm’s IP practice.

Mike is a recognized leader in SEP licensing, willing licensor and licensee analysis, and FRAND economic analyses.

Mike has been appointed as an expert on hundreds of engagements, providing invaluable insights into transactions, valuations, and damages analyses. He has testified in various prestigious courts, including U.S. District Courts, the International Trade Commission, the High Court of Justice of England and Wales, the Chancery Division, state courts, and arbitration proceedings.

Mike is a recognized leader in standard essential patent licensing, willing licensor and licensee analysis, and fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) economic analyses. He has performed licensing and FRAND analysis for cellular, Wi-Fi, video and audio codecs, streaming, and many other standards. Mike has been both a licensing advisor and named expert on dozens of matters concerning standards and FRAND licensing practice and FRAND determination.

Throughout his career, Mike has conducted economic analyses for patent, trademark, trade dress, trade secret, data privacy, breach of contract, and many other commercial damages matters. He has served as a financial advisor to creditor committees, private equity companies, venture capitalists, and Fortune 500 companies on numerous occasions. Notably, he played a key role in advising creditors and other interested parties on IP and financial issues related to the more than $4.5 billion sale of Nortel’s patent portfolio.

Mike’s experience also extends to acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, joint ventures, and bankruptcy. Prior to joining HKA, he was head of analysis at Hilco Intellectual Property Merchant Banking and senior managing director and head of the IP practice at Ankura Consulting Group. He was also a founding member of 284 Partners, LLC, a professional services firm focused on IP valuation, litigation consulting, IP strategy, and transactional services.

Mike’s consulting experience spans various industries, including advertising, automotive, chemicals, computer hardware and software, consumer products, e-commerce, food and beverage, internet, internet of things (IoT), healthcare, life sciences, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, streaming, telecommunications, and wireless communications. He has assisted clients in strategically managing their IP by creating global corporate organizations designed to maximize their current and future value.

Mike is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified in Financial Forensics, and a Certified Licensing Professional. Most recently, he served as the president of the Licensing Executives Society International. Mike is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois Chartered Public Accountant Society. He has lectured on IP valuation for university business schools, law schools, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and other regulatory agencies.

Michael J. Lasinski commented on his new role: “I am thrilled to join HKA as a Partner. The firm’s commitment to excellence and client service delivery aligns perfectly with my professional values. Throughout my career, I have always strived to provide the highest level of expertise and support to my clients, and I am excited to continue this journey with HKA. I look forward to contributing to the growth of the firm’s intellectual property practice and working with a team of dedicated professionals to achieve successful outcomes for our clients.”

Paul K. Meyer, Partner, Joint FACD and Global IP Lead, Americas at HKA, added, “We are delighted to welcome Mike to our team. His extensive experience in providing insights into transactions, valuations, and damages analyses in intellectual property will be invaluable to our clients. I first met Mike nearly 15 years ago when we were providing licensing economics consulting for a joint defense group in an important IP matter. Mike was a pioneer in offering FRAND royalty evidence during the Unwired Planet v. Huawei trial in the UK High Court system. An accomplished testifying expert, he has covered a wide range of disputes, from FRAND to patent damages, having worked on some of the largest intellectual property disputes globally. His appointment underscores HKA’s commitment to providing top-tier consulting services in the fields of intellectual property valuation and commercial disputes.”

View Jeff’s full expert profile: https://www.hka.com/expert-post/michael-j-lasinski/.

HKA’s intellectual property experts offer specialized dispute services across the spectrum of IP practice. These services range from valuing intangible assets, quantifying damages, including lost profits and reasonable royalties, preparing accounts of the infringer’s profits, assisting with technology transfers and providing expert witness testimony.

Learn more about HKA’s Intellectual Property expert services.

ABOUT HKA

HKA is the leading global consultancy in risk mitigation, dispute resolution, expert witness, and litigation support services.

HKA brings a proud record of excellent service and high achievement to bear on today’s challenges. As trusted independent consultants, experts, and advisors, we help clients manage disputes, risk, and uncertainty on complex contracts and challenging projects. Our advice is impartial, incisive, and authoritative.

We work with government agencies, local authorities, contractors, legal firms, and other professional service providers, as well as owners and operators, financial institutions, and insurers. HKA’s global portfolio includes some of the world’s largest and most prestigious commissions across a wide range of industries.

HKA has in excess of 1,000 experts, consultants, and advisors across 45+ offices in 17 countries with the skills and experience that are essential to get to the heart of even the most complex issues.

