Week 7: International IP Law (Part III) and Schmoozing
This week consisted of two major tasks, and so a two-part post follows:
Part One: International IP Law (Part III)
After filing the national trademark application with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, the next step was to file an international trademark application in order to protect IBJ's name in multiple countries. This proved one of my largest tasks for the week.
The international trademark application is filed in the same office as the national application. Of course, this meant another application entirely in French. In addition to the language barrier, the international application is made more complicated by the fact that we applied for protection in multiple countries, each with their own rules. Each country has their own requirements for class descriptions, but the most important one is that the new class description cannot be broaderthan the class description listed on the national application.
Although that requirement might not seem difficult to meet, it becomes more difficult when filing for protection in the United States. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has its own list of class descriptions that require very specific language. And of course, all of these US class descriptions are in English.
The international application required the class descriptions to again be listed in French. With my co-worker Sarah's help, we translated the English class descriptions provided by the USPTO into French. This was easily the most stressful part of the entire filing process. Languages do not translate perfectly between each other; their unique linguistic rules can operate to change the meaning of a sentence or phrase. So although Sarah translated the USPTO class descriptions to French, I then had to ensure that the French translation didn't create classes that were broader than the ones we had submitted on the national application.
After much review and constant re-reading (how embarrassing would it be to misspell "International Bridges to Justice" on the trademark application?), I hit submit. After nearly seven weeks of preparation, I finally finished applying for IBJ's trademark!
Part Two: Schmoozing
A number of times during this internship, I have realized that many of the phrases I use at work ("we have to make sure we cover our bases") are American idioms my European co-workers don't understand. This week I encountered another one: schmoozing.
This week I had the opportunity to represent IBJ at the Crans Montana Forum, a gathering of government leaders, NGOs, and businesses from around the world. Along with two of my colleagues, one American and one Norwegian, I was tasked with finding the most important people in the room and networking.
With ambassadors, government ministries, and even a few presidents in attendance, my job was more than a little intimidating. My first interaction wasn't the best; I mistook a journalist reporting on the forum for a participant. But the more times I walked up and introduced myself to people, the easier the process became. By the end of the forum, I felt comfortable walking up to anyone in the room to tell them about IBJ and how they can get involved.
At the conclusion of the conference, I was discussing the people I had met with my Norwegian colleague. I mentioned how I didn't have much experience schmoozing people. When I looked at his face, I knew I had said another idiom unique to the US.
Working internationally is a challenge, and I learn something new everyday. This week, after struggling to explain what "schmoozing" meant, I learned to be more mindful of my word choices. It can be alienating to not understand what someone says; as someone who doesn't speak French in a French-speaking city, I certainly understand. But working internationally is also a chance to share cultural differences. I taught my Norwegian co-worker "schmoozing" and my French co-workers know how to "cover their bases." As my internship continues, I know I'll learn from them too.