IACC Partner Spotlight on the IACC MarketSafe SME Program
Special Spotlight on Sasha Lazarevich from the Office of the LA City Attorney
Upcoming Events
And much more...
IACC Secures Seat at the IPR Center in Historic Step towards Public-Private Partnership
On June 3, 2021, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) and the IACC announced that the IACC will have staff/personnel/employees co-located at the IPR Center’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia to support joint training and operational efforts. This historic development marks a major step forward in the organizations’ long history of collaboration and presents a unique and invaluable opportunity for both organizations to partner even more closely on operational and strategic initiatives to fight IP crime.
This year's Annual Conference will feature small group discussions, roundtable workshops, and table topics as we reconnect with friends and colleagues and establish new contacts. For more information and further event details, please visit our conference event page.
Pre-Conference Virtual Networking Events
We are hosting pre-conference virtual networking events leading up to our Annual Conference and everyone is welcome to join!
Upcoming Dates:
September 16th - 1:00pm - 2:00pm ET
November 4th - 1:00pm - 2:00pm ET
Stay tuned for further details!
Upcoming Virtual Events
We have some exciting new webinars coming up! Stay tuned for additional details and registration.
August
Brand Protection Basics – Protecting Your Rights at the U.S. Border Date: August 19, 2021 Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm ET
Webinar sponsorship opportunities are available. Please email Dawn Sgarlata atdsgarlata@iacc.orgfor further details.
Past Events
We've recently hosted several webinars with online platforms including with Mercado Libre for brands already in their Brand Protection Program, Alibaba Group on Design Rights, and eBay with a focus on SMEs. Stay tuned for additional ones in the works!
Virtual Law Enforcement Trainings
On May 11th & 18th, the IACC conducted two virtual training events in partnership with the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center). These training events attracted over 200 HSI agents involved in IP investigations from Boston to Hawaii. Focusing on the pharmaceutical sector, the program instructed agents on the latest information with counterfeit vaccines, PPE and current investigatory trends. Read the full summary here.
On June 9th & 10th, the IACC welcomed it's first virtual training with CBP at the Port of New York - JKF, which included two full days of brand instruction. Over 50 brands presented materials featuring Health & Safety, Pharmaceuticals, Electronics/Software/Hardware, Apparel & Footwear, Personal Care and Consumer Mass Marketing categories. Read the full summary here.
SME Corner
Check out what the IACC is doing with SMEs. This month, we hear from two SME companies who have participated in the IACC MarketSafe® SME Program.
IACC Program Participant Spotlights
IACC MarketSafe® SME Program
IACC MarketSafe® SME Program, the IACC’s strategic collaboration between the IACC and Alibaba Group, is a one-of-a-kind program that provides member and non-member rights-holders with a streamlined mechanism for expedited take-down actions against infringing listings and sellers, complex issue resolution and special policies to address counterfeiters’ evasive tactics, and the hands-on support of dedicated, Chinese-speaking analysts.
Email us at Marketsafeinfo@iacc.org or visit www.iacc.org to learn more.
What is your role in your company/organization?
I am the owner, founder, and CEO of A Jillian Vance Design. I design, market, ship, and perform whatever tasks are needed with the help of my wonderful parents!
How does / did the IACC MarketSafe SME Program help you?
Before joining IACC, I was ready to give up and be done with my business. My designs were being stolen left and right. We noticed when some of our popular designs weren't selling anymore, did research, and discovered that my entire catalog was being stolen and sold for pennies on the dollar through counterfeit stores. It was very painful and frustrating to not be able to do anything about it, as the takedown process was so difficult on our own. These stores were selling thousands, more than I could ever sell, of counterfeit products using my designs that I had spent countless hours and dollars on. IACC gave me back security and faith in my business, and was able to help me remove and keep my designs down from these types of shops.
What were some of your take-aways or learnings from the program (ie, about brand protection, about working with Alibaba or the IACC)?
I definitely learned that it takes a team to combat these horrible thefts; and it's okay to ask for help, as my family and I couldn't do it alone. The IACC team is wonderful and so helpful with takedowns and general knowledge, and restored my faith in my brand and the love I have for designing.
