Senniger Powers Leads Discussion on Intellectual Property with International Visitor Leadership Program

On Friday, May 4, 2007, Senniger Powers hosted a discussion on intellectual property in the United States in conjunction with the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs' International Visitor Leadership Program.

The participants, a group of seven foreign attorneys and judges, were invited to the United States to participate in the State Department’s multi-regional project: "Protection of Intellectual Property Rights." The World Affairs Council in St. Louis selected Senniger Powers to participate in the program.

Senniger Powers' Partners Ed Hejlek and Kathleen Petrillo hosted the session, which covered topics such as major industries' intellectual property rights issues and the firm’s strategy in patent, trademark, and copyright law. The discussion also allowed the visitors to ask questions about intellectual property issues in the United States, particularly relating to biotechnology.

Participants included:

  • Ms. Rozeta Shkembi, Director, Public Relations and Research, High Council Of Justice (Albania)
  • Ms. Lisa Merille Palmer, Acting Senior Deputy Director, Office Of Public Prosecutions (Jamaica)
  • Mr. Carlos Dominguez Huerta, Coordinator, Department Of Inventions and Information Technology Services, Western Region Office, Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (Mexico)
  • Mr. Majid Ali Wajid, Advocate, High Court, Lahore (Pakistan)
  • Ms. Melissa Maria Talleri Cavero Egusquiza, IPR Expert, Ministry Of Trade and Tourism (Peru)
  • Mr. Mphuthumi Monnis Jekem, Assistant Director, Office of Company and Intellectual Property Enforcement, Department of Trade and Industry (South Africa)
  • Ms. Olena Shcherbakova, Head, International Relations Department, State Department of Intellectual Property (Ukraine)

The International Visitor Leadership Program brings participants to the United States from all over the world each year to meet with their professional counterparts. The visitors, who are current or potential leaders in government, politics, the media, education, and other fields, are selected by American officials overseas. Mr. Irwin Kern, an English Language Officer with the U.S. Department of State, accompanied the visitors.