2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting Watch Parties

The Good Business of Sustainable Brands 

Sustainability has a broad meaning in the business context. Consumers are looking behind the products when making their purchase and loyalty decisions. Join the conversation as we examine the changing landscape for brands and their messages, and as we explore:

• Trademarks and brands as more than just “source identifiers”
• A chance for brands to show their commitment to the “triple bottom line” principle
• Brand commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a two-way benefit—brand value is proven to react positively to CSR involvement
• The cross-roads between CSR and IP rights and what IP lawyers should know about it

Moderator: Jessica Murray, Toms Shoes Inc. (USA)

Speakers:
Simon McCalla, Sedex (United Kingdom)
Robert Tadlock, Patagonia, Inc. (USA)

Watch party hosted by Iris Gunther, International Trademark Association (USA).

Track: Commercialization of Brands/Brand Value 

Branding in the Age of Social Media and the Impact of Consumer Brand Empowerment
(All Levels) 

The age of social media has completely shifted the brand-consumer dynamic. No longer mere subjects to a brand’s marketing message, consumers now hold the ability to virally share resonating content or flip a campaign on its head in an instant. Brand owners must learn how to tap into the power of consumers in the digital world to effectively communicate their message and establish cultural relevance.

Panelists will provide insight on these concepts and address the following questions:

• What is consumer empowerment in the context of social media?
• How does consumer empowerment work?
• How does consumer empowerment influence brand attitudes of other consumers?
• Has social media made brands more or less significant?
• What can brand owners do to increase cultural relevance in the age of crowd-culture?

Moderator:
Lorenzo Litta, BrandIT GmbH (Switzerland)

Speakers: 
Alexander Bayer, Pinsent Masons LLP (Germany)
Lauren Dienes-Middlen, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (USA)

Watch Party hosted by Lorenzo Litta, BrandIT GmbH (Switzerland)

Tracks: In-House Practice and Strategy and Managing Your Brands in Times of Crisis 

Getting a Seat at the C-Suite Table
(Advanced)

Seasoned attorneys at the intersection of law, policy, and business will offer practical advice to help you advance your career and secure your seat at the table. Speakers will discuss the following:

• Understanding and driving the evolution of business strategy and staying relevant, focusing on:
  • Strategic agility
  • Political savvy
  • Approachability
• The big role that Legal plays in connecting the dots among divisions and understanding the industry shift, while not relying on “this is the way we always have done it”
• The intersection of technology, privacy, security, and data that has brought Legal to the table with the operating business units
• International business perspectives—best practices on translation, culture, and other issues
• Understanding strategic growth and the CFO’s perspective
• Working with and managing outside counsel—their role and the C-suites’ view of their role in the above strategies

Moderator:  Melissa Rotunno, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (USA)

Speakers:
Christopher Chan, Lazada and RedMart (Singapore)
Jennifer Hamilton, Diageo North America, Inc. (USA)
Raymond Millien, Volvo Trademark Holding AB (Sweden)
Kenneth Ng, Davies Collison Cave (Australia)

Watch Party hosted by Christopher Chan, Lazada and RedMart (Singapore)

Tracks: In-House Practice and Strategy and Professional Advancement   

Say What? Best Practices for Baby Boomers to Millennials for Legal and Corporate Communications
(Intermediate) 

This session will cover differences in communicating with clients from both in-house and outside counsel perspectives, including:

• Issues raised by communicating in different media (live, video, email, text, chat, letter, PowerPoint, etc.) and suggested best practices
• Discussion of suggested best ways to communicate different types of legal advice

Moderator:  Rafa Gutiérrez, Uber Technologies, Inc. (USA)

Speakers:
Megan Bannigan, Debevoise & Plimpton LLC (USA)
Jessica Elliott Cardon, Parlux Holdings, Inc. (USA)
Crystal Prais, Fenwick & West LLC (USA)

Watch party hosted by Iris Gunther, International Trademark Association (USA)

Tracks: In-House Practice and Strategy and Professional Advancement  

Preventing Number Nightmares: An Overview of Financial Issues and Concepts Facing Brand Owners
(Intermediate or Advanced)

