With our own flagship Spring Conference just around the corner, CITMA was interested to explore what other industry gatherings members attend and what they gain from them. Is it all about INTA’s Annual Meeting, which attracts a huge crowd each year? Or are there other events that might also be beneficial? To learn more, we asked a panel of CITMA members to share some intel on major IP industry events they have recently attended.

Note: Cost and scope details reflect the most recent event held or advertised

INTA Annual Meeting – The ‘must-attend’

Chris McLeod, Elkington + Fife

Cost: Members $1,675–$2,475; non-members $3,375–$4,375. Concessions available.

Length: Held over five days.

Size: c.15,000 attendees.

Who can attend: Anyone registered, whether a member or non-member of INTA (the International Trademark Association). However, the event attracts a growing contingent of unregistered people who gather around it.

Focus: Anything to do with IP and its practice internationally.

Educational content: The event is theoretically geared towards learning and networking, but many attend purely for networking purposes.

Networking potential: Networking is the primary focus and this is a place where I have made quality contacts.

Who attends: A varied crowd, including useful vendors/partners.

Meeting-ability: I tend to try to schedule meetings away from the convention centre. Firms can also set up receptions to gain access to attendees.

Career impact: Simply put, you need to be present because your contacts and competitors will be.

Entertainment: The conference’s grand finale, which includes food, drink and music, is included in the registration fee and is well attended.

Sustainability: The organisers take steps to reduce the environmental impact of the event through a Carbon Offset Programme (to offset the impact of flights to and from the location) and Green Swag Awards (for the best sustainable giveaways) and make this effort clear to attendees.

Personal comment: Having attended INTA for over 20 years, it is clear to me that, whatever misgivings people may have, it is the must-attend conference for the trade mark profession, primarily because you can meet most of your existing network and make new contacts in one place. I would say that starting early, ie once qualified, is a good idea, so that you can attend with a senior colleague who can show you the ropes. It is also better to attend with a colleague than alone, although the latter is doable, so that you can share the load.

Top tip: Start preparing early, so that your calendar is reasonably full (but not back-to-back) before you head to the conference. Also, take at least one pair of very comfortable shoes, because you will be doing a lot of walking and standing.

ECTA Annual Conference – influential in the EU

Maggie Ramage, Edwin Coe

Cost: Members £1,600–£1,900; non-members £2,100–£2,400.

Length: Held over three days.

Size: c.900 registered attendees.

Who can attend: Both members and non-members of ECTA (the European Communities Trade Mark Association).

Focus: Normally, all topical EU trade mark issues (ie copyright, domains, artificial intelligence and case law). ECTA tries to make this relevant for both private and in-house practitioners.

Educational content: ECTA prides itself on the quality of lectures given – they are intended to be informative to practitioners. Speakers may be in-house or private practitioners, senior personnel from WIPO or the EUIPO, or overseas practitioners.

Networking potential: Networking is part of the system, and ECTA runs social events during the conference to encourage it. ECTA does not encourage private events during the official conference meetings or sessions.

Who attends: Senior personnel from the profession, members from the EUIPO and WIPO, as well as more junior practitioners.

Meeting-ability: It is possible to arrange small meetings with new and existing contacts between sessions or at the various coffee breaks and social events. The conference is a manageable size, and it is easy to get around to meet people.

Career impact: Attendance at ECTA is beneficial for employers of delegates and a good marketing tool. Getting involved with committees can aid awareness of law and practice developments and emerging topics, especially from the EU. Attendance also gives good personal visibility in the profession and helps to raise the profile of the employer or colleagues in partnerships.

Entertainment: This is particularly good. There are normally a range of drinks receptions and a Gala Dinner on the last night, which often includes musical entertainment. There are opportunities to take planned excursions to see the country in which the conference is held, which are a great opportunity to network with others. A joint event is usually organised between a number of local firms, by way of introducing attendees to them and to the country where the conference is held.

Sustainability: ECTA includes sustainability subjects in its presentations. In collaboration with Bees-Api Brussels, it also donates to that organisation on behalf of every delegate. A representative from the organisation has spoken at the conference to raise awareness of the vital role of bees, and its products can be bought at the conference. At the recent Antwerp conference, ECTA planted a tree in the city, and it has plans to plant others in areas of need.

Personal comment: I would say that ECTA is the mouthpiece of trade mark practice in the European Community. It was incorporated at a time when there was no single body of specialist practitioners available to be consulted by the European Commission on trade mark law and practice, for the countries that eventually became the EU. It has been instrumental in understanding and harmonising trade mark national laws, now has an input into changes at the EUIPO and is keen to continue the education of practitioners and its members, and to encourage new members.