What advice would you give other SMEs about how they should go about their brand protection efforts?
Again, it's okay to ask for help, and seek help through this program. A Jillian Vance Design has been AliExpress free since October of 2019 and it's all thanks to the MarketSafe program. I wish everybody would; these stores would not have any designs to steal! Myself and my team advocate every chance we get.
What is your role in your organization?
We are a small company, and everyone wears lots of hats. I focus on growing our business through product innovation, new licensed artists, relationships and building our base. With another hat, I try to address and protect our IP issues and concerns; hence our relationship with IACC.
How does / did the IACC MarketSafe SME Program help you?
The IACC MarketSafe SME Program is literally like getting a shiny new bike for your 5th birthday. It is the best thing ever!! We are a small company who releases new internal or licensed designed products in the Arts & Crafts market every month. We have more than 2000 unique, active SKU’s in the marketplace and sell mostly to other small retailers, online retailers or direct B2C. Because of the nature of our business/products and the ease that mostly Chinese factories can replicate our designs with screenshots, nearly 100% of our products were being counterfeited and sold on Ali Express. They would monitor our business and replicate our products within days of launch. We do not have the resources to hire an attorney to fight this problem and tried going direct to Alibaba with little results because we are such a small company. Within 30 days of signing up, nearly 2000 of the infringing SKU’s were removed from Ali Express and we are now almost 100% removed from pirated/counterfeit products from Ali Express. We are also now a recognized brand with Alibaba and garner their respect and assistance because of IACC’s mentorship and program. We could have never done this without the IACC Marketsafe SME program and their wonderful staff.
We are forever grateful for the help by IACC in getting our copyrighted designed product safe and sound for sale on our site or with our authorized customers.
What were some of your take-aways or learnings from the program (ie, about brand protection, about working with Alibaba or the IACC)?
With the IACC Marketsafe SME program we learned no company is too small to protect their intellectual property. The team at IACC are so helpful and supportive, they walked us through their process and held our hands every step of the way to make it successful. It is easy to get set-up and even easier to implement. When you see results in days, it encourages you to keep going and hit the goal of 100% counterfeit free. Also a big thanks to Alibaba for their part and relationship with IACC and helping to police infringers and remove counterfeit product to maintain the integrity of the shopping experience.
What advice would you give other SMEs about how they should go about their brand protection efforts?
You work too hard to not protect your passion. Do not compare any past attempts that you have made to protect your IP with the Marketsafe SME program offered by IACC. The ease of use and the quick results are worth the effort to protect your work. In full disclosure, we had someone who knew our products well and focused on the submissions for a few weeks while we got a handle on the problem. (We had over 2K infringing SKUs) Once the problem is under control, it is minimal weekly maintenance to scan and get new launches removed. If you love what you do, and want to protect it, you will love this program. Good luck and I am happy to answer any questions you might have.
Advertisement opportunities in our newsletter are available. Please contact Dawn Sgarlata at dsgarlata@iacc.org. Ads are limited to IACC members.
Legislative Updates
The summer months are often thought of as a period during which things in Washington grind to a halt; but while both the House and Senate will be in recess throughout most of August, “recess” should not be confused as a synonym for “vacation.” Staff in each body are continuing to work at a brisk pace, seeking to advance legislation focused on the implementation of best practices for IP enforcement in e-commerce, and to clarify Customs’ authority to share information regarding their interdiction of counterfeit goods with a nexus to e-commerce.
Meanwhile, in the Executive Branch, the Department of Justice is currently preparing to deploy two new International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) attorneys to Hong Kong and Bucharest; the Office of the US Trade Representative will soon be gearing up for its annual Notorious Markets Review; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection continues its work to implement several outstanding rulemaking actions.
We’re also eagerly awaiting announcements from the Administration regarding nominations for vitally important positions including Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property / Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the Administration’s Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator.
I am a criminal prosecutor dedicated to intellectual property crimes (‘IP crimes’)
How can the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney help brands in the fight against IP crime?
