INTA announces its 2024 award recipients in New Orleans, Louisiana 

New Orleans, Louisiana—November 12, 2024—The International Trademark Association (INTA) announced the recipients of its 2024 volunteer awards, including the President’s Award, INTA Service Awards, the Pattishall Medal for Teaching Excellence, Trademark Administrator of the Year Award, and Tomorrow’s Leader Award. 

The winners were announced during the opening and awards ceremony that officially kicks off INTA’s 2024 Leadership Meeting, an invitation-only event for the Association’s Board of Directors and member volunteers, taking place this week in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. “With more than 1,700 registrants, this is the Association’s largest-ever Leadership Meeting,” noted INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo.  

The President’s Award is awarded annually to one or more individuals who have, over their careers, made a lasting impact on INTA and its mission and who have profoundly impacted the global trademark community. This year’s winner is Philip G Hampton II, Senior Partner and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at Polsinelli PC in Washington, D.C., USA. 

With more than 40 years of intellectual property (IP) experience under his belt and a decades-long involvement with INTA, Hampton has proven himself to be an invaluable member of the IP community. He is a dedicated and effective champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Over the years, he has worked to increase the representation of minority attorneys, advocate for trademark administrators (TMAs), and proudly proclaim that TMAs taught him the crucial skills needed to practice trademark law. In 2016, Hampton was the inaugural recipient of the Diversity in Tech Award presented by the IP Section of the National Bar Association. The Washington Bar Association inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2022. In 2021, he was recognized with the Mark T. Banner Award by the American Bar Association’s IP Law Section and designated a “Titan of the IP Bar” by the American Intellectual Property Law Association. 

Hampton maintained his advocacy in the DEI space while serving as Assistant Commissioner for Trademarks in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) during the Clinton administration. Minority attorneys increased by more than 400 percent during that time. While in this role, he also promulgated almost 200 Commissioner’s Decisions and oversaw the first new edition of the Manual of Trademark Examining Procedure in almost 10 years.  

Read the full press release on Hampton here

INTA’s service awards are given in three categories to recognize individuals who provide exemplary service to the Association: The Advancement of Association Objectives Award, Members for a Better Society Award, and Membership Champion Award.   

The winners of the 2024 Advancement of Association Objectives Award are Kimberly Eberwine, Associate General Counsel of The Procter & Gamble Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, and Christian Bolduc, Principal of Smart & Biggar in Montreal, Canada, who have won the award together, and Noemi Parrotta, Partner at Spheriens in Florence, Italy. 

Eberwine and Bolduc both contributed significantly to the Association’s advocacy efforts regarding Quebec’s Bill 96. Their thought leadership during the early stages of strategy formulation and later implementation helped to establish a coalition in response to Bill 96 and to establish the credibility of the coalition as an expert group with numerous government institutions. Eberwine and Bolduc made great efforts to increase the exposure of the coalition, including by sharing practical steps for complying with Bill 96 and explaining the impact of the law on business.  

Read the full press release on Eberwine and Bolduc here

As Chair of the International Amicus Committee—Europe Subcommittee, Parrotta has enthusiastically led her team to submit numerous interventions before EU Courts and before EUIPO’s Grand Board of Appeals, strengthening the Association’s reputation as a “friend of the court” in Europe. Her ability to identify possible new cases for intervention, her holistic approach, and her ability to mediate between different positions amplify INTA’s voice and influence within the EU’s judicial system.  

Read the full press release on Parrotta here

The winners of the 2024 Members for a Better Society Award are Cynthia Cohen, Consumer Survey Expert and Founder of Verdict Success LLC in Los Angeles, California, USA, and Guerra IP, an IP law firm in Porto Alegre, Brazil. 

As a member of the 2023 Presidential Task Force (PTF), Dr Cohen dedicated countless hours to the goal of developing an international consumer survey, which served as the centerpiece of the Unlocking IP PTF Report. Dr Cohen demonstrated significant expertise in designing, analyzing, and disseminating the results of the survey, which explored consumer perceptions of IP.  

Read the full press release on Dr Cohen here

Starting as a family law firm in Brazil, Guerra IP now manages intellectual property litigation and prosecution on a global scale, serving both national and international clients. Under the leadership of Cristina Guerra, Partner at Guerra IP, the firm has significantly expanded its pro bono efforts, using its extensive knowledge to support those in need. 

Among Guerra IP’s current pro bono clients are the Children Cancer Institute and Women League for Combating Cancer in Rio Grande do Sul, both of which are dedicated to cancer prevention and treatment; Friendly Hand Association, which provides shelter to elderly people; and STEPS – Society of Tennis, Education and Social Participation, an organization dedicated to educating youth of low-income families through sports and citizenship. These four pro bono beneficiaries together own more than fifty trademarks. 

Read the full press release on Guerra IP here

The winners of the 2024 Membership Champion Award are Koji Saito, Director of Business Development at the Shobayashi International Patent and Trademark Office in Chiyoda City Japan, Marc Trachtenberg, Chair of Internet, Domain Name, eCommerce and Social Media Practice at Greenberg Traurig, LLP in Chicago, Illinois, USA, and Jonathan Clegg, Partner and Trademark Attorney at Cleveland Scott York, based in London, United Kingdom. 

