Dive into the dynamic world of international trade marks and designs as we unravel the intricacies of the Hague and Madrid systems.
While these systems are often hailed as cost-effective gateways to the procurement of design and trade mark portfolios, in some situations things may not be as rosy as they seem. While the allure of a streamlined procurement process may tempt, lurking beneath the surface are potential pitfalls – from the acquisition of weaker rights to the outright denial of rights.
Join us for a riveting exploration that goes beyond the glossy facade. Our session is not just about singing praises for these systems but equipping you with practical wisdom. Learn when to wield the power of the Hague and Madrid systems strategically and, crucially, when to steer clear.
We're not just navigating the benefits, but charting a course through the potential pitfalls, providing you with invaluable insights and actionable tips. Let's navigate the intellectual property waters together, ensuring your design and trade mark rights are not just secured but strong and enforceable.
Moderator: Robert S. Katz - Banner & Witcoff (US)
Rob Katz has benefited firm clients in the areas of utility patents and industrial designs. He has drafted and prosecuted to issuance numerous and significant utility patents in the U.S. and in foreign countries. These clients include Fortune 500 companies as well as many individual inventors and small companies who rely on strong patent protection in their marketplaces. The patents have been directed primarily to mechanical and electromechanical devices, and to software and computer-related inventions. Many patents drafted and prosecuted by Rob have been successfully enforced with some having served as the cornerstone for the successful sale of companies.
Rob has also provided advice and prepared opinions regarding the patentability of inventions, patent infringement, patent validity, and trade secret protection to help clients properly assess the advantages and disadvantages of certain intellectual property and business decisions.
In patent and trademark litigation matters, he has assisted clients in enforcing and defending intellectual property related claims at the district court and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and in the International Trade Commission.
Both nationally and internationally, Rob is considered one of the premier practitioners in the field of industrial designs, leading the way in the procurement and enforcement of design patents. On behalf of the firm’s clients, he has helped procure more than 10,000 design patents in the U.S. and more than 30,000 design patents/registrations outside the U.S., and has helped to successfully enforce over 100 design patents. Leaders from foreign design patent offices have consulted with him regarding industrial design policies, and he has served as an expert in design patent litigations. He also prepared and filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America).
Iván L. Sempere - Padima (ES)
Iván L. Sempere is the Founding Partner and Co-CEO at PADIMA, very much focused in managing its Legal Area, Honorific Commercial Law Doctor and Professor of Law at the University of Alicante, Magister Lvcentinus in Intellectual Property (Alicante), Spanish Patent and Trademark Attorney and representative before the EUIPO and EPO.
After working at the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, with a wide experience there, he is a practising lawyer specialized in design protection & enforcement, as well as commercial mediator and legal expert in the Intellectual Property (IP) field. He heads and coordinates the IP defence actions for different national and international companies currently Vice chairing the INTA Design Committee, where he chaired the Law & Practice SC (2018-2020), and has been heading the Spanish Group in the Design Committee of the 2016 AIPPI World Congress in Milan. He participated in the CP10 Working Group in representation of INTA and has been included in the EUIPO List of Auditors “Quality Management Systems” for 2019 SQAP audits (Stakeholder Quality Assurance Panels) on designs invalidity decisions. He also coordinates the Intellectual Property and Innovation group of the Spanish Association for Trademarks Protection & Enforcement (ANDEMA), as well as counsel at several academic and business institutes and organizations.
Iván is very much linked and committed to the business world and entrepreneurship, having been the President of the University Enterprise Foundation –FUNDEUN (2012-2018), President of the European Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs (YES) and received the AJEV Honorary Award “Young entrepreneur 2016” to his career path and the Forum Europe Gold Medal in 2013, Business Knowledge of Fundeun 2018 among other recognitions.
Recently named Honorific Professor of the University of Alicante, is regularly invited as international speaker in several master programmes and Universities, such as ICADE, George Washington University; and Business Schools, such as Fundesem, the Academy of European Law or Florida Universitaria. Regular speaker in a wide number of congresses and courses related to innovation and its protection or the development of entrepreneur values in many countries such as Spain, United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Dominican Republic, etc.
He is author of numerous publications and monographs in the field of IP, particularly known because of his researches and contributions to the protection and defence of the Designs and 3D Trademarks.
Lanying (Lena) Shen - Dakun IP (CN)
Lena Shen is a Chinese lawyer and a trademark attorney. She started her IP career in 2000 and is specialized in trademark prosecution and IP enforcement in China.
Lena is a senior partner of Dakun IP Law Firm, a full-service IP firm in China. Before joining Dakun, she was a partner of another top 10 Chinese IP firm, heading its Trademark Department.
With her rich experience and reliability, Lena is well trusted and appreciated by her clients and colleagues. She has been ranked as WTR 1000 World's Leading Trademark Professionals during 2019-2024 and received the title of Gold Medal Trademark Attorney awarded by China Trademark Association (CTA).
Lena is active in both domestic and international IP forum. She is a Bureau member of AIPPI and was the Chair of Asian Group of FICPI. Meanwhile, she is the Executive Director of the Madrid Committee and Deputy Director of the International Communication and Development Committee of CTA.
Lena authored quite a few publications, including Genuine Use of Trademarks and Global Patent Litigation-How and Where to Win, for the China chapters. She frequently gives lectures on IP protection.