CITMA Spring Conference

Download the full programme

Network with knowledgeable and inspirational speakers, including Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys, barristers, financial law experts, and senior representatives of the UK IPO.

You will have regular intervals between sessions to allow you to meet and interact with delegates in our unique virtual environment.

Our conference is divided across two days – starting with a session on the afternoon of Thursday 25th March, and continuing on the morning of Friday 26th March.

You will gain seven hours’ CPD by attending this year’s Spring Conference.

We look forward to connecting with you in our interactive virtual world.

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We are working with an events agency to create an engaging and exciting Spring Conference so you can enjoy an interactive, memorable, and safe experience from wherever you are. 
On the platform you will be able to:

• Build and customise your own avatar
• Choose your outfit
• Navigate around the conference
• Network with delegates and speakers
• Interact with exhibitors
• Play chess or connect four with other delegates

There will be technical support before and during the conference, including tutorials and one-to-one help, to ensure you are feeling confident about using the platform. 

Enjoy a whole new way of networking and learning through this new platform.

Video

Join us on a tour of our virtual platform and discover some of the features that will help you to make the most of the conference, interact with delegates and engage with speakers.

 

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Your ticket includes:

• Entry to all sessions of the conference 
• Access to tutorials before the conference
• Technical support on the platform 
• Networking with delegates, speakers and exhibitors 
• Access to all presentations after the conference 

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Ese Akpogheneta, British American Tobacco

Ese is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and a CITMA Council member. Ese specialises in Intellectual Property matters relating to protection, exploitation and enforcement of trade marks, designs and domain names in the UK, EU and worldwide. Ese has over 20 years’ experience in the global IP field and has spent time working in Asia, in particular China and Hong Kong.  

While in private practice Ese assisted clients ranging from individuals to start-ups to SMEs to multinationals in securing IP protection in various sectors.  Ese is currently Trade Mark Counsel at BAT where she has responsibility for the protection and enforcement of BAT’s vapour trade mark portfolio globally.

Peter Brownlow, Bird & Bird

Peter is a partner in the international Intellectual Property group at Bird & Bird LLP and has over 20 years' experience in managing high profile trade mark disputes, global rebranding and trade mark protection strategies.

 

 

Louise Butler, Diageo

Louise is Global Head of Brand Protection at Diageo, driving Diageo’s strategy to fight counterfeit spirits products.

Louise previously led Diageo’s Europe Brand Protection program.

Prior to joining Diageo, Louise worked as an IP lawyer in the UK and Ireland, gaining expertise in contentious intellectual property disputes, including trade marks, passing off, copyright and designs.

Natasha Chick, UK IPO

Natasha is a divisional director at the UK Intellectual Property Office and leads a team of over 300 people delivering the IPO’s trade mark, designs and tribunal services. Natasha has recently supported work to create equivalents of EU trade marks and designs in the UK, deal with the challenges caused by the pandemic and recent launches of AI tools to support customers make better trade mark applications.

Natasha has worked for the UK government since graduating in Computer Science from Bristol University, including working in BEIS, FCDO and on secondment to the Danish Government.  Natasha lives in Cardiff with her husband and toddler, where you’ll mostly find her in a local park running around after the toddler. 

Michael Edenborough QC, Serle Court

Michael’s practice involves advice and advocacy on infringement and validity issues concerning all types of IPRs. As such, he deals with declarations of invalidity, revocation, rectification and cancellation of registered intellectual property rights such as trade marks, registered designs and patents.

He is often instructed in cases involving the main unregistered IPRs such as goodwill, copyright, designs and confidential information, and also the more unusual rights such as plant varieties, moral rights, database rights and geographical indications.

Richard Goddard, CITMA President

Richard is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney at BP, where his work includes advising on the registration, enforcement and licensing of trade marks and designs.

Richard joined the profession in 2003, working in private practice for several years before moving in-house.

Rebecca Halford-Harrison

Rebecca is a well-established IP, technology and disputes lawyer. She is recognised as a leader in her field in intellectual property, particularly in relation to chemistry-based industries. These include food and beverage, life sciences and pharmaceuticals, household products, cosmetics, FMCG, plastics, and oil and gas, especially where there is crossover with technology.

