On January 28, 2019, Somboon Earterasarun, a partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ intellectual property group, spoke at a seminar on the promotion of the effective use of the Madrid system of intellectual trademark registration, hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in Vientiane, Laos.

His presentation discussed strategic uses of the Madrid Protocol in Laos and the tangible advantages of doing so, drawing on experience from across Southeast Asia to encourage effective use of the international trademark registration system. His presentation also discussed recent trends of Madrid Protocol use around the globe, incoming and outgoing use in Laos, and the opportunities and challenges inherent in the system.

This one-day seminar, sponsored by WIPO in cooperation with the Lao Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO), was held at the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Office in Vientiane, and featured top-level insight from IP professionals in the public and private sectors.