International Trademark Association Appoints Jennifer McDowell as Director of Washington, D.C. Office

New York, New York—August 1, 2019—The International Trademark Association (INTA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer M. McDowell as Director, Government Relations in its Washington, D.C. office.

In this role, Ms. McDowell will serve as the Association’s liaison with federal and state policy makers and government officials, contribute to the development of INTA’s positions on national and global intellectual property (IP) issues, and support related INTA committees.

She brings to INTA more than 16 years of experience in developing, negotiating, and implementing domestic policy and international commitments regarding IP rights at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

“We welcome Jenny with much excitement, knowing that her extensive experience, expertise, and knowledge will help advance IP initiatives on multiple levels,” said INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo.

Most recently, Ms. McDowell served as Assistant General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel at the USTR. Among her wide-ranging responsibilities, she was the lead IP attorney for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement; negotiated on behalf of the U.S. government for the Hague Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters; formulated IP policy; and engaged with Congress and industry stakeholders on complex issues.

Previously, at the USPTO, she served as Pro Bono Coordinator, Office of the Under Secretary and Director, and as Associate Counsel, Office of the General Counsel. She also was the sole U.S. government advisor on the Steering Committee of the Inventor Assistance Program, a WIPO initiative in cooperation with the World Economic Forum; and was a business and IP law instructor at Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.

A resident of Fairfax Station, Virginia, Ms. McDowell holds a J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Washington, D.C., and a B.S. from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Also related to its Washington, D.C. office, INTA today announced the retirement of Deborah Cohn, Senior Director of Government Relations, effective August 2.

Ms. Cohn joined INTA in 2015, after 31 years at the USPTO. During her last four years at the USPTO, she served as Commissioner for Trademarks, where she led legal policy and examination operations for the federal registration of trademarks in the United States.

During Ms. Cohn’s tenure with INTA, her many accomplishments included working with Congress on the Congressional Trademark Caucus, a bicameral, bipartisan caucus to increase the awareness of the contribution of trademarks to the U.S. economy and to consumer protection.

“We thank Debbie tremendously for her years of service to the IP field. Her substantive achievements leave an impressive mark on not only INTA, but the trademark community as a whole,” Mr. Sanz de Acedo said.

About the International Trademark Association
The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of brand owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and related intellectual property (IP) to foster consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation. Members include more than 7,200 trademark owners, professionals, and academics from 187 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark resources, policy development, education and training, and international network. Founded in 1878, INTA is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Brussels, Santiago, Shanghai, Singapore, and Washington, D.C., and representatives in Geneva and New Delhi. For more information, visit inta.org.