Volunteer Spotlight: John Crittenden

John Crittenden, USA

John Crittenden began practicing law over three decades ago with no particular inclination to intellectual property (IP) law. An INTA member since 1994, he notes that participation in the Association gave him unique opportunities within the global trademark community that contributed to a fulfilling career in IP law.

Mr. Crittenden came to be acquainted with INTA through practicing trademark law. He became a member in 1994 and has since been an active volunteer in the Association, participating in many committees and serving as chair and vice chair of several of them. In the late 1990s, he was the INTA Bulletin Features Editor and thereafter Editor-in-Chief. He went on to join the Board of Directors in 2006. Over the years, he has also participated on many panel discussions at the Annual and Leadership Meetings.

He notes that INTA gave him unique opportunities within the global trademark community that contributed to a fulfilling career in IP law. Through years of experience and the opportunity to oversee myriad IP cases, Mr. Crittenden has become an authority on the matter both in and out of court. Mr. Crittenden now enjoys teaching trademark law and hopes to continue doing so in the future. Likewise, he plans to remain involved in the Association after retirement.

Mr. Crittenden enjoys traveling with his wife and keeping active, whether riding his bike or hiking trails. His two children, now adults, have followed in his footsteps—his son became a lawyer, and his daughter became a teacher! In the future, Mr. Crittenden wants to perfect his French and Spanish and would maybe like to live outside of the United States for a while.

Author’s Insight

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Crittenden in the aisles of UCLA [University of California, Los Angeles] School of Law in 2014. He was returning to his alma mater to teach trademark law. Years later I discovered that he is not only a highly respected professor (whom, to this day, his students hold dear) but also a trusted advisor among his peers and clients, who know no one better to go to court with.

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