What Belonging to INTA Means to Me: Shama Elliott

Published: January 15, 2019

Shama Elliott is the Intellectual Property Manager at American International Group, Inc. in New York, New York (USA). A member of INTA since 2000, she currently serves as Chairperson on the In-House Practitioners Committee-Interactive Content Subcommittee. Ms. Elliott spoke with the INTA Bulletin about what belonging to INTA means to her and the company she works for.

What’s the biggest challenge intellectual property (IP) professionals and brand owners are currently facing in your region?
We’re a global company that operates in more than 80 countries and jurisdictions, and one of our biggest challenges is evaluating changes in the legal landscape across this footprint. When there are changes in one of the regions where we operate, we had to audit our portfolio to see exactly where we are, how we might be affected in different countries within that region, and what we need to do to maintain and extend our protections.

How has being an INTA member helped in tackling this challenge?
INTA has provided a wealth of information, particularly through connections with other members that are facing the same challenges. Also, the resources available through the INTA website help in staying on top of new trends in trademark laws.

INTA’s educational conferences and meetings have been including updates on Brexit. Has that been helpful to you?
INTA conferences and sessions have helped me a great deal because I’m able to listen to panelists live, hear about their experiences in different industries and how they’re handling common challenges. I’m able to connect with members, foreign counsel, and other trademark practitioners who are faced with the same challenge, so it has helped me a great deal in strategizing for practice.

How has being an INTA member helped you in your professional career?
INTA has been invaluable to me by giving me access to the breadth of insights on our profession through conferences, roundtables, and other development opportunities. The information INTA provides has been incredibly helpful on its own. The opportunity to meet and discuss information with like-minded individuals from around the world has provided an additional level of insight.

And how has being an INTA member contributed to the success of your company?
INTA has been a valuable resource and a member association that is unique, in my opinion, because we all share the same concerns not just on broader intellectual property matters, but specifically on trademarks. It really, really drills it down to that specific aspect of my work. I appreciate that it’s enabled me to think outside the box and strategize-to take a more forward-thinking approach to see where I need to take the company as far as branding.

In a few words, what does belonging to INTA mean to you?
Belonging to INTA means feeling empowered and being a part of a member community.

Be sure to renew your INTA membership by January 15.
Doing so now will enable you to take advantage of discount registration rates for INTA’s meetings and conferences. Renew here today!

Member registration for the 2019 Annual Meeting opens January 23 at 10:00 am. INTA members can pre-register for the 2020 Annual Meeting in Singapore after registering for the 2019 Annual Meeting.

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

© 2019 International Trademark Association