INTA’s 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting Goes Virtual

INTA will be holding the 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting as an all-virtual event, presenting many of the same features and rich content that registrants at in-person Annual Meetings have come to expect, in a new and innovative format.

With the virtual approach, the Annual Meeting will be held November 16–20; during the prior week, INTA will schedule committee meetings and Leadership Meeting sessions for INTA volunteers, as well as invite corporate members to converse with external counsel in private meeting rooms. Registration will open in early July, with a significantly reduced fee structure.

The event will take place on a secure and engaging platform, and will include live, simulated-live, and on-demand educational sessions—thus, accommodating various time zones, freeing up schedules for networking with global colleagues and exhibitors, and extending opportunities to learn and connect during and beyond the set meeting period.

The announcement on May 20, comes in response to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual event replaces both the in-person 2020 Annual Meeting and 2020 Leadership Meeting, and combines the two for the first time.

“While the path here has come with a heavy heart, we believe this forward-looking approach is the safest option right now and keeps registrants’ best interests in mind,” said INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo. “Moreover, we’re excited about bringing our community together again, and pioneering a new type of event that opens up exciting opportunities for innovation and flexibility now and in the future.”

“These are extraordinary times, and we hope you will join us at the 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting for an extraordinary experience,” he said.

With the planning well underway, here’s a glimpse at what you can look forward to at the 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting:

Fees: INTA is reducing the standard member registration fee to $850, and $750 for the early bird. This marks a 32 percent decrease from the typical Annual Meeting registration fee, and 62 percent less than the cost of both the Annual Meeting and Leadership Meeting. In addition, unlike in the past, members will not pay for any “add-ons,” such as workshops or Table Topics. Select offerings will have limited capacity and be first-come, first-served—so register early!

Educational sessions: The event will include live, simulated-live, and on-demand educational sessions with high-quality, dynamic content (CLE/CPD available). Plus, the schedule will serve up a mix of session lengths and formats, including keynotes, panels, town halls, fireside chats, small group discussions, and workshops. Concerning the latter, look for an In-House Practitioners Workshop, Anticounterfeiting Workshop, and, a workshop featuring one of INTA’s latest projects, The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative, among others. Marking a new structure, about a dozen tracks will help guide registrants toward sessions that resonate with their needs and interest, such as tracks focusing on brands and business strategies in crisis, innovation and the future of intellectual property, in-house practice and strategy, commercialization of brands, related rights, and career development.

Networking: Registrants will be able to meet, share contact details, and set appointments with current or potential business associates. Along with new offerings, INTA will virtualize old favorites that make for successful connections, such as Speed Networking, Table Topics (moderated discussions on timely issues), and one-on-one or group meeting rooms, including those for corporates to meet with outside counsel.

Social events: Join global colleagues as well for enjoyable, time-zone friendly activities themed to sports, wellness, and experiences.

Exhibit Hall: A virtual Exhibit Hall, including special hours for appointments, will provide exhibitors with new ways to engage with registrants and provide information and demonstrations of products and services.

INTA President Ayala Deutsch and other Board members are encouraging members and other stakeholders to attend the virtual Meeting. (See accompanying article.)

With the safety-related deferral of in-person meetings, Ms. Deutsch said, “It is more important than ever to find other ways to strengthen our ties with each other. The virtual Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting provides an opportunity for members to come together from all corners of the globe, and to foster the sense of community that is unique to INTA.”

Further, she said, “Attending the Meeting is an essential way for members to show support for INTA’s work and ensure that the Association is able to continue that work, through the current crisis and beyond.”

Watch the announcement video from INTA’s CEO:

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.