A Common Vision

This year’s INTA Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting will be one like no other. Amid the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19, INTA has prepared an exciting and wide-ranging virtual program packed with high-profile speakers, educational sessions, and networking opportunities.

“My vision for this year’s Annual Meeting is to inspire the trademark community to come together and enjoy some fantastic educational programming and networking events, during a year that has been very difficult,” said Annual Meeting Co-Chair Elisabeth Stewart Bradley, Vice- President, Innovation Law, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Brand Protection at Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (US).

Fellow Annual Meeting Co-Chair Jo-Ann See, Director of Amica Law (Singapore), echoes Ms. Bradley’s sentiments. “The programs and offerings which we all familiar with in every Annual Meeting are all still available in this virtual meeting, and what is great about this virtual meeting is that everybody now has the opportunity to participate,” she said.

A Pioneering Approach

The transition of the event from a physical to a virtual meeting has been the result of tremendous planning and dedication from INTA, the co-chairs pointed out.

“I have been so proud to be part of the team, and sometimes I feel that I am both their cheerleader and their biggest fan. I am so impressed that INTA has been able to make this amazing all-virtual meeting possible,” Ms. Bradley said.

“In earlier days, we would not have thought it possible to be able to transform the physical meeting to a virtual one. There were so many uncertainties. I am excited that I am a part of this first-ever virtual event to see how we can network and interact with each other virtually.”

Among the 2,600+ registrants, Kowit Somwaiya, Managing Partner, LawPlus Ltd. (Thailand), is “super-excited” about attending. “INTA’s upcoming two-in-one 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting will go down to the history as one of the first-ever largest virtual meetings of international intellectual property (IP) professionals. It will usher us into the ‘new normal’ way of organizing and attending virtual meetings of this very large scale for attendees from every corner of the globe.”

Mr. Somwaiya also noted another difference. “This virtual meeting offers high values with flexible time schedules for a fraction of the normal costs,” he said.

Embrace the Newness

While this year’s event is a departure from the norm, registrants will still be able to gain enormous benefits by making the most of the virtual platform.

Phil Cox, Founder of Business Development for IP Attorneys (US), offered this advice: “Don’t do the virtual equivalent of staying in your hotel room working, instead of getting out there and interacting with people,” he said. “Yes, this year is weird, and yes, we are all out of our comfort zone, but if nothing else, this year is going to be memorable. And memories are the foundation stones of relationships.”

He added that the INTAconnect element of the meeting (see article on page 6) will provide registrants with invaluable networking opportunities. “I’ve been telling my clients to meet people they already know; clients, people who’ve referred work to them, and people they are trying to build longer term relationships.”

In particular, Mr. Cox suggested that solo and small firm attendees who typically rely on the in-person Annual Meeting to strengthen their business, should spend a lot of time in Hospitality this year. “It allows you to meet new people and show your knowledge by engaging in meaningful debates around specific topics,” he said.

To help registrants prepare for the Meeting, INTA held a webcast on October 13 featuring Mr. Cox and Rudy Gaines, Owner of Rudy Gaines Creative Business Growth (US). The two members shared best practices for planning for and maximizing the virtual event. The webcast, Ready, Set, Go Virtual!, is now available on YouTube.

A Flexible Format

One of the many valuable features of the Annual Meeting portion of the event is that nearly all of the educational programming will be available on demand, so attendees can watch sessions with any topic of interest at a time convenient for them. In addition, also for the first time, “there are 12 diverse tracks of programming so that attendees can both sharpen their existing expertise, and venture out into new areas and broaden their perspectives,” Ms. Bradley pointed out.

Lindesay M. Low, Deputy Director of Legal Affairs at Scotch Whiskey (UK), said he hopes to achieve several personal objectives at the Meeting.

