How I Maximize My INTA Membership: Liad Whatstein

Liad Whatstein, Liad Whatstein & Co., Tel Aviv, Israel

Liad Whatstein is a founding partner at Liad Whatstein & Co., Tel Aviv, Israel. An intellectual property (IP) professional for more than 25 years, Mr. Whatstein handles all aspects of the IP practice, including litigation, brand protection, and prosecution of trademarks, and patents and designs.

Mr. Whatstein spoke with the INTA Bulletin about how INTA has helped him address challenges he faces as an IP professional and explains why brand owners should join the Association.

How has being an INTA member helped you in your professional career?
INTA has been an inseparable part of my professional career for over 20 years. The opportunity to meet so many professionals and create friendships and relationships which are long-lasting and genuine is the primary advantage of INTA membership. There is something about the INTA ambiance which renders it the ideal organization to meet colleagues and clients in an open and friendly environment, which, over the years, exponentially increases the scope and quality of your network of acquaintances. It is hard to crack the INTA formula—it may be the combination of high-level members from so many countries, the friendly atmosphere, and the correct mix of professional and social activity. But the formula certainly works, and INTA as an Association has justifiably become the hot spot of the IP community. I am definitely hoping that despite the COVID pandemic, 2021 will see the resumption of the “physical” conferences which will signal that life is gradually coming back to normalcy.

Apart from attending the Annual Meeting, how does Liad Whatstein & Co. maximize its membership throughout the year?
Apart from attending the conferences, we profit a lot from INTA membership throughout the year. Committee work is enriching and allows us to tackle varied professional and leadership topics in cooperation with colleagues from numerous jurisdictions. Committee work helps promote topics of importance to the IP community and the legal professional and is part of our ongoing responsibility as leaders in the field. We have also organized roundtables and contributed professional publications in cooperation with colleagues from other jurisdictions on topics of joint interest. In addition, then legal materials provided by INTA with respect to numerous jurisdictions are very useful for us. In Israel, courts are very attentive to foreign case law and to the legal situation in other countries.  INTA’s resources render such information more accessible, especially with respect to non-English speaking countries. INTA membership, therefore, extends way beyond the yearly or twice-yearly attendance at the conferences.

Can you share an example of a challenge IP professionals and brand owners are facing, and how INTA is helping address that challenge?
I find INTA’s amicus practice to be of prime significance in view of an anti-IP sentiment that may sometimes infiltrate court rulings. The fact that in appropriate cases the position of brand owners can be supplemented by the position of an organization such as INTA is instrumental in exposing courts to the entire spectrum of considerations that need to be weighed in matters raising issues of principle. Additionally, INTA facilitates the exchange of pertinent professional information and renders such information more accessible at a period when the challenge is to screen the huge amounts of information with which we are all flooded.

In sum, why should brand owners and IP law firms join the Association?
The answer is short and simple. IP firms and brand owners cannot afford not to join INTA and benefit from its broad range of opportunities. INTA is the first choice for both networking and professional development, and no less important, membership is also great fun.

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