Smith, Gambrell & Russell is proud to announce attorneys appointed to INTA Committees for the 2020–2021 term. The International Trademark Association appoints committee volunteers to carry out trademark-related initiatives and programs. Committee members fulfill their responsibilities by promptly and thoughtfully completing their committee's mission statement.

Smith, Gambrell & Russell's appointments follow:

Jim Bikoff was selected to be a member of the Data Protection Committee.

The INTA Data Protection Committee develops and advocates the Association's policy regarding the impact of data protection law on trademark rights. The committee monitors data protection cases, legislation and regulation in various jurisdictions, completes analyses and proposes policy recommendations to the INTA Board. Work includes report and submission writing, interaction with data protection organizations and advocacy in conjunction with relevant INTA committees and staff.

Mr. Bikoff was co-author of No Place to Hide – The Effect of a Data Breach on Brand Value.

was selected to be a member of the Brand Restrictions Committee.

The Brand Restrictions Committee develops and advocates the Association's policy regarding the impact of brand restrictions on trademark and related rights. The Committee will monitor developments in treaties, legislation, and regulations in various jurisdictions, complete analyses, and coordinate advocacy activities with other relevant INTA committees such as the Legislation & Regulation Committee. If necessary, the Committee also will propose policy recommendations to the Board. Work includes report and submission writing and advocacy in conjunction with INTA's staff, as well as raising awareness on brand restriction issues among INTA membership via Bulletin articles and the public through op-ed articles and other public relations methods, and policy dialogues and conferences.

Ms. Borland is currently completing her second term on the Alternative Disputes Resolution ("ADR") Committee. During the 2016-17 term, she served on the North American Subcommittee of the ADR Committee. Her work on that Subcommittee focused on educating federal courts and bar associations throughout the United States about ADR and the availability and expertise of INTA's panel of neutrals in handling matters referred to mediation or arbitration. During the 2018-19 term, she has been serving on the Online Disputes Subcommittee of the ADR Committee. That Subcommittee has studied the options that are currently available for mediating disputes through online methods (as opposed to in-person mediation sessions), and plans to give a presentation about online dispute resolution at INTA's 2019 Leadership Meeting to be held in Austin, Texas, in November.

has been appointed to the Public Information Committee for the 2020-2021 term. This committee educates the general public, including educational institutions, small business owners, marketing experts, policy makers, designers, and the media, about the importance of trademarks and brands. Holly is excited to transition the skills she acquired serving on the Unreal Campaign Committee, which focused on educating teens about counterfeit products, to a broader audience.

Richard Rivera was selected for The Trademark Reporter Committee.

The Trademark Reporter Committee produces The Trademark Reporter (TMR), which has delivered cutting-edge, peer-reviewed legal scholarship on trademarks, brands, and related areas of intellectual property to practitioners, academics, and courts in the United States and around the globe since 1911. The TMR Committee solicits, writes, and edits scholarly articles, commentaries, and book reviews.

Mr. Rivera has served for the last four years on the INTA Bulletins Committee. The Bulletins Committee is responsible for producing the association's newsletter, which contains new developments or noteworthy decisions concerning trademark law around the world, feature-length articles on developing trends, news on the Association's activities, and interviews with the Association's leadership. The Bulletin is published twice monthly to the Association's more than 7,200 member organizations. Mr. Rivera served two years on the Law and Practice subcommittee, in which he was a frequent author of Trademark news related articles for the Bulletin. His articles have been translated into Spanish and Chinese to reach wider audiences.

Mr. Rivera is currently finishing up his second year on the Features Subcommittee. In the Features Subcommittee, Mr. Rivera has authored two feature-length articles for the Bulletin: On Second Thought, Don't Say My Name—Registering Surnames in the United States (Sept. 15, 2019) and How to Overcome the Genericness Hurdle at the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (May 1, 2019). Mr. Rivera also has a forthcoming feature article on the contribution of brands to pop culture.

was appointed to the Brands for a Better Society Committee.

The Brands for a Better Society Committee demonstrates how brands positively impact society and build consumer trust through corporate social responsibility, diversity and inclusion, and pro bono initiatives by increasing awareness among members of the value of these activities, engaging targeted stakeholders, and informing the public about efforts undertaken by INTA and its members. The Committee will monitor trends in the industry and among members to develop best practices and tools to raise awareness and implement relevant programs.

was appointed to the Trademark Office Practice Committee and has been appointed as the Subcommittee Chairperson for the United States Trademark Office Practice Committee.

The Trademark Office Practice Committee works with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to evaluate and recommend improvements to trademark office practices, procedures, operations and regulations at the national, regional and international levels. The Committee monitors trademark office developments, including participation in user groups, completes analyses, and prepares comments and submissions within INTA's policy framework. Work includes comment writing and advocacy in conjunction with relevant INTA committees and staff. The Committee consists of regional and country-specific subcommittees along with those with an international focus such as the Madrid System and TM5 subcommittees. Some subcommittees, such as EUIPO and USPTO, also participate in Office-led projects, meetings, seminars and conferences. The Committee also develops educational programs and seminars specifically designed for trademark office in the trademark arena and which also may be industry specific.

Mr. Woldow was formerly the Chairperson of the Government Officials Training Committee. Under Mr. Woldow's leadership the committee developed educational programs specifically designed for government officials and IP office employees. His first training session focused on the Wine industry. Mr. Woldow was joined by speakers from Delicato Vineyards, Brown-Forman Brands & Jack Daniels Properties to discuss a wide range of issues related to wine origin, labeling, family histories and related channels of supply and distribution. https://www.sgrlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/INTA-Bulletin-2.pdf.

Another such program collaborated with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to provide information relative to the Cheese Industry in conjunction with The Kraft Heinz Company, The Consortium for Common Food Names, and Schreiber Foods.

https://www.inta.org/INTABulletin/Pages/Government_Officials_Training_Committee_7412.aspx

Mr. Woldow also worked with Starbucks and the former Director of the Ethiopian IP Office to discuss how trademark issues related to coffee affect not only companies but can provide economic benefits to improve standards of living. https://inta.org/INTABulletin/Pages/GOT_Committee_Update_7221.aspx.

Finally, in one of the most enjoyable programs, Mr. Woldow organized a training with the Fashion Industry before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Woldow was joined by representatives from Nike, Inc., Columbia Sportswear, and Kenneth Cole to discuss modern trends related to not only fashion but related services paired with the clothing industry. https://inta.org/INTABulletin/Pages/USPTO_Industry_Training_Report_7214.aspx.