“My focus is ensuring that we have a good Meeting, that I complete a good proportion of my annual continuing professional development requirement, and take time to reconnect with as many friends as possible,” he said. “One advantage of the Meeting being online, is that you can watch a great deal of content at a time that suits you without worrying about diary clashes. I intend to make the most of that.”

Other registrants are looking forward to seeing how INTA has embraced the challenges posed by the pandemic, and whether its innovative ideas might have long-term potential to be used at future meetings.

“We are all living in what feels like very different times and we need to learn how to adapt to the new circumstances and make the most of the situation,” said Carolina Calheiros, Partner, Rolim, Mietzel, Wohlnick & Calheiros (Germany).

She suggested that an online format can actually be “more effective” than an in-person event. “It allows attendees to be more focused on and engaged with the actual discussion, since it has a lower distraction potential and people tend to participate more actively by sending questions via chat or speaking out in an online environment as compared to a huge, and sometimes intimidating, conference room,” she said.

Furthermore, Ms. Calheiros noted that this year’s format has made the array of content more accessible to many. “As an expectant mother,” she said, “I would not have been able to go on a transatlantic flight at this point in time, and I am very happy to be able to take part in the Meeting.”

Claire Lehr, Partner, EIP Europe (UK), is also looking forward to experiencing the new virtual format. “I can still attend relevant sessions, reach out and connect with my network, discuss industry issues, all without having to deal with jet lag and long days of socializing, however fun they are at the time, while still trying to keep on top of client matters.”

Wanhuida Intellectual Property (China) is even going a step further. According to Founding Partner Bai Gang, the firm will allow flexible working hours during the course of the Annual Meeting for registrants from its firm—15 in all, making it, as of now, the Associate Member with the fourth largest contingent at this year’s Meeting.

Planning and Preparation As with all events, preparation and planning are pivotal in ensuring that registrants get the most out of the gatherings.

“INTA’s Annual Meeting always involves a significant degree of advance preparation to make sure there is enough time to meet old and new clients and to also get together with old friends,” noted Liad Whatstein, Partner, Whatstein & Co (Israel).

“The juggling between meetings and events, between professional legal discussions and debates and social events may be challenging at times but is also highly satisfying,” he noted. “We will miss this part of [the Meeting], but on the other hand it will probably be much easier to plan ahead when all meetings will take place from the office board room or from the home office.”

Nathalia Mazzonetto, Partner, Momma Law (Italy), spoke of her determination to organize an agenda to ensure she gets the most of the Meeting, while achieving a healthy balance between her professional and personal life.

“As a mother of a little one, it will not be easy,” she confessed. “I will pick up parts of the Meeting and what I can handle. The key word is ‘choice’. I will spend some quality time selecting what is really worth following.”

Some registrants are determined to replicate the same experience as previous years, however. “I have always been quite spontaneous during INTA’s Annual Meetings and tend to not overplan or overschedule myself,” said Marek Łazewski, Partner, Łazewski & Partners (Poland). “It is not that difficult to do spontaneous interactions, and to catch up with people as you would have done in the physical meeting.”

This is an approach also favored by Batur Oktay (click for video), Managing Director, Corporate Counsel at Starbucks (US). “For the Starbucks IP team, we will treat this meeting just as we do any annual conference. This will be a combination of meetings with our counsel, interviews with potential new counsel where needed, and attending the excellent sessions. We are also particularly looking forward to the regional case law updates.”

Ultimately, the registrants agree that the Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting will offer immense value because it offers a forum for like-minded IP practitioners. “This allows for a common vision which is to progress the cause of IP across the world. The AI-empowered matchmaking app is definitely different and allows for a seamless opportunity to meet potential business associates,” said Busola Bakinson (click for video), Senior Associate, Jackson, Etti & Edu (Nigeria).

“The team will benefit from the educational sessions, tips that can be incorporated into our business from across the world, Table Topics, and of course, social networking,” she added, noting, “I already have an invite to a virtual happy hour.”

Footage used under license from Envato Elements / stockbusters