Customs key to big-fish counterfeiters: 3M counsel

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Customs key to big-fish counterfeiters: 3M counsel

Sponsored by

incopro.png
sebastian-pena-lambarri-abj-zuko6mg-unsplash.jpg

Hosted by Managing IP’s Ed Conlon, the discussion at Incopro’s Insync Virtual Summit explored how the pandemic has affected brand protection teams and offered key insights to drive success in 2021

The chief trademark counsel at 3M told an industry conference last month that brand owners must work closely with customs officials to reel in big-fish counterfeiters.

Colette Durst was speaking on a panel at Incopro’s Insync Virtual Summit on Thursday, January 28, alongside Jennifer Ehrlich, a strategic communications leader at 3M.

Durst, whom Managing IP also interviewed in late January, told the conference that brands should be prepared to do more with less in 2021 as budgets remain tight.

It came as a poll during the panel showed that nearly 50% of respondents have a smaller budget than at this time last year, while 34% said theirs had not changed. A further 19% said their budget has actually increased.

Durst and Ehrlich were reliving events from a year in which 3M’s workload has increased hugely. The company, which specialises in worker safety and healthcare, was put on the COVID frontline in early 2020 as demand for its N95 respirators soared.

At the same time, 3M witnessed a surge in trademark infringement, counterfeiting and fraud, particularly online. It responded by taking legal action and boosting communicating efforts, with 3M’s related in-house teams joining forces.

The IP team has also worked with law enforcement to stamp out counterfeiters, and Durst praised officials as “incredibly collaborative”. She said 3M will continue its work with the authorities, especially on large-sized cases.

3M has also used online and customs enforcement to make it harder for counterfeiters to get counterfeit respirators delivered to consumers. 

For the “big fish”, as she put it, Durst recommended using customs to block goods from entering a country and using the shipment data to track down the offenders. “That has been incredibly helpful,” she said.

Durst added that 3M is continuing to look at how else it can identify the big fish, including by using technology tools, even as the IP team does more with less in 2021.

For further examples of 3M’s communication efforts, please see: www.3m.com/covidfraud

To learn more about the panel, which was hosted by Managing IP’s managing editor Ed Conlon, please see the recording on the Insync website.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Attorneys explain why there are early signs that the US Supreme Court could rule in favour of ISP Cox in a copyright dispute
A swathe of UPC-related hires suggests firms are taking the forum seriously, as questions over the transitional stage begin
A win for Nintendo in China and King & Spalding hiring a prominent patent litigator were also among the top talking points
Rebecca Newman at Addleshaw Goddard, who live-reported on the seminal dispute, unpicks the trials and tribulations of the case and considers its impact
Attorneys predict how Lululemon’s trade dress and design patent suit against Costco could play out
Lawyers at Linklaters analyse some of the key UPC trends so far, and look ahead to life beyond the transition period
David Rodrigues, who previously worked at an IP boutique, said he may become more involved in transactional work at his new firm
Indian smartphone maker Lava must pay $2.3 million as a security deposit for past sales, as its dispute with Dolby over audio coding SEPs plays out
Powell Gilbert’s opening in Düsseldorf, complete with a new partner hire, continues this summer’s trend of UPC-related lateral movement
IP leaders at Brandsmiths and Bird & Bird, who were on opposing sides at the UK Supreme Court in Iconix v Dream Pairs, unpick the landmark case and its ramifications
Gift this article