Rebecca advises on a wide range of matters relating to patents, designs, trade marks, copyright and confidential information, as well as related regulatory issues.

She also advises on IP strategy in multi-professional teams. Rebecca has been consistently ranked as a leading patent and IP litigator since 2008. 
 

Professor Phillip Johnson, Cardiff University

Phillip is the Professor of Commercial Law at Cardiff University as well as being a practising intellectual property barrister at Packington Street Chambers. He has had a broad range of clients, from well-known fashion brands to pharmaceutical and agriculture companies, and from financial services to national newspapers.

Since 2015, he has been an Appointed Person hearing appeals from the Trade Mark and Designs Registry. He is also a practising member of the Irish Bar and the Californian and the Washington DC Bars, as well as being a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He is an author of leading practitioner texts on patent law, confidential information, internet issues, and ambush marketing and sponsorship.

David Llewellyn, Arm Limited

David is a dual qualified English IP solicitor and UK & EU Trade Mark Attorney. David studied IP law at Queen Mary University in London in 1997 and he trained as an IP solicitor at a respected law firm in London. David moved in-house as trade mark counsel at a brand management and licensing company in 2004 where he supported numerous well-known children’s brands (including the Mr. Men & Little Misses and Paddington Bear) and crime writers (including Agatha Christie).

In 2012, David moved to Arm Limited in Cambridge where as Head of Trademarks he is responsible for all trade mark related matters. Arm is the world’s leading semiconductor IP licensing company. David represents Arm on numerous trade mark industry committees and he regularly presents at external trade mark events.

Jade MacIntyre, Allen & Overy

Jade MacIntyre is a Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, specialising in trade mark prosecution and portfolio management. Jade has represented clients before the UK IPO and the High Court.

She regularly works with major brands and international organisations in relation to trade mark selection, clearance searches, enforcement (including anti-counterfeiting, oppositions and revocations, passing off and domain name disputes) and agreements (licenses, assignments and co-existence).

The Honourable Mr Justice Meade 

Richard Meade was called by Lincoln's Inn in 1991.

He became a Recorder in 2009 and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2011, and has sat as a Deputy in the Chancery Division and the Patents Court since then.

He started as a High Court Judge in September 2020.

The Honourable Mr Justice Mellor 

James Mellor QC, aged 59, will be known as The Honourable Mr Justice Mellor. He was Called to the Bar (M) in 1986 and took Silk in 2006. He was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2020, as an Appointed Person, Trade Mark Tribunals and as an Appointed Person, Design Tribunals in 2015.

He will take up appointment on 8th February 2021 consequential to retirements in the High Court. 

The Lord Chief Justice will assign Edward James Wilson Mellor QC to the Chancery Division.

Tim Moss, UK IPO

Tim has been Chief Executive Officer and Comptroller General at the UK IPO since May 2017. 

He is responsible for advising Ministers on all IP policy matters and for the operation of the Office.

Tim came to the UK IPO from Companies House where he was the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales and Chief Executive.  He worked at Companies House from 2002 where he held many senior positions within the organisation.

His extensive work portfolio included leading on the digital agenda, operational delivery, business strategy and corporate policy. Tim also held the position of president of the Corporate Registers Forum.

Nicole Ockl, Haseltine Lake Kempner 

Nicole is qualified as a German lawyer and is a certified specialist for intellectual property rights. During her university studies Nicole was fascinated by the European Economic Area and its consequences on free trade. It is not surprising therefore that she focused on European and Intellectual Property Law at an early stage in her education.

She has worked in the legal departments of a leading international media and entertainment company in Munich, and in an American law firm in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Her clients include industry leaders and hidden champions in sectors as diverse as electronics,
engineering, software, life sciences, fintech, consumer products and media.

Kate O’Rourke, Mewburn Ellis 

Kate is a past-president of CITMA and chairs our Brexit task-force. A Solicitor and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, Kate has over 25 years’ experience in relation to trade marks and related copyright, design and internet matters, she is a partner and head of trade marks at Mewburn Ellis.

With her knowledge of the ongoing Brexit negotiations, she has spoken extensively on the issues at conferences around the world, and has published a number of articles in IP magazines.

