The International Trademark Association (INTA) has elected Husch Blackwell attorney Caroline Chicoine as the Vice Chair of its Impact Studies Committee for a two-year term effective January 1, 2018. The Impact Studies Committee was created in 2016 to coordinate the commission of studies to further support INTA’s policy and advocacy efforts, as well as its strategic objectives.
Chicoine has been a member of this committee since its inception and was responsible for leading a project team that commissioned a study on the impact that the new and expanded generic top-level domains (gTLDs) have had on enforcement costs for intellectual property owners. While the study results were not conclusive, they helped provide support to claims that such costs have increased and will be further analyzed to use in INTA’s advocacy efforts with regard to the expansion of new gTLDs going forward. Prior to her tenure on the Impact Studies Committee, Chicoine chaired one of INTA’s largest committee, the Internet Committee, which earned her INTA’s first Volunteer Service Award for the Advancement of the Association.
As a member of the Husch Blackwell’s Technology, Manufacturing & Transportation industry team, Chicoine focuses primarily on trademarks, including trademark clearance, prosecution, maintenance and enforcement both domestically and internationally, as well as trademark licensing, and intellectual property due diligence. Her particular expertise is in the area of Internet-related trademark matters where she counsels clients in the development and implementation of enforcement strategies for combating infringing activity on the Internet.
INTA is a global association of 7,000 organizations from 190 countries and is comprised of trademark owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and related intellectual property in order to protect consumers and to promote fair and effective commerce.