Reed Smith Partners, Sarah Bruno, John Feldman, and Jason Garcia, will also be participating in two separate panels. Sarah and John will present on the panel, From Second Life to the Metaverse: What Have You Learned?, while Jason will moderate the panel, Protecting Its Customers and Itself: How the United States Patent and Trademark Office Is Responding to Fraud and Fighting Back.

Tuesday, May 2 at 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. ET

COMPLEMENTARY RIGHTS, REGULATIONS, AND BRAND RESTRICTIONS

Protecting Its Customers and Itself: How the United States Patent and Trademark Office Is Responding to Fraud and Fighting Back

From legitimate mistakes to scam letters to outrageous sophisticated business schemes like Abtach, the USPTO is taking action on all fronts. Come learn about the rules and the tools that the USPTO has at its disposal to protect trademark applicants, the federal trademark register, and the integrity of the USPTO itself. Representatives from the USPTO will discuss actions such as the Order to Show cause against Abtach, Ltd., et al., issued on November 3, 2021; the new USPTO Trademarks Administrative Sanction process currently subject to public comment; other steps the USPTO has taken to combat fraud; and what we can expect to see from the PTO in the future.

Moderator: Jason Garcia, Partner, Reed Smith LLP (USA)

Speakers:

• Amy Cotton, Deputy Commissioner for Trademarks Examination Policy, United States Patent and Trademark Office (USA)
• Will Covey, Deputy General Counsel & Director Office of Enrollment & Discipline, United States Patent and Trademark Office (USA)
• Michael Mangelson, Principal Counsel and Director for China IP, United States Patent and Trademark Office (USA)
• Belinda J. Scrimenti, Partner, Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard & Geraldson LLP (USA)

Wednesday, May 3 at 10:30 – 11:30 A.m. ET

INNOVATION AND THE FUTURE OF IP

From Second Life to the Metaverse: What Have You Learned?

For brands, the metaverse is the “next big thing” for consumer interaction, brand building, and digital and real-world sales opportunities. It’s expected to change the way we work, shop, socialize, and live our lives. While an alternative digital environment is not something truly new, the possibilities offered now by the technology beyond NFTs seems endless. Fasten your seatbelt and take a trip to the metaverse to explore the ways brands can and should protect themselves in this new playground, reflecting on the lessons learnt from earlier virtual spaces such as Second Life.

Moderator: Fernanda Magalhaes, Partner, Kasznar Leonardos Intellectual Property (Brazil)

Speakers:

• Kate Nye – GAP INC
• John Feldman – Reed Smith LLP
• Sarah Bruno – Reed Smith LLP