International Trademark Association Launches Trademark Administrators Certificate Program

New York, New York—May 19, 2024—The International Trademark Association (INTA) has launched its third professional certificate program, the Trademark Administrators (TMA) Certificate Program Beginner Course. Registration opened today.

The course consists of eight chapters and is primarily designed for early-career trademark administrators (TMAs) to learn the professional skills necessary to be a successful TMA; the basics of intellectual property (IP) with a focus on trademarks; how IP rights are obtained, protected, and enforced; and the key technologies utilized by TMAs. Young practitioners and attorneys looking for more cross-functional knowledge in IP law will also benefit from this course.

The leadership team behind the course includes Gernez Owens (NBC Universal, USA) and Emily Quackenbush (Perkins Coie, USA) as Program Directors, along with Leyla Harper-Dominique (Ideas IPS, Haiti) and Rosa Jimenez (Travel + Leisure Co., USA) as the Project Leads, and Trademark Administrators Committee Chair Kara Fielder (Worldpay, USA) and Vice Chair Nehal Madhani (Alt Legal, USA).

Ms. Fielder Ms. Jimenez, Mr. Madhani, and Ms. Quackenbush serve as instructors alongside other experienced trademark professionals from North American corporations and law firms. The project team that assisted with the development of the course is comprised of experienced trademark professionals from around the globe.

“The TMA Certificate Program Beginner Course will provide a solid foundation for early-career TMAs to advance their knowledge and skills,” says Ms. Quackenbush. “Participants will be guided by instructors who are expert trademark legal professionals, many of whom will be familiar to INTA members. This program was created by TMAs for TMAs.”

Ms. Owens also emphasizes the value of the role of TMAs in creating the course. “This TMA Certificate Program was put together by actual trademark administrators, so not only can participants expect to learn essential skills and practical trademark procedures, but they will also gain valuable insights from experienced trademark legal professionals that are doing this type of work every day,” she says. “When I’m around other TMAs, I always feel a strong sense of passion, excitement, and community; this program is a direct product of that sense of community.”

The Course was created in accordance with the third pillar of INTA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Plan to Support the Development of IP Professionals, which calls on the Association to help brand professionals navigate changes affecting the profession and to help them hone substantive and legal skills they need to advance in their careers. Intermediate and Advanced level courses will be offered in the future.

“The TMA Certificate Program allows us to support an essential group within our community to gain skills and knowledge that will help them grow and advance in a constantly evolving role,” says INTA CEO Etienne Sans de Acedo. “We look forward to expanding on this program with intermediate and advanced level courses to benefit TMAs at different stages in their careers.”

Learn more about and register for the Trademark Administrators Certificate Program Beginner Course.

About the International Trademark Association
The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of brand owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and complementary intellectual property (IP) to foster consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation, and committed to building a better society through brands. Members include nearly 6,400 organizations, representing more than 36,000 individuals (trademark owners, professionals, and academics) from 181 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark resources, policy development, education and training, and international network. Founded in 1878, INTA is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Beijing, Brussels, Santiago, Singapore, and the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, and representatives in Amman, Nairobi, and New Delhi. For more information, visit inta.org.

Media Contact:
JC Darné
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