This session will focus on financial and accounting related topics that arise during business transactions, litigation, and in-house practice involving trademarks. Experienced practitioners will cover a broad range of topics through the use of real-world examples to address questions such as:

• What are some common challenges or obstacles regarding financial issues that trademark practitioners encounter during litigation?  Transactions?  Operations?
• What are some key financial terms and concepts that all trademark practitioners should know?
• How do you “talk the talk” with finance to build the right team and intellectual property program for your company? How do you use numbers to tell your best story?
• Has the Covid-19 pandemic changed your practice and/or decision-making regarding financial issues? If so, are the changes expected to be temporary or permanent?
• How can you best manage the development, protection, and enforcement of brands given budget pressures and other challenges facing corporations and in-house practitioners?
• How are trademark values determined for tax or financial reporting purposes and how do you reconcile those values relative to other assets and total company value?
• What are the types of financial information and documents that are often utilized in determining monetary relief in connection with litigation involving trademark disputes or determining trademark values for tax or financial reporting purposes?  Are there differences based on the context, jurisdiction, or region?
• What are some best practices for negotiating licensing or other deal terms?

Moderator:  Brian M. Daniel, Charles River Associates (USA)

Speakers: 
Lanning Bryer, Ladas & Parry LLP (USA)
Monique Cheng Joe, NBCUniversal Media, LLC (USA)
Mark Owen, Taylor Wessing (United Kingdom)

Watch party hosted by Mark Owen, Taylor Wessing (United Kingdom)

Tracks: Commercialization of Brands/Brand Value and In-House Practice and Strategy 

Brand Restrictions―What Every IP Practitioner Needs to Know and Why It Matters
(Intermediate) 

Brand restrictions are a serious threat to the IP ecosystem, from innovation to the value of brands, affecting everyone from consumers to brand owners. Many industries around the world are directly affected by the slippery slope of regulations that restrict the sale or marketing of their brands and many more industries are at risk. Understand the background and learn why trademark legal professionals need to understand how brand restrictions may affect the use and protection of brands in key countries around the world.

Hear from a panel of legal and policy experts about:

• The latest on brand restrictions in key countries from around the world
• The legal arguments against brand restrictions
• Who’s next and what the future may bring

Moderator:  Ronald van Tuijl, JT International S.A (Switzerland)

Speakers: 
Abraham Diaz, Olivares (Mexico)
Wallis Pons, AngelesPons (Dominican Republic)
Marlou Van de Braak, Heineken International B.V. (Netherlands)

Watch party hosted by Ronald van Tuijl, JT International S.A (Switzerland) and Marlou Van de Braak, Heineken International B.V. (Netherlands)

Tracks: Regulatory Issues, In-House Practice and Strategy    

Scams, Frauds, and Other Misdeeds on the Internet             

Panelists from the technical side, the investigative side, outside counsel, and in-house counsel will discuss the following:

• What are the current online scams, frauds, and misdeeds?
• What are the tools and tricks to resolve these scams, frauds, and misdeeds?
• How has the law evolved since Rosetta Stone?
• How can a company address customer complaints and PR issues?

Moderator:  Signe Naeve, Starbucks Coffee Company (USA)

Speakers: 
Frederick Felman, AppDetex (USA)
Russell Pangborn, Seed Intellectual Property (USA)
Evan Williams, International Hacking & Intellectual Property (ICHIP) Attorney—Advisor for Asia (Hong Kong)

Watch party hosted by Frederick Felman, AppDetex (USA)

Tracks: Managing Your Brand in Times of Crisis and Professional Advancement    

Humans as a Resource: Building an Effective Team and Growing Talent
(Intermediate or Advanced)         

Leadership and talent management are crucial to building and sustaining effective teams. This panel will discuss:

• The secret sauce of talent alignment
• The key ingredients to creating an environment that cultivates collaboration and innovation, and maximizes team effectiveness
• Talent development—mentoring vs. sponsoring
• Keys to identifying and retaining talent

Moderator:  Mei-lan Stark, NBCUniversal Media, LLC (USA)

