Preparing for International Trademark Association Annual Meeting 2013

By Christopher Wogan

In Trade Mark Law: a Practical Anatomy, Jeremy Phillips’ classic analysis of trademarks, Jeremy notes that how a trademark functions depends on “(i) how the trade mark owner uses it and (ii) how the purchaser views it.” The purpose of the trademark system is not only for those who own trademarks and their competitors, but also for those consumers who may or may not choose to use goods and services provided by the trade mark owner.

Trademark law is an interesting field because it is defined not only by legislation and legal books and treaties but also by the uses to which it is put. Trademark lawyers are at the forefront of deciding the legality of issues that affect commerce, companies, and consumers the world over. Do you ever wonder when you ask for a Coke whether what you are really asking for is any carbonated cola beverage or the drink specifically made by Coca-Cola? If you want to stitch your favorite football team’s name on your scarf do you need permission? Trademark lawyers regularly answer and deal with these finer points of intellectual property law.

A group of around 10,000 intellectual property law practitioners and trademark specialists will convene in Dallas, Texas from 4-8 May at the International Trademark Association’s 135th Annual Meeting. They will come together to talk about the latest trademark and intellectual property law issues, to catch up with friends from around the world, and to meet new ones. They will ask themselves how intellectual property and trademarks will evolve in a world that is more commercial and digitally connected than ever before.

Those who have been to the INTA annual meeting before know that it is a five day conference packed with informative panel discussions and networking events. This year’s conference is no different. The program sounds fascinating, with a keynote address from Jerry Jones, Owner, President, and General Manager of the Dallas Cowboys, while the Welcome Reception and INTA Gala are not to be missed.

If you’re wondering what to do when you’re not attending sessions, check out these conference-related happenings:

• Saturday: First-Time Attendee Annual Meeting Orientation. Take full advantage of the INTA Annual Meeting and learn about the resources and opportunities for education, networking, navigating the Exhibition Hall and making the best use of your time. This session is for first-time attendees, as well as new members, who want to learn more about the most recent events and resources available on-site. 3:00 pm–4:00 pm
• Monday: Meet Oxford authors David Stone and Neil Wilkof. From noon onwards you can meet David Stone, author of European Union Design Law and Neil Wilkof, author of Overlapping Intellectual Property Rights at the Oxford University Press booth #815.  Also on Monday evening there is an Academic and Young Practitioner Happy Hour, an excellent networking opportunity for law and paralegal students, practitioners new to trade mark law, professors and adjunct professors to discuss, over cocktails, interesting new trade mark law developments.
• Wednesday: Grand Finale – Gilley’s Dallas. Enjoy your final night of the 2013 Annual Meeting at Gilley’s and get a real taste of Dallas culture. 7:00 pm–11:00 pm

Also, here are a few tips on what to expect when you get to Dallas:

• The weather in Dallas in May will be hot. Expect temperatures to reach between 27-30 degrees Celsius, 80-86 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Accessing the Internet: At the Convention Center, free wi-fi is available for attendees with wi-fi-compliant devices in public spaces such as concourses, food courts and common areas inside the Center.
• Finding your way around: You find can directions to the Dallas Convention Center and take a virtual tour of the Center.
• INTA have posted an orientation video explaining what the conference is like for first-time attendees.

If you are lucky enough to be joining us in Dallas, don’t forget to visit the Oxford University Press booth number 815, where you can browse our award-winning books, pick up a sample copy of one of our intellectual property journals or find out more about the JIPLP competition for 2013 – the $1 billion question!

To follow the latest updates about the INTA Conference as it happens, follow us @OUPAcademic and the hashtag #INTA13. See you in Dallas!

Christopher Wogan is the Marketing Manager for Intellectual Property Law products at Oxford University Press.

Oxford University Press is a leading publisher in intellectual property law including the Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice, edited by Professor Jeremy Phillips, and Reports of Patent, Design and Trade Mark Cases, as well as the latest titles from experts in the field, and a wide range of law journals and online products. We publish original works across key areas of study, from trade marks to patents, designs and copyrights, developing outstanding resources to support students, scholars, and practitioners worldwide.

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