2026 Leadership Meeting Affiliate Events

Return to the 2026 Leadership Meeting Overview

INTA Affiliate Event Policy – 2026 Leadership Meeting
The INTA Leadership Meeting is far more than a conference; it is a global platform and central gathering point for the intellectual property community, with the host city serving as an active extension of the meeting experience.

Each year, Affiliate Events take place alongside the official program, extending the reach and value of the Leadership Meeting across the host city. These events create meaningful opportunities for connection, client engagement, and collaboration. At the same time, their scale and visibility require clear coordination to ensure they enhance—rather than compete with—the integrity and overall experience of the Leadership Meeting.

affiliate events form

FAQs

What Is an INTA Affiliate Event?

INTA Affiliate Events are activities organized in connection with the INTA Leadership Meeting by registrants and/or third parties acting on their behalf. This includes events held alongside the Leadership Meeting or during the surrounding period, in 2026 this will be from Monday, November 16, through Saturday, November 21, reflecting the timeframe during which INTA licenses and activates its meeting footprint across the hotel and host city.

While independently organized, these Affiliate Events are an integral part of the broader Leadership Meeting experience and play an important role in how the community connects and does business. This policy is designed to support alignment with INTA’s overall program and objectives, ensuring a cohesive, high-quality experience for all participants.

Affiliate Events may include networking and relationship-building activities, wellness or hospitality experiences, and business or professional meetings of a non-educational nature:

Networking and Relationship-Building

Receptions or cocktail gatherings
Breakfast and brunch gatherings
Client appreciation events

Wellness and Hospitality Experiences

Wellness or recreational activities (e.g., morning runs, yoga, cultural visits)

Business and Professional Meetings (Non-Educational)

Internal firm or company meetings
Gatherings for external counsel from different organizations
Product training presentations

What Should You Do When Planning an Affiliate Event?

Why Should I Submit an Affiliate Event Form Early in the Planning Process?

Why Do Affiliate Events, and Reporting Them, Matter to INTA?

Affiliate Events extend the value of the Leadership Meeting while supporting a well-managed, high-quality experience for attendees, partners, and host destinations. They help INTA by:

Expanding networking and business development opportunities
Protecting the integrity of INTA’s official educational and networking program
Demonstrating broader economic impact for host venues, hotels, and destination partners, supporting INTA’s ability to negotiate favorable terms for future Leadership Meetings
Strengthening relationships with members, sponsors, exhibitors, and local partners
Ensuring fairness, transparency, and consistency in event oversight

Affiliate Event reporting is therefore more than an administrative formality; it is a key part of ensuring a well-coordinated, high-quality Leadership Meeting experience for all participants.

When Is an Affiliate Events Form Not Required?

What’s in It for My Organization?

Submitting an Affiliate Events Form and securing INTA approval supports a more successful and visible presence at the Leadership Meeting. Benefits include:

Confidence that event timing, format, and promotion align with the official program
Fewer last-minute changes through early identification of potential conflicts
Added credibility through alignment with INTA guidelines and expectations
Optional visibility on the Affiliate Events webpage, including your organization’s name and website

When can I host an Affiliate Event?

AFFILIATE EVENT RULES

Exclusivity Rule
To preserve the distinct role of INTA’s official educational program, Affiliate Events must remain clearly differentiated from formal educational offerings.

As a result, Affiliate Events may not include structured educational, legal, policy, or professional content that overlaps with or competes with INTA’s programming.

This includes, for example:

Panels, workshops, seminars, or presentations
CLE/CPD or training-style sessions
Structured discussions with defined learning objectives
Activities described using terms such as panel, dialogue, roundtable, forum, workshop, seminar, briefing, masterclass, or training

In general, Affiliate Events should focus on networking, relationship-building, and informal exchange rather than organized educational content. INTA will assess proposed activities to ensure they remain consistent with this distinction.

Event Scheduling Restrictions
Affiliate Events cannot be hosted:

During Award Ceremonies (Tuesday, November 17, from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm)
During the Welcome Reception (Tuesday, November 17, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm)
During official educational session hours (Wednesday, November 18 to Thursday, November 19, from 10:00 am to 4:45 pm, and Friday, November 20, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm)

These restrictions apply regardless of venue or format.

Badging Requirement
All attendees at Affiliate Events must:

Be registered for the Leadership Meeting
Wear their official INTA badge at all times during the event

Hosts are responsible for ensuring compliance.

Use of INTA Name and Brand
Approved Affiliate Events will benefit from being listed as such in the Meeting information; event hosts will need to opt in to be included. Such listing is purely informative and does not imply any responsibility or liability for INTA.

Affiliate Event hosts may not:

Suggest or imply INTA sponsorship, endorsement, or involvement
Use “INTA” or “International Trademark Association” in the name of the event
Use “INTA” in email subject lines, RSVP links, or event addresses
Use the INTA logo in any marketing or promotional materials

Any unauthorized use of INTA intellectual property other than the INTA Affiliate Event logo may result in enforcement action.

Requirement to Submit an Affiliate Event Form
All INTA members, Leadership Meeting registrants, and their organizations planning to host an event during the Leadership Meeting week—other than one-on-one meetings or small meals—must submit an Affiliate Events Form in advance.

This applies regardless of event size, format, invitation status, or location. Early submission helps ensure alignment with scheduling, policy requirements, and the overall Leadership Meeting experience.

Affiliate Event Process and Validation

Submission
Forms should be submitted before contracting venues.
Review
INTA reviews submissions to confirm:
• Alignment with the Exclusivity Rule
• Absence of scheduling conflicts
• Consistency with policy and community standards
Confirmation
Submission alone does not constitute approval; events may proceed once confirmation is received.
Visibility (Optional)
Approved hosts may opt to list their organization on INTA’s website.

INTA may request adjustments where needed to ensure alignment with policy requirements.

INTA’s Role and Responsibilities

INTA:

Does not organize, sponsor, or manage Affiliate Events
Does not assume liability
Does not provide logistical, operational, or financial support
Acts as a policy steward and provides oversight to support alignment with the Leadership Meeting experience

Each Affiliate Event remains the sole responsibility of the hosting organization.

Impact of Non-Compliance
INTA works with Affiliate Event hosts to support alignment with these guidelines. Where issues arise, INTA may take appropriate steps to address non-compliance, including:

Removal from INTA platforms and communications
Requests for event modification or, where necessary, cancellation
Consideration of compliance history in future participation
In more serious or repeated cases, restrictions related to committee service or leadership roles

These measures are intended to ensure fairness, transparency, and a consistent experience across the INTA community.