Speakers:
Peter Dernbach, Winkler Partners (Taiwan)
Marion Heathcote, Davies Collison Cave (Australia)
Brendan J. O’Rouke, Proskauer Rose LLP (USA)

Track: Professional Advancement 

Design Law: Complementing Anticounterfeiting and Brand Protection Strategies
Intermediate

Design rights are increasingly important for brands looking to build a well-rounded and effective anti-counterfeiting/brand protection program. A common infringement tactic to avoid takedown or seizure is to remove references to a brand’s trademarks but continue to sell counterfeit or identical-looking goods, especially in connection with online sales. Consumers can be as confused by design-infringing “knockoffs” as by direct counterfeits. Design rights help to bridge the IP gap.

This panel will consider:

• How are design rights used in anti-counterfeiting/brand protection strategies and enforcement?
• What are some best practice case studies for using design rights to stop counterfeiters?
• How can brands with a wide variety of product lines and limited budgets best build the most effective design rights portfolio?
• What are the pros and cons of using design rights in enforcement?
• How are design rights used in online enforcement? And what platforms are allowing removals based on design rights?
• What is the current state of design protection globally? What are some top jurisdictions where design can be used to your advantage? What jurisdictions need improvement?
• Regional comparisons of the relevant laws (Europe, the United States, Australia, and Asia Pacific)

Moderator: Simon Clark, Bristows (United Kingdom)

Speakers:
Heike Bhonsle, Crocs, Inc. (USA)
Laurence Morel-Chevillet, BVLGARI (Italy)
Robert Sterner, Audi AG (Germany)

Watch party hosted by Simon Clark, Bristows (United Kingdom)

Tracks: Anticounterfeiting/ Brand Protection and Related Rights

Brand Restrictions―What Every IP Practitioner Needs to Know and Why It Matters
(Intermediate) 

Brand restrictions are a serious threat to the IP ecosystem, from innovation to the value of brands, affecting everyone from consumers to brand owners. Many industries around the world are directly affected by the slippery slope of regulations that restrict the sale or marketing of their brands and many more industries are at risk. Understand the background and learn why trademark legal professionals need to understand how brand restrictions may affect the use and protection of brands in key countries around the world.

Hear from a panel of legal and policy experts about:

• The latest on brand restrictions in key countries from around the world
• The legal arguments against brand restrictions
• Who’s next and what the future may bring

Moderator:  Ronald van Tuijl, JT International S.A (Switzerland)

Speakers: 
Abraham Diaz, Olivares (Mexico)
Wallis Pons, AngelesPons (Dominican Republic)
Marlou Van de Braak, Heineken International B.V. (Netherlands)

Watch party hosted by Ronald van Tuijl, JT International S.A (Switzerland) and Marlou Van de Braak, Heineken International B.V. (Netherlands)

Tracks: Regulatory Issues, In-House Practice and Strategy    

Diversity and Inclusion: How to Live Your Values to the Benefit of Your People and Your Brand 

Research shows that being diverse and inclusive leads to more innovative products and services, long-term employee retention, and better financial performance. The evolution of the Barbie toy range in recent years shows, by example, what companies can do to create more diverse and inclusive product offerings. Listen to law firm and company representatives explain the importance and value of diversity and inclusion programs for companies and law firms with respect to employee wellbeing, talent retention, product design, and customer experience. Hear how they have transformed their businesses to the benefit of their people, their reputation, and—dare we say it?—their bottom line. And learn about the role the brand legal team can play in this transformation.

Moderator:  Sanjana Sharma, UL LLC (USA)

Speakers: 
Adraea  Brown, H-D U.S,A., LLC (USA)
Kim Culmone, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Design for Barbie and Fashion Dolls, Mattel, Inc. (USA)
Michael Moore, Mattel, Inc. (USA)

Watch party hosted by Michael Moore, Mattel, Inc. (USA)

Track: Diversity and Inclusion 

Brand Restrictions―What Every IP Practitioner Needs to Know and Why It Matters
(Intermediate) 

Brand restrictions are a serious threat to the IP ecosystem, from innovation to the value of brands, affecting everyone from consumers to brand owners. Many industries around the world are directly affected by the slippery slope of regulations that restrict the sale or marketing of their brands and many more industries are at risk. Understand the background and learn why trademark legal professionals need to understand how brand restrictions may affect the use and protection of brands in key countries around the world.

