INTA will run its annual meeting with no virtual sessions next year and make greater efforts to encourage more patent lawyers to attend, its chief executive told Managing IP this week.
The decision marks a significant shift for the trademark association, which became accustomed to hosting virtual-only or hybrid events during the COVID pandemic.
The 145th annual meeting will be held in Singapore from May 16 to 20. A separate virtual conference will be held between June 27 and 29.
INTA’s 2020 and 2021 annual meetings were both held entirely online.
Etienne Sanz de Acedo, chief executive of INTA in New York, told Managing IP that the virtual sessions in Washington DC in May this year were not as well-attended as expected.
He added that hosting two events would allow people to get the best out of one or both formats, including those who couldn’t commit to an in-person conference.
He said the virtual event would largely cover the same topics as the physical gathering but would have a slightly different programme.
Patent focus
Sanz de Acedo also told Managing IP there would be more sessions directed at patents and that the traditionally trademark-focussed organisation hoped to broaden discussion points and tempt patent counsel to attend.
Singapore – where the 2020 annual meeting was originally scheduled – would also provide an opportunity to capitalise on Asia’s innovation prowess, he said.
“Asia is strong on patent filings and more and more companies are putting patents, trademarks and brand protection under the same roof.”
He added that 70% of all intellectual property filings emanated from Asia and that start-ups were growing. “All these companies are very strong on IP and particularly patents.”
He added: “We had the idea to focus more on patents in 2020. There will be as much focus as usual on trademarks and brands, but we will focus a little more on the innovation side – and with that, you have to talk about patents.”
The only previous annual meeting held in Asia – in Hong Kong SAR in 2014 – had fewer delegates than usual from North America.
