HONOREE

Jennifer Fisher

Senior Counsel
The Boeing Company
University of Chicago Law School

As a Boeing executive, Jennifer Fisher serves as intellectual property (IP) counsel for The Boeing Company’s military and space programs. She selfidentifies as a “rocket scientist confidante” and is an equity champion, both at Boeing and in the community. As a member of Boeing Intellectual Property, she works closely with Boeing’s talented engineers in its Defense, Space and Security and Global Services business units to strategically license and protect the innovative IP Boeing delivers to commercial and government customers, partners and suppliers throughout the globe. In the past year, Fisher’s scope of work has expanded to include serving as lead IP counsel for all Boeing’s commercial derivative aircraft programs, which include Air Force One, KC-46 Tanker, C-40 and P-8 Poseidon. In the Space & Launch division, Fisher provides IP counsel to all Boeing’s commercial and government satellite programs, including those facilitating Wi-Fi communications, providing GPS location services and those protecting our national security. This year, she also began providing IP counsel to the global services supply chain, training aircraft and C-17 Globemaster services – the cargo airplane which has been at the center of India’s current pandemic response. Fisher also serves as general counsel to Liquid Robotics, Inc. (a Boeing subsidiary). Earlier this year, she was also assigned to lead a cross-functional team tasked with developing strategic intellectual property solutions and selected to provide IP counsel to the company’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control effort for the Department of Defense. Fisher is committed to serving and supporting local community organizations and professional associations. She currently serves on the boards of Grand Performances, a dynamic free outdoor summer concert series at downtown Los Angeles’ California Plaza; the Program for Torture Victims, a human rights organization restoring the health and human dignity of survivors of state-sponsored persecution; the Langston Bar Association and the National Bar Association’s IP section. As a member of the NBA’s Women Lawyers Division’s We Empower Mentoring Program, she completed a four-month-long mentoring circle for women law students attending historically Black colleges and universities. She is a life member of the National Bar Association, California Association of Black Lawyers and Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.

FINALISTS

Archie Iskaq

Corporate Counsel
Microsoft
Chapman University School of Law

Archie Iskaq is corporate counsel at Microsoft supporting the company’s US Enterprise Commercial Business, consisting of a group of over 2,250 sales, marketing, technical, and services professionals who aid Microsoft’s largest customers and are responsible for delivering $17 billion-plus in revenue. Iskaq joined Microsoft in 2018 and is involved in shaping, negotiating, and closing large and complex cloud computing, artificial intelligence, professional services, software licensing, and Internet of Things solutions contracts with major commercial customers and partners spanning several industries, including high-tech, media and entertainment, retail, manufacturing, automotive, energy and gaming. He is grateful to be able to work every day on critical issues at the intersection of law, business and technology. Iskaq is also passionate about giving back to the community and has been involved in expanding Microsoft’s pro bono efforts in the Southern California region by working with the Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) organization.

Scott Lyon, Esq.

Vice President and Senior Counsel
Wells Fargo
Vanderbilt University

Scott Lyon, Esq., who serves as vice president and senior counsel for Wells Fargo, focuses his practice on technology, cybersecurity and data privacy, assisting his business partners to evaluate and implement effective privacy and data management practices. Prior to his transition to in-house counsel, Lyon’s representative experience has included litigation and transaction assistance on behalf of information technology and electronic banking companies, as well as assisting innovative start-ups. His background also includes assisting clients with incident response management, developing and deploying privacy-enhancing technologies, information security architecture, confidential audits and internal investigations, as well as defending companies that are the subject of regulatory investigations. Outside of the office, Lyon enjoys assisting non-profit organizations promoting cybersecurity education and awareness.

Laurence Midler

Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Chief Risk Officer
CBRE, Inc.
New York University School of Law

Laurence “Larry” Midler is executive vice president, general counsel and chief risk officer for CBRE. Midler is a member of CBRE’s Executive Committee and oversees its legal, compliance and risk management functions. Prior to joining CBRE, Midler served as general counsel and previously as assistant general counsel to Micro Warehouse, Inc. Midler helped guide CBRE through its phenomenal growth fromunder $3 billion in revenue, when he took over the Law Department, to revenue of $24 billion in 2020 alone. He has grown his department carefully, hiring high-powered lawyers who often work harder than the outside counsel they engage – a pace and high standard of practice set byMidler himself. He is an extremely competent legal advisor to CBRE’s management and board as they continue to navigate the challenges created by COVID-19. He also helped lead the firm through its IPO, several transformational acquisitions and a period of global expansion and robust growth.

Asal Saffari

Legal Counsel
Western Digital
Chapman University School of Law

Asal Saffari was previously associate legal counsel at a sports apparel brand headquartered in Orange County, where she handled a wide array of legal issues including intellectual property, marketing and advertising, and regulatory compliance matters. Saffari is currently legal counsel on the trademarks and brand protection team at Western Digital, a Fortune 200 technology company with offices in Irvine. Western Digital has long been at the forefront of game-changing innovations – from the invention of the first hard drive to recent advancements in 3D NAND. At Western Digital, Saffari helps maintain and grow a global trademark portfolio. She works on trademark prosecution, licensing, clearance, and brand protection matters. Saffari, an Iranian-American woman and first-generation lawyer in her family, is an advocate for diversity and inclusion. She is an active member and leader of the Orange County Bar Association's Diversity & Inclusion Committee.