INTA Perspectives: Three questions with two attorneys who attend TMAP

Berlin, Germany

We started attending the  Trademark Practitioners Meeting a couple of years ago and have not looked back since. We see trademark administration as a true craft. The opportunity to rub shoulders with the leaders of this field is unmissable. This interview first appeared in the INTA Bulletin and was reprinted below with permission from the International Trademark Association (INTA):

The Trademark Administrators and Practitioners Meeting (TMAP) brings together a diverse group of trademark administrators (TMAs), paralegals, young practitioners, and attorneys who oversee global trademark portfolios. The educational and business development opportunities on offer at TMAP provide unique advantages to registrants in each of these roles.

This year’s TMAP Meeting returns to Berlin, Germany, September 28–30. With intellectual property (IP) professionals already planning their trip to the German capital, Alex de Lespinasse (Cabinet de Lespinasse, Haiti) and Kevin Wong (Ella Cheong LLC, Singapore) sat down with the INTA Bulletin to shed light on why they—as practicing attorneys—choose to attend TMAP, share their perspective on how attending this INTA event specifically has benefitted their careers, and look ahead to some of the expected highlights of this year’s Meeting.

As an IP professional who is not a TMA, what draws you to TMAP?Alexandre de Lespinasse: The people are the highlight! Curious and driven, TMAP registrants are welcoming and eager to help one another thrive in the global IP industry. It’s an ideal event to attend to learn practical skills—like process improvement, adaptability, and project management—skills that law schools often overlook and that we don’t necessarily invest in later in our careers.

I also go to connect with colleagues I don’t see at other industry events. Some TMAs and I have collaborated by email for years without ever meeting in person. It’s always rewarding to deepen our working relationship by putting a face to the name and sitting down for coffee.

Kevin Wong: TMAP is a close-knit, intimate Meeting where genuine and long-term connections and relationships can be made and nurtured, in a less formal setting. The event also attracts a strong and diverse community of TMAs and non-TMAs within which business relationships among private and in-house practitioners can be forged and maintained through regular interaction, including at future TMAP meetings.

“TMAP has helped me add to my professional network more in terms of quality than quantity. –Alexandre de Lespinasse” 

Please share one example of how attending TMAP has expanded your knowledge or helped grow your professional network.KW: At the 2024 TMAP Meeting in Philadelphia, I attended a very good session titled, “The Power of AI: What TMAs Need to Know.” It was informative and insightful about how AI may be, or in some instances already is, impacting trademark practice in various corporate and private practice work settings around the world. While there remained no clear answers as to what lies ahead in the AI-powered future, the session was thought-provoking regarding the opportunities and challenges that AI brings to the IP industry. It was an enjoyable session that expanded my knowledge on this important topic.

ADL: TMAP has helped me add to my professional network more in terms of quality than quantity. Last year in Philadelphia, I was able to make a strong connection with a TMA whose professional achievements I had admired from afar. The conference gave me an extra chance to request and get a coffee meeting set up with someone who is now a key part of my professional network. We were able to talk about professional and personal topics alike, from hobbies to operational efficiency and well-being at work. That’s because, unlike the Annual Meeting, TMAP’s slower pace is more conducive to longer and deeper conversations.

“TMAP is a close-knit, intimate Meeting where genuine and long-term connections and relationships can be made and nurtured.” – Kevin Wong

What is one educational session or Business Development opportunity you are looking forward to at this year’s TMAP, and what do you hope to gain from the experience?

ADL: I’m looking forward to the session titled, “Mastering Trademark Formalities—Navigating Global Prosecution,” in which I hope to get a broad understanding of different trademark formalities that TMAs must deal with across the world. This will help me explain local requirements to my clients in a more practical way.

I also hope to learn more about the skills that TMAs use to manage such complex global projects. Even though I work in a small jurisdiction, it’s rewarding to know that I have done my part to help my clients look good in navigating global prosecution.

Lastly, I hope to come away with ideas for simplifying formalities that I can share with the director of the local patent and trademark office.

KW: The Dine Around has been a key highlight of every TMAP I’ve attended over the years. It’s a great way to bring IP professionals together in an exciting and fun atmosphere for a casual dinner. Every Dine Around I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying has been with a wonderful group of friends and new contacts, and these events have been fantastic opportunities to develop business relationships and enduring friendships within our diverse INTA community.

Link to interview (must be INTA member to access): https://www.inta.org/perspectives/interviews/three-questions-with-two-attorneys-who-attend-tmap/