Hot trademark topics: INTA comes to the middle east
INTA’s first two-day intermediate level conference, with the theme ‘Hot Trademark Topics in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) Region’, takes place in December and will be a tool for the growing numbers of multinational trademark owners who are successfully expanding their brands in the Middle East and surrounding regions—a trend that is growing stronger.
Fast food chains, automobile manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies and businesses in the luxury goods industry recognise burgeoning opportunities for growth in this part of the world, and consumers are responding heartily. This steady commercial activity has led to an increased need for trademark protection, as well as strategies to guard against infringement and the counterfeiting of goods.
To help tackle this problem, the conference will focus on legal issues concerning the protection of trademarks in the MEASA region and beyond and will bring together government officials from the region, trademark law attorneys, brand owners and other IP professionals from all over the world. The event will address the following topics:
• Public-private partnerships: The benefits of cooperation between private and public entities to combat counterfeiting and piracy, including successful examples.
• Trademark valuation: The vital importance of knowing what your mark is worth, and tips on how to value the mark and other IP rights.
• Dispute resolution: Diverse points of view on what alternative dispute resolution/mediation presents and whether one method is more effective than others.
• Customs border measures: Recordal formalities, importance of a customs database and training of officers and inspectors at the ports, brand owner challenges when stopping shipments at the borders, goods in transit, and the outcome of enforcement at customs.
• Well-known marks: A comparative discussion among the US and MEASA countries on well-known marks.
• Licensing issues in the region: Valuable information and insights from leading brand owners and a practitioner from the region on IP issues related to licensing situations.
• Internet issues: New gTLDs and geographic gTLDs.
• Regional hot IP topics, and more!
As a diverse number of topics will be covered, continuing legal education (CLE) credit will be offered.
The list of speakers is a testament to the importance of the event. They range from high level government officials from the UAE and surrounding region to multinational companies who own large trademark portfolios and well reputed practitioners from the region.
"Hosting such an event in the uae is a true recognition of the hard work, commitment and dedication of the uae government."
The event, co-chaired by Charles Shaban (Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property) and me, will be a practical and lively one addressing real life challenges and identifying best practices. In addition to updates on traditional trademark topics, new and emerging ‘hot topics’ will be the focus. Each day will conclude with an array of such topics presented by leading practitioners in a particular country or region.
Hosting such an event in the UAE is a true recognition and reflection of the hard work, commitment and dedication of the UAE government.
His Excellency, the under secretary of the UAE Ministry of Economy: Engineer Mohammed Ahmed Bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehi will open the event on the December 9, 2013, to reflect the importance of this subject to the country and the region. The Ministry of Economy in the UAE is the ministry responsible for IP and its support was crucial to the planning of what is hoped to be a very successful event.
Join and share ideas, gain valuable education and insights, meet with foreign counsel, and network with government officials and colleagues from all over the world on: December 9–10, 2013, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel.
For more information and to register for the event, go to: http://www.inta.org/Programs/Pages/Dubai2013.aspx
Hoda Barakat is the founder of Hoda Barakat Legal Consultancy. She can be contacted at: hoda@hblegal.ae
