New INTA Report Examines Evolution of In-House Trademark Teams and the Impact on Their External Partners

New York, New York–March 25, 2026–The International Trademark Association (INTA) has published its 2025 Presidential Task Force (PTF) Report, Change & Transformation: Exploring the Evolution of In-House Teams, the Impact on External Partners, and the Future Opportunities for INTA.

The Report reveals that in-house intellectual property (IP) teams are facing a period of significant change, as responsibilities expand amid increasing complexity, rising expectations, and constrained resources. The Report highlights mounting pressure on in-house practitioners to act as strategic business partners, adopt technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to drive efficiency, and manage evolving relationships with external counsel without commensurate growth in budgets. Together, these trends point to a broader transformation of the global IP ecosystem and underscore opportunities for INTA to support its members as they navigate this shifting landscape.

Convened by 2025 INTA President Elisabeth Steward Bradley, Vice President, Innovation Law: Trademarks, Copyrights, and Brand Protection at Bristol Myers Squibb Company (USA), the PTF was co-chaired by Christy Susman (USA) and Daniel Zohny, Partner at Abion (Switzerland).

“There have been seismic shifts in our industry over the past couple of years,” said Mr. Zohny. “The goal of this Report was to better understand how those changes are affecting in-house roles—and what the downstream impact is for law firms, service providers, and the broader IP ecosystem.”

Reflecting on the expanding scope of in-house responsibilities, Ms. Susman adds, “There are no longer ‘pure’ trademark jobs. Today, many in-house professionals are managing trademarks alongside copyrights, patents, privacy, and broader business priorities, which fundamentally changes how teams are structured and how they collaborate with external partners.”

Survey interviews also emphasized that “efficiency has become as important as expertise” and AI has a role to play. Among the Report’s key findings, 74 percent of in-house practitioners surveyed said they now actively use AI tools. 94 percent agreed that, above all else, speed and efficiency are driving AI adoption.

As the Report notes, this evolving landscape is compelling in-house teams to push their external counsel to redefine their value, underscoring the need for external partners to offer flexible billing models and enhanced collaboration, and to respond to changes within in-house teams. It also outlines opportunities for INTA to support its members through education, networking, partnerships, and advocacy.

Positioned as both a strategic resource and a catalyst for dialogue, this Report supports INTA’s commitment to delivering timely, meaningful insights that help its members navigate change and anticipate future challenges, and to strengthening the IP profession.

Learn more and read the (publicly available) Executive Summary and the full Report.

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 more than 6,600 organizations, representing more than 38,000 individuals (trademark owners, professionals, and academics) from 182 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, Dubai, Santiago, Singapore, and the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, and representatives in Nairobi and New Delhi. For more information, visit inta.org.

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Media Contact:  
Jean-Claude Darné
Managing Director, Marketing and Communications
212-642-1774
[email protected]