Letter from 2022 Annual Meeting Live+ Co-Chairs

Sergio Barragan (PepsiCo, Inc., Mexico) and Stacey Watson (Markery Law, Washington, D.C.)

Dear Reader,

Our adrenaline is racing right now as we eagerly approach the 2022 Annual Meeting Live+.

The Annual Meeting has always been an invigorating time. But, this year, even more so. Having the honor of being the Annual Meeting Project Team co-chairs naturally adds to our excitement. Moreover, the Meeting is historic, not only because our community is getting together again in person, but because this is our first “Live+” Annual Meeting, combining the best elements of in-person and virtual meetings.

The Meeting’s registration numbers—more than 5,600 at the time of this writing—reflect the tremendous appetite for a face-to-face gathering. Registrants are flying into Washington, D.C., from more than 100 countries, with some traveling from as far as Australia, China, and Indonesia, to reconnect with colleagues. Others, who face travel restrictions or prefer a virtual format, are embracing the Virtual Only format.

In many cases, corporates and law firms are sending more team members to the upcoming Annual Meeting than to our previous in-person ones, including instances where representatives from the same organization have registered for Live+ (in person + virtual) while their colleagues have opted for Virtual Only. We also look forward to welcoming hundreds of government officials from around the world.

As Project Team co-chairs, we have been focused on educational programming while others have been crafting the myriad Business Development opportunities.

So much work goes on behind the scenes. We would like to thank the entire Annual Meeting Project Team; the members of the other project teams and committees who have developed additional programming and events, such as the Anticounterfeiting Workshop, the In-House Practitioners Workshop, the Women’s LeadershIP Workshop, and the first annual INTA Green Swag Awards contest; and those committee members and staff who have arranged receptions, including the INTA Foundation Reception; and, finally, the entire INTA staff.

We know that our registrants come for both purposes—education and networking—and benefit from both.

The education sessions, both in person and virtually, align with your current and future needs and planning. More than 180 speakers from 29 countries will be presenting at 51 sessions. At least a half dozen sessions, plus various Table Topics, feature government officials.

We are again clustering sessions under tracks with a specific theme, and having seen that this format works, we have increased the number of tracks from five in 2021 to seven this year.

While the subject matter is wide-ranging, two topics with a sizeable presence are worth noting. One is the metaverse, with speakers who will explore the topic from different lenses—at four sessions on three tracks—from brand management to counterfeiting. The other is Professional Development, the theme of a new track and the subject of six Capsule Keynotes throughout the Meeting.

We know that registrants want to take it all in at the Annual Meeting. So, new this year, Virtual Only registrants can watch livestreamed featured sessions taking place on-site, including the Opening Ceremonies and popular reviews of case law in Europe and the United States. And most educational sessions and Capsule Keynotes will be available on demand until August 5 for both Live+ and Virtual Only registrants.

With the 2022 Annual Meeting Live+ now just two weeks away, INTA volunteers and staff are hammering out the final details for a successful and unique educational and networking experience. Our end goal is for you to achieve your goals during the Meeting and happily reflect on the experience afterward.

Sergio Barragan (PepsiCo, Inc., Mexico)
Stacey Watson (Markery Law, Washington, D.C.)

Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of this article, readers are urged to check independently on matters of specific concern or interest. 

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