Back To INTAINTA Affiliate Events
The INTA Annual 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, hundreds of Affiliate Events take place alongside the official program, extending the reach and value of the Annual 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 Annual Meeting.
Reach out to Sophie Van de Vorst in case you have any additional questions.
What Is an INTA Affiliate Event?
INTA Affiliate Events are activities organized in connection with the INTA Annual Meeting by registrants and/or third parties acting on their behalf. This includes events held alongside the Annual Meeting or during the surrounding period, in 2027 this will be from Thursday, May 6, through Thursday, May 13, reflecting the timeframe during which INTA licenses and activates its meeting footprint across the convention center and host city.
While independently organized, these Affiliate Events are an integral part of the broader Annual 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?
INTA requires all prospective Affiliate Event hosts to submit an Affiliate Events Form and receive approval before finalizing event plans.
Why Should I Submit an Affiliate Event Form Early in the Planning Process?
Early submission supports alignment with INTA policies, helps avoid scheduling conflicts, and contributes to a coordinated, high-quality Annual Meeting experience. It also enables hosts to secure preferred venues with greater confidence and fewer last-minute adjustments.
Why Do Affiliate Events, and Reporting Them, Matter to INTA?
Affiliate Events extend the value of the Annual 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 Annual 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 Annual Meeting experience for all participants.
When Is an Affiliate Events Form Not Required?
An Affiliate Events Form is not required for:
- One-on-one client meetings
- Lunches or dinners for small groups
All other events involving broader participation or hospitality must be reported to INTA through the Affiliate Events Form.
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 Annual 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 Events can be hosted at any time except the following times:
- During Opening Ceremonies (Sunday, May 9, from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm)
- During the Welcome Reception (Sunday, May 9, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm)
- During official educational session hours (Saturday, May 8 to Tuesday, May 11 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Wednesday, May 12, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm)
Are there exceptions to hosting events during official educational session hours?
Yes, there are limited exceptions for small corporate or associate business meetings and corporate member external counsel meetings held within the convention center or in INTA’s designated hotel blocks. However, educational-type activities, as defined in the exclusivity rules below, may not take place in these spaces at the time of INTA’s educational sessions.
I want to book a meeting room in the Convention Center or INTA’s hotel block, what should I do?
INTA offers Business Suites (meeting spaces of various sizes) at the San Diego Convention Center and campus hotels.
If you are interested in booking a meeting space outside the venues mentioned above, please complete the Affiliate Events form to obtain approval, then work directly with your preferred venue.
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 Opening Ceremonies (Sunday, May 9, from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm)
- During the Welcome Reception (Sunday, May 9, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm)
- During official educational session hours* (Saturday, May 8 to Tuesday, May 11 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Wednesday, May 12, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm)
*Small corporate or associate business meetings and corporate member external counsel meetings held within the convention center or in INTA’s designated hotel blocks can take place during these times, but not educational-type activities, as defined in the exclusivity rules above.
These restrictions apply regardless of venue or format.
Badging Requirement
All attendees at Affiliate Events must:
- Be registered for the Annual 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, Annual Meeting registrants, and their organizations planning to host an event during the Annual 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 Annual 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 Annual 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.