Juan Rodriguez Guerra, WIPO

Mr. Rodriguez Guerra joined WIPO in 2008 and presently works as Senior Legal Counsellor in WIPO’s Madrid Registry, which manages the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks. 

Before joining WIPO, Mr. Rodriguez was Head of the Promotion of Innovation and Competition Area at the National Institute for the Defence of Free Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property of Peru (INDECOPI), a consultant for S.C. Johnson and Son and a lawyer at the Office of the Attorney General of Peru. 

Kelly Saliger, Second Vice-President and Treasurer

A dual qualified Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and Solicitor, Kelly has a wealth of experience advising brand owners on all matters relating to trade mark and design portfolios.

Kelly has over 10 years’ experience in the field and specialises in international litigation, enforcement and strategy particularly in the field of technology and media. She has led cases before the General Court. Kelly Chairs our Events Committee.

Michael Silverleaf QC, 11 South Square

Michael specialises in IP, IT, data protection and technical commercial litigation. Before joining the Bar in 1980 he read physics at Imperial College. He has been a qualified mediator since 2003 and regularly conducts mediations in IP and technical commercial disputes.

He took silk in 1996 and is one of the most senior practitioners at the IP Bar. Since 2008 he has been a member of the Nominet DRS Expert Panel. During his career he has appeared in many important and high profile cases, including the phone hacking litigation in 2008-13. He represented the UK government in the Silhouette case in the CJEU and has considerable expertise in the field of exhaustion of rights.

Dr Brian Whitehead, Haseltine Lake Kempner

Brian focuses on IP law issues in the technology sectors, particularly patent litigation and breach of confidence/trade secret actions. He is also very active in the retail and design sectors, and has acted for a number of the firm’s leading retail and fashion clients on cases involving trade marks, copyright and design rights in the High Court and Intellectual Property Enterprise Court.

Prior to becoming a solicitor, he obtained a first degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Biochemistry. Brian is active in speaking and writing on IP issues, and has published more than 30 articles on diverse topics within IP law and practice. Brian also sits as an Appointed Person (trade marks and designs), and a Deputy District Judge, and is authorised to hear cases in the Business and Property Court in Leeds.

Rachel Wilkinson-Duffy, CITMA First Vice-President

Rachel qualified in 2007 and is now Of Counsel at Baker McKenzie, advising on all aspects of trade mark and design protection and enforcement. 

Rachel specialises in trade mark disputes such as infringements, oppositions, cancellation actions, company and domain name disputes and dispute resolution. 

Prior to being elected as our First Vice-President, Rachel served as our Second Vice-President and Treasurer for two-years. Rachel is also the chair of our Law and Practice Committee.

Catherine Wolfe, Boult Wade Tennant

Catherine is an internationally respected figure in the IP world and has significant contacts worldwide. She has filed applications in virtually every country in the world which has a Trade Mark Register, and has represented numerous clients, from private individuals to major corporations, in ex parte and inter partes hearings at the UK Trade Marks Registry. She is often asked to work on commercially sensitive cases for very high profile companies and individuals. Between April 1996 and December 2020 she acted for many clients before the European Union Intellectual Property Office [EUIPO] and its Boards of Appeal, and worked on several cases which were appealed to the Court of First Instance [now the General Court].

Catherine has served as President of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) as well as First Vice President, Second Vice President and Treasurer, since her election in 2004, and is a Fellow of the Institute. Her position at CITMA is now Past President, as well as Vice-Chair of the Law & Practice Committee; she regularly also attends meetings of its Council, its Executive Committee and its Brexit Working Group.

Become an exhibitor

Thank you to our media partners:

Lee Curtis, Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, HGF

“I found the CITMA Autumn Conference both informative and interesting. Unlike many conferences provided wholly online in the last year, rather than simply being sat in front of a video screen listening to presentations, the online platform, which utilised avatars and a virtual conference hall, was easy to use meaning you could network and interact with other delegates with ease. Dressing your avatar and deciding whether to wear shades or not, also added a bit of fun to proceedings.”

• Payment online via debit or credit card only; proforma invoices are not available.
• Full terms and conditions apply.
• Closing date: Friday 19th March, 9am.

Join us as we look to the future and prepare for the opportunities post-Brexit in 2021. 

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