Hear from a panel of legal and policy experts about:

• The latest on brand restrictions in key countries from around the world
• The legal arguments against brand restrictions
• Who’s next and what the future may bring

Moderator:  Ronald van Tuijl, JT International S.A (Switzerland)

Speakers: 
Abraham Diaz, Olivares (Mexico)
Wallis Pons, AngelesPons (Dominican Republic)
Marlou Van de Braak, Heineken International B.V. (Netherlands)

Watch party hosted by Abraham Diaz, Olivares (Mexico) and Wallis Pons, AngelesPons (Dominican Republic)

Tracks: Regulatory Issues, In-House Practice and Strategy    

Informing and Influencing: Trademark Issues Arising in Global Advertising
(Intermediate) 

Advertisements create awareness of brands, introduce new products, and educate consumers about the benefits of goods and services. The best advertisements have high impact and are provocative and memorable. But how do they align with trademark principles?

This panel, with representatives from diverse consumer-facing goods industries, will share practical tips dealing with the overlap of advertising and trademarks, specifically covering:

• Comparative advertising and the use of trademarks—when does it go beyond nominative use?
• Product placement in television/film. Is all publicity good publicity? Who receives the real benefit?
• Social media and global rights: Do we play fast and loose with trademark rules on social media?
• Keyword advertising and the use of third-party trademarks

Moderator & Speaker:  Paul Jordan, Bristows (United Kingdom)

Speakers:
Sharon Ceresnie Sorkin, Ford Motor Company (USA)
Nerissa Coyle McGinn, Loeb & Loeb (USA)
Angela Lynnette Wilson, Hallmark Cards, Incorporated (USA)

Track:   Regulatory Issues and In-House Practice and Strategy                     

Hot Topics in Copyright: The New and Controversial Landscape

As technology continues to transform our lives, copyright law needs to evolve to adequately protect original works and to provide robust tools for protection in an advanced technological landscape. From new developments in fair use, parody, and copyrightability in the United States to the European Copyright Directive that has drawn much controversy, this panel will focus on developments in these two jurisdictions, such as:

• New developments regarding fair use in mash-ups or in political campaigns
• The state of the law and practice on parody
• New case law and potential statutory developments under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act
• Copyrightability post Star Athletica
• The state of play after the European Copyright Directive: why it is so controversial and how member states are implementing the Directive into their laws

Moderator:  Mary Mazzello, Kirkland & Ellis LLP (USA)

Speakers:
Naomi Gray, Shades of Gray Law Group, P.C. (USA)
Axel Nordemann, Nordemann Czychowski & Partner (Germany)

Watch party hosted by Mary Mazzello, Kirkland & Ellis LLP (USA)

Brand Restrictions―What Every IP Practitioner Needs to Know and Why It Matters
(Intermediate) 

Brand restrictions are a serious threat to the IP ecosystem, from innovation to the value of brands, affecting everyone from consumers to brand owners. Many industries around the world are directly affected by the slippery slope of regulations that restrict the sale or marketing of their brands and many more industries are at risk. Understand the background and learn why trademark legal professionals need to understand how brand restrictions may affect the use and protection of brands in key countries around the world.

Hear from a panel of legal and policy experts about:

• The latest on brand restrictions in key countries from around the world
• The legal arguments against brand restrictions
• Who’s next and what the future may bring

Moderator:  Ronald van Tuijl, JT International S.A (Switzerland)

Speakers: 
Abraham Diaz, Olivares (Mexico)
Wallis Pons, AngelesPons (Dominican Republic)
Marlou Van de Braak, Heineken International B.V. (Netherlands)

Watch party hosted by Abraham Diaz, Olivares (Mexico) and Wallis Pons,  AngelesPons (Dominican Republic)

Tracks: Regulatory Issues, In-House Practice and Strategy