For more information about HKA, visit hka.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter, @HKAGlobal), and Facebook.

Media contact
Andrew J. Katz, CPSM
Marketing and Communications Director, Americas
+1 215 962 1136
andrewkatz@hka.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hka-expands-its-intellectual-property-practice-with-the-appointment-of-michael-j-lasinski-as-partner-302422210.html

SOURCE HKA Global

Continue Reading

Technology

HKAGE Showcases Gifted Students’ Learning Journeys at InnoCarnival 2026

Published

on

By

Promoting “Technology for Good” Through Innovation and Creativity 

HONG KONG, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) has been invited to participate in InnoCarnival 2026, organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission. Under the theme “Technology for Good, Innovation for All”, HKAGE will showcase the learning journeys of gifted students who have completed programmes on AI robotic arms, underwater archaeology, etc., demonstrating how technology can be harnessed to address societal needs.

Having proactively aligned its work with the education development strategies of the Education Bureau (EDB), HKAGE fully supports the EDB’s Blueprint for Digital Education in Primary and Secondary Schools, which seeks to advance the digital transformation of school education in Hong Kong. Building on its Talent Development Model, HKAGE systematically develops programmes, provides diversified learning experiences and engages in cross-sector collaborations to nurture gifted talents equipped with innovative capabilities, technological literacy, and a strong sense of social responsibility. At the exhibition this year, HKAGE will present how students applied knowledge gained through gifted education programmes and learning experiences in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, environmental science, underwater archaeology and sustainable development to design socially conscious solutions. These experiences reflect the students’ ability to serve society with knowledge and respond creatively to diverse challenges.

Among the highlights is the learning journey of students in the “Artificial Intelligence Course: Creative AI Robotic Arm for Inclusion”. After acquiring foundational knowledge in artificial intelligence, robotics and sensor applications, students designed, tested and refined intelligent robotic arm prototypes through real-time data analysis and algorithms. With the aim of improving the quality of life for the elderly and caregivers, students explored various application scenarios for intelligent robotic arms. Another showcase features the “Environmental Science Course: Bat Echoes – Voices of the Night”. Through acoustic monitoring, the exhibition demonstrates how students recorded bat voices and analysed related activity data and characteristics. The programme enabled students to gain a deeper understanding of local biodiversity and explore practical approaches to ecological conservation.

The HKAGE exhibition booth also features an interactive photo-taking device, allowing visitors to take photos with different gifted programme themes and share the joy of learning.

On the first day of the exhibition, a “Build Your Own Glider Parent-Child Workshop” is specially organised by HKAGE for the visitors. Under the guidance of instructors and assisted by HKAGE students, participants will learn the basic principles of aerodynamics, including lift, gravity, thrust and drag. They will also learn to design, assemble and decorate their own gliders by using lightweight and durable materials, experiencing the joy of science and engineering.

Mr WONG Chung Po, Acting Executive Director of HKAGE, said: “The Academy is committed to providing gifted students with diversified learning platforms and encouraging them to transform knowledge into innovative practices that generate positive social impact. Participation in this exhibition not only provides students with a valuable learning experience that helps consolidate the knowledge acquired in gifted programmes, but also enables the public to better understand how gifted education nurtures a new generation of creative and socially responsible talents to jointly advance the philosophy of ‘Technology for Good’.”

InnoCarnival 2026 – The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

Date:

24 Oct – 1 Nov

Venue:

The Hong Kong Science Park

Booth:

C08-09

Time:

10:00 – 17:00 (Mon to Fri)

10:00 – 18:00 (Sat & Sun)

 

About the HKAGE

Established in 2008 and subvented by the Education Bureau, the HKAGE offers gifted education services actively to local primary and secondary school students to unleash their potential. It also provides gifted education-related information and support for teachers, parents, and other relevant stakeholders.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/hkage-showcases-gifted-students-learning-journeys-at-innocarnival-2026-302918606.html

SOURCE Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

Continue Reading

Technology

LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

Published

on

By

Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leap-group-relaunches-humanview-a-growth-intelligence-system-built-to-explain-why-customers-behave-the-way-they-do-302918557.html

SOURCE LEAP Group

Continue Reading

Technology

STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

Published

on

By

NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stephen-a-smith-addresses-white-house-dinner-attendance-reaffirms-commitment-to-hbcus-and-protecting-corporate-investment-in-black-education-302918547.html

SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

Continue Reading

Trending