Saito played a key role in organizing a successful policy delegation in Japan, where he served as an effective advocate for the Association and an invaluable interlocuter in helping the Association reach and engage various stakeholders in the country’s IP community. During this delegation, Saito made introductions to government officials to enhance INTA advocacy, and he supported events with members and prospective members. Mr. Saito provided the foundational knowledge that has helped shape an effective strategy for the Association’s growth in Japan. 

Read the full press release on Saito here

Trachtenberg has conveyed a deep understanding and appreciation of the Association’s membership benefits to the extent that he has sponsored the membership and meeting registration fees for several prospective corporate members to ensure they can be part of the INTA community.  

He takes the time to mentor and guide these members to ensure that they fully realize and make use of their membership. Trachtenberg’s generosity is a testament to his dedication to fostering an inclusive community. 

Read the full press release on Trachtenberg here

Clegg has been an active member and volunteer of the Association for 25 years. Gravitating toward opportunities where he can give back to the membership-at-large, Clegg has served on the Leadership Development Committee, Professional Development Committee, Annual Meeting Project Team, and INTA Bulletins Committee, among many others, and often in leadership roles. Over the years and throughout these various roles, he has been the embodiment of professionalism, commitment, and ingenuity. Moreover, he has developed a deep insight into the evolving needs of INTA members, and his participation in the Association has been to the benefit of its members around the world. 

Read the full press release on Clegg here

Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard & Geraldson LLP established the Pattishall Medal for Teaching Excellence in honor of Beverly W Pattishall, a pioneer in trademark law and education. The award recognizes educators in the business and legal fields for outstanding instruction in the trademark and trade identity field. This year’s winner is Mitchell Adams, Senior Lecturer and LLB Course Director at Swinburne Law School of the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. 

Adams structures his classroom around immersive, experiential learning to prepare students for the practice of trademark law. He pioneered the use of augmented reality technology in legal education, developing workshops for high school students studying law, civics, and business. He is widely recognized for his excellence in teaching; he was named Academic of the Year at the 2022 Australian Law Awards, received the Swinburne Dean’s Excellence Award in 2021, and won a Swinburne Faculty Teaching Award in 2019. 

Read the full press release on Adams here

The TMA of the Year Award recognizes one exceptional INTA member who is a non-attorney practitioner for their professional achievements and leadership in the trademark industry. This annual award spotlights the outstanding professionalism, dedication, and partnership that non-attorney practitioners provide to the industry. This year’s winner is Rosa Jiménez, Legal Manager – Intellectual Property at Travel + Leisure Co., in Orlando, Florida, USA. 

Starting her career at a law firm in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jiménez has been a passionate trademark practitioner for more than 25 years. Most recently, she played a key role in developing the Association’s Trademark Administrators Certificate Program, which arms TMAs with the professional tools and skills to succeed in their roles. Jiménez’s contributions go beyond the IP community; she has also devoted a considerable amount of time to meaningful volunteer work, such as using her skills as a communicator to interpret and translate for refugees who escaped to Orlando following Hurricane Maria in 2017. She actively fosters a more diverse and inclusive workforce for all, serving as a board member on her organization’s diversity resource group, FUERTE, leading educational sessions on bridging cultures, and participating in community initiatives that help Hispanic students obtain scholarships. 

Read the full press release on Jiménez here

The Tomorrow’s Leader Award recognizes two outstanding young practitioners with less than five years of IP experience for their early leadership in the IP industry. This year, they are Noreen Maghimbi, Associate at Extent Corporate Advisory in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Jodutt Basrawi, Associate at Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP in New York, New York, USA.

While still early in her career, Maghimbi has already established an impressive resume in the IP field. She assists clients in understanding and navigating trademark registration in both Tanzania and Zanzibar. She also undertakes pro bono projects, including an initiative to equip women, youth, and people with disabilities with the essential legal knowledge and support to formalize their businesses. Through these activities, Maghimbi reaffirms her commitment to supporting equitable access to legal resources and advancing the protection of IP rights. She is also an active member of INTA’s Harmonization of Trademarks Committee. 

Read the full press release on Maghimbi here

Basrawi’s previous experience as a patent examiner has bolstered his short but impactful career in IP thus far. Pivoting to the legal field, he has engaged in pro bono work regarding trademark strategies for two non-profit organizations, one of which involves a trademark application for a pet clothing brand. He has also been a mock trial coach for students at LaGuardia High School in New York City. Much of Basrawi’s passion for trademark law derives from his Syrian heritage and his belief that IP drives innovation and defends essential freedoms. He is a member of INTA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee. 

Read the full press release on Basrawi here

“This is a member-run organization. Our volunteers are its foundation. They drive everything forward. These awards are an important reminder of this,” added Sans de Acedo. “Our thanks to all tonight’s winners, for their dedication to INTA and the global IP community.” 

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