INTA Annual Meeting 2008, Berlin, Germany
INTA’s 130th Annual Meeting was held between 17 and 21 May 2008 at the ICC in Berlin, Germany. Attended by more than 8,000 trade marks practitioners from around the world, it provided an opportunity for buyers and sellers of trade mark related products and services to meet or catch-up with one another. And to sit in very, very large lecture theatres.
Australians have quietly taken over global IP affairs lately. Australian national, Dr Francis Gurry is the nominee for the position of Director General of WIPO - to be submitted to the General Assemblies of WIPO for final confirmation in September 2008. (Official press release HERE. Salacious gossip HERE and HERE ).
Another eminent Australian, Rhonda Steele of Mars Incorporated, is INTA’s 2008 President and board chair. Ms Steele demonstrated her egalitarian Aussie nature by not being too important to attend the Trademark Administrator’s Lunch, where she revealed some of her background as a trademarks administrator.
The strine accent was present at the gala dinner, industry forums, workshops, focus group sessions, and at numerous after hours receptions, parties and bars around Berlin. Nicholas Weston, the law firm behind the Australian Trade Marks Law Blog, had a presence at many of these events, and we make particular mention of the Meet the Bloggers function held at Olswang, where Nick Weston managed to be outside drinking bier and Professor Mark Davison was looking for him when the official photo was taken. Great work. Photo on Michael Atkins’ Seattle Trademark Lawyer blog HERE.
It was great to meet and catch up with so many clients, associates and friends. See you in Seattle and feel free to drop us a line in the meantime: (EMAIL from HERE).
The Official Statistics* for the 3 day conference include the following:
- 8,416 attendees;
- 1.2 million attendee glances at BlackBerry® wireless handheld devices;
- 416,000 attendee glances at BlackBerry® wireless handheld devices whilst engaged in a conversation with another trade marks professional;
- 11ty 7 bazillion attendee business cards exchanged.
* We made these up.
