INTA Celebrates the 2020 Award Winners - International Trademark Association

During the course of the 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting, INTA recognized the achievements of numerous individual and organization members. Among this year’s Association awards announced during the Meeting were the prestigious President’s Award, the INTA Service Awards, and the Tomorrow’s Leader Award.

President’s Award

The Association presents the President’s Award annually to an individual or individuals of a member organization who have made a lasting impact on INTA and its mission during their career, and who have made a profound impact on the global trademark community.

This year’s winners of the President’s Award are attorneys Anna Carboni, London, United Kingdom, and Mladen Vukmir, Partner at Vukmir & Associates, Zagreb, Croatia.

Ms. Carboni has volunteered with INTA for 25 years, including serving on the Board of Directors, and, in 2018 and 2019, as INTA’s Counsel. Professionally, she has made numerous contributions to intellectual property law, including as an Appointed Person, hearing trademark appeals from the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office.

Mr. Vukmir has volunteered with INTA on a wide range of committees and project teams over more than 20 years, including serving on the Board of Directors and as chair of the Brands and Innovation Committee from 2018 to 2019. He has many professional accomplishments, including an appointment by the Government of Croatia as a member of the Board of Appeals for Patents and Topographies.

Both recipients will be the subject of personal interviews in the next issue of the INTA Bulletin.

For more information about the INTA President’s Award, please see here.

INTA Service Awards

There are three categories of INTA Service Awards. They recognize individuals and organizations that provide exemplary service to the Association.

Advancement of Association Objectives Award—This year’s recipient is Anne Gilson LaLonde, Gilson on Trademarks, South Burlington, Vermont, USA. An attorney and active Association volunteer for 15 years, Ms. Gilson LaLonde has served as chair of INTA’s Legislation and Regulation Committee, United States Subcommittee (USLRC) since the beginning of 2020. As chair, she helps USLRC achieve its many objectives, including the review of all trademark legislation in the current 116th United States Congress.

INTA Membership Champion Award—Peter Sloane, Partner and Chair of the Trademark and Copyright Practice Group at Leason Ellis LLP, White Plains, New York, USA, accepted the honor in recognition of his exceptional commitment to the Association. Mr. Sloane, chair of INTA’s Law Firm Committee, has been involved in many activities, such as supporting the Committee’s fresh thinking in developing educational programming to attract new audiences.

Members for a Better Society Award—This was bestowed upon Fidus Law Chambers, a law firm in Noida, India, for its outstanding initiatives relating to corporate social responsibility. In the past year alone, the boutique IP firm found multiple ways to assist those in need, including delivering food and supplies to residents in local communities ravaged by riots and the COVID-19 pandemic.

To learn more about the INTA Service Awards, please see here.

Tomorrow’s Leader Award

The Association recognized two outstanding professionals, practicing trademark law for five years or less, with its Tomorrow’s Leader Award. These are Bita Kianian, Associate, Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP, Irvine, California, and Aprajita Nigam, Managing Associate, LexOrbis, New Delhi, India.

Look out for Young Practitioner Spotlights featuring Ms. Kianian and Ms. Nigam in an upcoming issue of the INTA Bulletin.

For more information about INTA’s Tomorrow’s Leader Award, please see here.

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest.