Lecturer Bios
Konrad Lytell Trope, Esq.
Konrad Trope is the Managing Shareholder of Trope Law Group, PC. The firm specializes in infringement claims involving patents, trademarks, and copyrights, as well as protecting trade secrets and prosecuting cybersecurity data breaches. Mr. Trope also represents clients in a variety of new technologies, including Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Smart Phone Internet Application, and emerging technologies in medical treatments addressing obesity.
For the past 30 years, Mr. Trope has successfully litigated many cases involving design patents, mechanical patents, copyrights for interactive websites, and trademarks for the entertainment industry. He has appeared before Federal Courts across the country, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the United States Trademark Trial and Appeals Board and U.S. Court of Federal Claims, where Mr. Trope has consistently obtained successful verdicts and favorable settlements.
Prior to opening up his own practice, Mr. Trope worked in the Washington, D.C. offices at both Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Heine, Unterberg, Manley & Casey and Foley & Lardner in their business, intellectual property and litigation departments. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Trope served as a law clerk to the Honorable H. Robert Mayer of the United States Claims Court and to the Honorable Wilson Cowen, Senior Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Mr. Trope received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Pomona College, and his law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). While at UCLA, Mr. Trope served as the Editorial Staff Member of the UCLA Law Review, as well as the Senior Articles Editor of the Century City Bar Association Journal, and the Associate Editor of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Journal.
Active in the community, Mr. Trope has authored more than a dozen articles and spoken on a variety of topics, including protection of intellectual property patents, trademarks, and copyrights, as well Internet security, Internet privacy, government wiretapping, VoIP, and other related Internet/e-commerce issues.
Mr. Trope also provides pro bono legal advice and counseling to several animal rescue organizations as well as non-profit arts organizations.
He currently is active with the Intellectual Property Law Section of the ABA as well the Cyberspace Committee of the ABA Business Law Section. He formerly served as the chairman of the VoIP Committee of the American Bar Association—Section of Science and Technology Law. In addition, he previously served as Chairman of the VoIP/Telecommunications Sub-Committee for the California State Bar Cyberspace Committee.
Mr. Trope is admitted to the California Bar, the District of Columbia Bar, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, the U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Laura Scherck Wittcoff, DSW, LICSW
Laura Scherck Wittcoff, DSW, LICSW is the Founder, Host, and Executive Director of Small & Gutsy, a nonprofit podcast dedicated to amplifying the voices of the “BIG little” Social Impact Sector. Through thoughtful conversations and storytelling, Laura shines a light on organizations and leaders making meaningful change in their communities.
A gifted organization development and strategic change collaborator, Laura partners with a wide range of businesses, as well as local and national government agencies, to leverage human capital and strategic initiatives that not only meet organizational goals but exceed perceived potential. She is adept at assessing complex situations, deciphering patterns, and motivating individuals and teams to think creatively and move forward toward sustainable solutions.
Laura is known for her ability to build alliances across stakeholder groups, engage cross-functional teams, and facilitate mission-driven conversations that lead to lasting impact. With deep expertise in organization development, leadership, strategic thinking, and planning, she serves as a trusted consultant, coach, professor, and therapist.
Her work includes implementing broad-based initiatives across multiple states and sectors—including healthcare, higher education, marketing, legal, and brand imaging—where she helps organizations uncover new possibilities within their people and systems. Laura brings an acute sense of integrity, a strong understanding of organizational dynamics, and a commitment to creating agile, forward-thinking solutions that sustain momentum and drive meaningful change.
