Class 46 was delighted to have a team member in attendance at this year's Fordham IP Conference (full programme here), held in New York. Indeed, both HouseMARQUES editor James Nurton and MARQUES social media coordinator Jeremy Phillips were on the conference programme. This gave them a chance to discuss European trade mark law and practice with IP owners and practitioners from further afield and to listen to the comments and criticisms made by those from outside the Continent.

At the conference, OHIM Board of Appeal member Gordon Humphreys spoke on some recent General Court decisions involving Community trade marks and Community designs, including the very difficult Beifa case, in which an earlier trade mark was invoked in order to undermine a subsequent design registration.

Other speakers included Peter Ruess (Arnold Ruess, Duesseldorf), who led the audience through a number of recent Court of Justice of the European Union decisions, and two speakers on dilution: Dev Gangjee (Oxford University) and Spyros Maniatis (Queen Mary, University of London).  As ever, the contribution of Annette Kur of the Max Planck Institute -- this time on international jurisdiction and on EU trade mark reform -- was informative and valuable.

OHIM President António Campinos featured on the Fordham programme's IP Leaders session, giving an enthusiastic account of OHIM's commitment to support and database-building for SMEs and the IP-intensive design sector.  The OHIM Observatory was represented by Paul Maier, whose straight-speaking participation in both days of the conference was very much appreciated.

If you like meeting the judiciary, CJEU judge Allan Rosas was present; disclaiming any knowledge of trade mark law, he spoke of his feelings about the role of the CJEU in processing Community trade mark appeals and references for preliminary rulings in disputes arising from national courts.  Other judges in attendance included Judge Klaus Grabinski (Germany) Lord Justice Floyd, Mr Justice Arnold and Mr Justice Birss (England and Wales).

If you really enjoy discussing trade mark law and enforcement, this is a conference with a difference. Covering the whole of IP law, it offers speakers no more than 13 minutes (and usually rather less) in which to articulate the points they wish to make. Discussion is brisk and focused, if occasionally heated. It's an educational experience with a difference.