I have attended the conferences and been actively involved in committee meetings for a number of years now and I would thoroughly recommend joining and attending the gatherings. I find the ECTA family very friendly and welcoming. The meetings allow for educational updates and also provide social events that allow contacts to be made easily with practitioners from a wide range of countries.

Top tip: I would thoroughly recommend that you attend a conference to start and then consider joining as a member.

Maggie Ramage is on ECTA’s membership committee

PTMG Autumn Conference – first for pharmaceuticals

Rebecca Anderson-Smith, Mewburn Ellis

Cost: Associate members £1,400; industry members £700.

Length: Held over three days.

Size: c.400 attendees.

Who can attend: Registration is open to both industry and associate members of PTMG (Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group). Registration as a member is a simple process, and there is no membership fee. Generally, only two delegates per firm will be permitted.

Focus: Centres on issues relevant to the pharmaceutical industry. The majority of topics are trade mark focused, but other aspects of law are touched on. There is generally a good balance of European and international talks. Many speakers will be in private practice, but in-house perspectives are also provided from industry members.

Educational content: The educational value of the talks is typically very high compared to other European trade mark conferences. Attendees might expect to hear from around 15 speakers across two days. These will include highly experienced attorneys in private practice or in-house and other relevant people in the pharmaceutical industry, such as law enforcement and customs officers.

Networking potential: Networking takes place during coffee/tea breaks and lunch and evening receptions. It is difficult, and therefore relatively unusual, to organise many meet-ups in advance.

Who attends: Typically a mix of attorneys in private practice who have pharmaceutical clients, attorneys in-house at pharmaceutical companies and relevant vendors offering IP-related services.

Meeting-ability: Any scheduled meetings will typically be short, around 20 to 30 minutes. There will be suitable spaces available for this kind of meeting. It is much less common to arrange private lunches or dinners.

Career impact: Attendance at an international event like this can raise an attorney’s profile within both their own firm and the industry as a whole.

Entertainment: This takes the form of evening receptions, including a Gala Dinner on the final night. The venues often enable attendees to learn a little of the local history and culture, for example through a guided tour around a building or area of significance.

Sustainability: Although sustainability issues are not discussed with attendees to any great extent, in recent years PTMG has taken notable steps to reduce the environmental impact of the conference, including a significant reduction in printed materials and gifts.

Personal comment: I find the conference thoroughly enjoyable. I particularly like the balance that is struck between networking and learning. The small size of the conference lends itself well to a more organic style of networking. However, I would not recommend attending unless you are working, or have a particular interest, in the pharmaceutical sector. The conference is probably best suited to in-house counsel and more senior attorneys in private practice who have a specialism, or at least clients, in the pharmaceutical field.

Top tip: If you are going to arrange meetings ahead of time, ensure you still leave plenty of time to attend the talks that are relevant to you. And network more organically, otherwise you risk losing out on some of the key strengths of the conference.

MARQUES Annual Conference – high quality and high energy

Rowena Tolley, Kilburn & Strode

Cost: MARQUES members €3,100; non-members €3,950 at full-residential early-bird rate (including food, drink and entertainment). Range of rates (eg member/non-member, residential/non-residential and early bird).

Length: Held over four days.

Size: c.1,000 attendees.

Who can attend: Both members and non-members. Membership covers an entire company per location and can include multiple individuals.

Focus: Supports the MARQUES mission to educate and promote the professional development of brand and trade mark owners with a global outlook. Offers an international programme (including plenary sessions and workshops) with some weight towards European law/practice, combining legal and commercial/business content. Generally, there is an overarching IP-related theme.

Educational content: Lots of high-quality sessions, which are always well attended, as well as workshops that are repeated so that delegates can attend more than one. Content is very practical and provides good additional learning for day-to-day work. Speakers are generally excellent, including brand owners, law firms, advertising agencies, branding consultants, etc. Practical/commercial perspective of content is especially valued. Representatives from the EUIPO and WIPO are also invited, and a speaker from the host country’s government/IP office usually gives the opening speech.

Networking potential: Very high. I met some of my closest friends in IP at MARQUES. The conference is warm, friendly and welcoming to newcomers, helped by the Reception for First-time Attendees.

Who attends: No specific niche group/interest, just a mix of high-quality attorneys and in-house people, as well as IP-related vendors.

