INTA Recognizes Outstanding Association Leaders.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 21, 2003

On November 13, 2003, International Trademark Association (INTA) President Kathryn Barrett Park recognized several leaders in intellectual property at the INTA Leadership Meeting, in Boca Raton, Florida, USA. Barrett Park presented the 2003 INTA President's Award to Anthony Fletcher and J. Thomas McCarthy, and INTA's Volunteer Service Awards to Carlos Polo, Andrew Goldstein, Michael Leathes, Sandrine Peters and Burkhart Goebel.

Photos of award recipients for download

The INTA President's Award was established in 2000 to recognize exceptional individuals who, over the course of a career in trademark law, have made outstanding contributions to INTA and to the profession. "Individual volunteers from INTA member companies and firms are the key to the Association accomplishing its goals and serving the trademark community," said Barrett Park.

Tony Fletcher, senior counsel for Fish & Richardson P.C. in New York, is best known by INTA members for presenting the Annual Review on developments in U.S. trademark law each year at the Annual Meeting, followed by a comprehensive review in The Trademark Reporter(R) (TMR). "I can remember racing to get a great seat at his presentations, knowing I would learn a lot, and praying I would remember his witty summaries so I could sound knowledgeable in an off-hand way back at the office," said Barrett Park. His report was considered by many to be the highlight of the Annual Meeting, and the TMR article was one of INTA's most anticipated publications. He also served as editor of the TMR between 1984 and 1986. In addition, throughout his 40-year career Fletcher served as a mentor to many current leaders in trademark law. "I chatted last night with some of Tony's former associates, one of whom characterized being trained by Tony as the 'stand-out experience' of her career," said Barrett Park.

Tom McCarthy, a senior professor with the University of San Francisco School of Law, "is literally a household name when it comes to trademarks," said Barrett Park. McCarthy, who is also an attorney with Morrison & Foerster LLP in San Francisco, gained a reputation as a leading authority in the field of trademarks with his treatise, Trademarks and Unfair Competition. In more than 40 years as a trademark lawyer, he has served as founding director of the McCarthy Institute for Intellectual Property and Technology Law, member of the A.L.I. Advisory Committee, USTA Trademark Review Commission and Trademark Reporter Editorial Board; and winner of the 2000 BNEF Pattishall Medal for Excellence in Teaching and the 1997 Ladas Professional Author Award. "We are indebted to Tom McCarthy for the knowledge he has shared with us, for the way he has shared it, and for his unswerving commitment to making sure that we know what he knows," said Barrett Park. "And, to be sure, he does know quite a lot."

Next, INTA presented the Volunteer Service Awards, which recognize those volunteers who have worked above and beyond the call of duty on behalf of INTA during the past year. The awards were presented in three categories: Advancement of Trademark Law, Advancement of Committee or Subcommittee Objectives and Advancement of the Association.

The award for Advancement of Trademark Law went to Carlos Polo, of Carlos Polo & Asociados in Madrid, who was recognized for his work as chair of the Community Trade Mark Office Subcommittee, where he led the effort in drafting INTA's comments on reforming the Community Trade Mark System, as well as the Community Design Regulation Guidelines.

The award for Advancement of Committee or Subcommittee Objectives went to Andrew Goldstein, Michael Leathes and Sandrine Peters.

Andrew Goldstein, a partner with Freeborn & Peters in Chicago, received the award for his dedication and hard work in serving as chair for the subcommittee that reformed the INTA bylaws.

Michael Leathes, of BATMark Limited in London, received the award for his work in the development of INTA's educational video depicting mediation of an international trademark dispute.

Sandrine Peters, of Gevers & Partners in Diegem, Belgium, received the award for her work as chair of the Trademark Office Practice Classification Subcommittee, which undertook a survey into the worldwide acceptance of trademark registrations for retail services and developed INTA's submission on the revisions to the Nice Classification System.

The award for Advancement of the Association was given to Burkhart Goebel, of Lovells in Hamburg, Germany, who was recognized for his work on the Geographical Indications Subcommittee, where he advanced INTA's strategic objective of creating a balanced policy for dealing with the resolution of conflicts between trademarks and geographical indications.

About INTA

The International Trademark Association (INTA) is an association of more than 4,300 trademark owners and professionals, from more than 170 countries, dedicated to the support and advancement of trademarks and related intellectual property as elements of fair and effective national and international commerce. For more information on the Association and its goals, visit the INTA website at www.inta.org