Thanks to the innovative leadership of City Attorney Mike Feuer, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office may be the only local prosecution agency in the United States with two full-time prosecutors dedicated to IP crimes. The Intellectual Property Prosecution Section (‘IPPS’) is led by Supervising Assistant City Attorney (‘SACA’) Kevin Gilligan who litigates civil actions against counterfeiters, businesses, and property owners implicated in the commission of IP crimes. DCA Sasha Lazarevich vertically prosecutes all misdemeanor IP crimes cases for the City of Los Angeles, including cases involving serious public safety implications such as counterfeit pharmaceuticals, illicit practice of medicine using counterfeit drugs or devices, electronics, and cybercrimes.
What are the top 2 challenges in IP enforcement you see affecting prosecutors over the next year?
The first challenge is the lack of published data about the type and frequency of IP crimes occurring in a jurisdiction and the resulting harms. It would be a best practice for brand owners to lab test counterfeit products that are confiscated from offenders in every case.
Lab results and experts should be made available to prosecutors at the outset of a criminal case with assurance that experts will testify at trial. The second challenge is sufficiently educating the public and lawmakers about the seriousness of IP crimes. Brands should support public safety by taking an active role in education.
What’s one piece of advice you can give a company looking to enforce their IP?
Hire a brand protection expert who is passionate about IP as a fundamental right. They should be knowledgeable about both criminal and civil remedies when engaging in enforcement and understand the harms that result to the brand owner, as well as consumers, when IP rights are violated. The expert should have knowledge as regards your particular product and industry – especially aspects of the trade that make your brand vulnerable to violations. It is also extremely important that they understand the value of working with a reputable private investigator who can help build successful IP crimes cases.
Who has inspired you most in life?
I am most inspired by public servants who go above and beyond to pursue just outcomes for victims of crime. As a young person, I was fortunate enough to be exposed to attorneys and law enforcement professionals who were successfully advocating for victims. This is the reason I pursued law as a profession.
IACC Joins High-Level Dinner with Italian Ambassador to the U.S.
In June, IACC President Bob Barchiesi and Vice President for Administration and Training, Mike Walsh, joined other dignitaries and partners in an exclusive dinner hosted by Armando Varricchio the Italian Ambassador to the U.S. The dinner, held at Villa Firenze, the ambassador’s residence, was a farewell and appreciation event for the outgoing ambassador.
IP Resources from Our Members
The IACC's membership includes a broad range of IP enforcement expertise around the world. We are excited to include this Resource Section in our Quarterly Newsletter where we share interesting insights, research studies, white papers and other thought pieces from our members with our IP community. If you are a member and would like to submit relevant material to be included in our next newsletter, please contact Dawn Sgarlata at dsgarlata@iacc.org.
Disclaimer: The IACC is providing these links as a courtesy to our members; the IACC has not independently verified any claims or assertions contained therein. Further, the views expressed in each of the linked resources are those of the respective authors, and their inclusion should not be interpreted as an endorsement by the IACC.
Understand the key considerations to implement an anti-counterfeiting strategy during the early stages of drug production to protect patients and products from unnecessary risk.
Corsearch takes a look at IP protection for sporting organizations and suggests some of the reasons why sports are targeted by counterfeiters and digital pirates.
Incopro’s white paper provides real-world data on the volume of repeat infringement, the current approach by platforms, and how the issue could be tackled with robust seller verification and a "three-strikes" policy.
This study explores how the effective use of security labels equipped with overt features can enable consumers to easily and confidently authenticate a product. Not only could security labels with overt features increase awareness and perceived value of authenticity for consumers, but they could provide a new line of defense to directly deter counterfeiters.
Discover why small and medium sized businesses are suffering such high levels of counterfeits and brand abuse in an increasingly globalized economy. Our recent study analyzed more than 12,000 businesses headquartered in Europe, and North America.
Consumer Research Study, conducted with Ipsos, which focuses on new online trends, and consumer relationships with counterfeits in the beauty and personal care industries.
-1.png?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=Q2%20Newsletter%20pic%20and%20name%20layot%20jillian%20(2)-1.png)