Meeting-ability: Most people meet in and around the conference hotel (including during coffee breaks, meals, arranging tables at the Gala Dinner, etc). Private receptions during the conference are not permitted. Because of its small size, you’ll probably run into most of the people you want to see, but it is worth setting up the odd coffee/meal meet for key contacts.

Career impact: Like any conference, regular attendance enlarges your network, and MARQUES is certainly among the higher-quality conferences. There are also opportunities for regular attendees to join one of the MARQUES working committees, focusing on various aspects of IP and related topics.

Entertainment: Social events are organised each evening (Reception for First-time Attendees; Welcome Reception; Cultural Reception; Gala Dinner and Dance), which all delegates attend. There are opportunities for organised group excursions (walks, boat tours, etc).

Sustainability: Steps are taken to make the conference more sustainable (eg agenda/binder replaced by an app, reusable water bottles and jute bags provided to all delegates). Actions are taken to reduce food waste, and the conference stage/set is made from recycled material.

Personal comment: MARQUES is one of the best conferences out there. It’s full of bright, interesting people, and the blend of education and entertainment makes it a great way to grow both your knowledge and your network. It’s also a vibrant mix of people at varying stages in their career, giving it a great energy. Because of the more structured programme, it’s a great conference if you’re newer to the scene.

Top tip: Go with a smile on your face, throw yourself into everything and be prepared for a wonderful whirlwind of a few days!

AIPPI World Congress – Goes past patents

Nicole Giblin, Abion Middle East

Cost: €1,250. Delegates may receive discounted hotel and travel rates, complimentary shuttle buses and support with local public transportation costs during the event.

Length: Held over four days.

Size: 2,000–2,500 attendees.

Who can attend: Members of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) only.

Focus: International, bringing together IP professionals from private practice, industry, science and academia. Substantive legal sessions are one of the congress’s main components; these focus on finalising AIPPI’s Resolutions, which arise out of the completion of study questions by national and regional groups.

Educational content: The event is geared towards learning, with sessions focused on substantive points of law and continuing professional development. Attendees are encouraged to participate in AIPPI Cafés, small roundtable discussions chaired by a committee member. In 2024, speakers were largely senior practitioners from IP firms from around the world. However, there was also a good mix of in-house professionals, as well as representatives from IP offices and government organisations.

Networking potential: Centres around coffee breaks, informal roundtables and catered lunches. Impromptu meetings between new connections happen easily.

Who attends: Largely IP legal professionals, either in-house or in private practice. However, in 2024, representatives from various IP offices and participation from members in academia gave greater depth to some of the more substantive legal discussions and alternative perspectives. While the bulk of attendees are senior in their field, there is an increasing focus on young members (under 36), with dedicated sessions and receptions aimed at supporting junior practitioners.

Meeting-ability: For attendees participating in study questions and Resolutions, or representing their regional or national group, there will be limited time for formal meetings. However, scheduled networking coffee breaks and catered lunches allow time for casual meetings. There are no opportunities to book meeting rooms, but some firms book meeting spaces nearby. A small number of receptions are hosted by local firms. However, AIPPI hosts its own events most evenings and, as these tend to be very well attended, there is less of a need or demand for firms to invest in their own reception.

Career impact: Active participation widens your professional network and gives you the opportunity to be involved in the improvement and harmonisation of IP laws.

Entertainment: Attendance includes access to various events, including the First-time Attendees’ Cocktail Reception with live entertainment, a choice of two Cultural Evenings and the option to attend the Closing Dinner (additional fee). Young Member and Women in AIPPI receptions were also hosted in 2024.

Sustainability: The focus on sustainability is not necessarily clear from the promotion of the event. However, in 2024, all attendees were provided with complimentary shuttle buses from the hotels to the conference centre, as well as train passes, which would have reduced the carbon footprint of travel.

Personal comment: Don’t make the mistake of thinking that AIPPI is for patent attorneys only – the number of trade mark practitioners attending is rising by the year and there are increasing numbers of sessions dedicated to trade mark issues. There was at least one session per day that was relevant to trade marks and designs at the 2024 event. Being actively involved in AIPPI initiatives ahead of the congress is a must. Not only will you have the context to be able to actively contribute in the plenary sessions, but you will also be able to more easily identify networking opportunities with members from other national or regional groups.

Top tip: Don’t book too many meetings with people you already know. I attended with almost no pre-booked meetings, and while this was daunting at first, I made some fantastic new connections whom I am still in touch with months later.

Nicole Giblin is a Board Member of the AIPPI UAE National Group

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