INTA is on its way

Three members of the IPKat blogging team are attending the Annual Meeting of the International Trademark Association (INTA) this year: Jeremy, Neil and guest Kat Tara. We know that, of the 9,000+ who will be at this year's gathering in Washington DC (details here), a large number will be friends, colleagues and readers. If you see us, do say hello and let us know what you think of this weblog -- particularly if you have good ideas as to how it can be improved.

In any event, whether you are registered for the Meeting or just happen to be floating round DC, you are welcome to meet not just us but a rainbow spectrum of intellectual property bloggers from across the world at the Meet the Bloggers reception, on Monday 7 May, between 8pm and 10pm. The venue is the Hill Country Barbecue Market, 410 7th Street NW, Washington DC. The hosts are Marty Schwimmer (Trademark Blog), John L. Welch (TTABlog), Ron Coleman (Likelihood of Confusion) and Erik Pelton (ErikPelton.com). Admission is free; brilliant invite/RSVP is here.


A popular and well-attended feature of INTA is the annual LinkedIn Groups meeting, tirelessly organised by Alfred Strahlberg.  There's a capacity crowd for this big breakfast event, which takes place on Tuesday 8 May. IPKat team member Jeremy is involved in it, as are many of his friends.  For the record, the programme looks something like this:

LINKEDIN & INTA MY POWERFUL NETWORK BREAKFAST MEETING

1777 F STREET NW (1ST FLOOR), WASHINGTON DC 20006, MAY 8, 2012, 7:30-10:00 AM [you can find it if you click here]

PROGRAMME 

Breakfast and registration: 07:30 - 08:10 AM 

Introduction: 08:10-08:15 AM
Moderator: Marion Wanamaker, Former Director of Trademarks, Hearst Corp. 

Alfred Strahlberg, Strahlberg & Partners, Chair of LinkedIn & INTA groups
Carla Calcagno, Calcagno Law, Washington, Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Law School; Anne Hiaring Hocking, Partner, Hiaring + Smith, San Rafael (CA) 

US perspective: 08:15-08:30 AM
Moderator: Anne Hiaring Hocking, Hiaring + Smith 

Overview of TTAB procedure and case law, also with respect to designations of the United States under the Madrid Protocol  
Carla Calcagno, Calcagno Law

CTM System: 08:30-09:30 AM
Moderators: Anne Hiaring Hocking, Hiaring + Smith & Alfred Strahlberg, Strahlberg & Partners 

Crowding of the Register: Is it really an issue?
Panel discussion led by Jeremy Phillips, IPKat, with panelists Karin Cederlund, (Sandart), Uli Foerstl, (Olswang LLP), Tove Graulund (Graulund IP) and Àron Làszlò (SBG & K Law Office) 

Review of case law of ECJ, General Court and Boards of Appeal, also taking into account pharmaceutical trade marks  
Dr. Alexander von Mühlendahl, Bardehle Pagenberg 

Use of cancellation actions at OHIM
Barbara Cookson, Filemot 

Madrid system: 09:30-10:00 AM
Moderators: Alfred Strahlberg & Valentina Sergeyeva, Strahlberg & Partners

 Madrid & Hague systems - Latest Developments 
Alan Datri, Senior Counselor, Sector Trademarks, Designs & Geographical Indications, WIPO

India & Madrid Protocol 
Raja Selvam, Selvam & Selvam, Advocates 

Colombia & Madrid Protocol 
Maria F. Castellanos, Brigard & Castro 

Update on Madrid Protocol and SE Asian Countries
Gregory Marimuthu, Gateway IP Services Sdn Bhd

Sponsors: the following sponsors are thanked for their support: 

Andra Musatescu Law & Industrial Property Offices, Borden Ladner Gervais, Calcagno Law, Clarion Solicitors, Epstein Drangel LLP, Filemot (Marco database), Harrison IP, Hiaring + Smith, Phillips & Leigh, Traplovà Hakr Kubàt, Società Italiana Brevetti S.p.A., ST&P Ltd (Latvia), Strahlberg & Partners and Symbus Law Group, LLC. 

This is an accredited Affiliate Meeting in connection with the 2012 INTA Annual Meeting. It is not however held under the auspices of the International Trademark Association (INTA), the Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group (PTMG), the European Communities Trade Mark Association (ECTA) or the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

The IPKat is delighted to see some small firms among the big ones --a reflection on the egalitarian impact of the social media, which detaches people from their context and vests them with some significance and dignity by virtue of who they are, not who employs them.

Finally, a warning to readers of not just this blog but many others: a lot of blogmeisters and contributors will be tied up with meetings, receptions and all sorts of other urgent necessities over the next week or so.  We all hope to keep our blogs running smoothly, but the pressure of time, the dislocation of being in unfamiliar time zones and the combined effect of jetlag, stress, exhaustion and free alcohol may well take their toll.