Intellectual Property Protection Committee (International)

The mission of the Intellectual Property Committee of the International Section is (1) to disseminate information concerning law and policy affecting intellectual property and related issues throughout the world, to recommend policy positions concerning United States intellectual property law as it relates to international business, the intellectual property laws of other countries and multi-country jurisdictions, and multi-lateral and bi-lateral treaties and trade agreements affecting intellectual property, and (2) to educate members of the Committee and the Section, the Association and the legal profession generally concerning intellectual property matters.

Virtually all businesses today use, and need legal advice concerning, one or more forms of intellectual property, including trademarks, copyrights, patents, Internet domain names, protected geographical designations, trade secrets and other varieties. Members of the Bar need to advise clients that operate internationally concerning how to protect, acquire and exploit their own intellectual property and how to avoid infringing the intellectual property rights of others in the U.S. and parts of the world where they operate. This requires knowledge concerning not only U.S. law, but the laws of other jurisdictions and a number of international agreements relating to intellectual property as well.

The Committee seeks to perform its education function through meetings, seminars, CLE programs, publication of articles and comments on proposed legislation and treaties affecting international intellectual property. In or to strengthen these activities and to avoid duplication of effort, the Committee will seek to coordinate its activities where appropriate with the International Committee of the Intellectual Property Section of the New York State Bar Association.