Program Description: Bob Cumbow, Shareholder at Graham & Dunn, and a specialist in trademark and copyrights protection, will provide attendees with an informative overview of trademark licensing basic tenets. His presentation will cover the fundamentals of trademark licensing, the dangers of naked licensing agreements, essential licensing terms, when to consider a licensing agreement, merchandise licensing, precautions, and licensor liability.

R.D. Perez, Director of Trademarks and Copyrights Management for Boeing’s Intellectual Property Business will present the industry’s perspective on trademark licensing.  R.D. Perez will discuss issues to consider when putting together a licensing program such as balancing risk avoidance with profit maximization.  He will also talk about Trademark protection as an essential part of a licensing strategy when revenues are not the primary goal.

About the Licensing Executive Society The Seattle chapter of the Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada) Inc. LES is a professional society comprised of over 5,000 members engaged in the transfer, use, development, manufacture and marketing of intellectual property. The LES membership includes a wide range of professionals, including business executives, lawyers, licensing consultants, engineers, academicians, scientists and government officials.

About the Seattle Chapter of the LES The local LES chapter has been sponsoring programs for many years, covering a variety of topics of both general interest to IP licensing professionals and ones that highlight unique aspects of the local business and research community. This year, the local chapter is holding a series of monthly lunch speakers, normally on the second Wednesday of the month. The next scheduled speaker is Michael Wickstead of Ogden Murphy Wallace on February 15 who will discuss “Effect of Bankruptcy on Licenses.” For more information visit http://www.usa-canada.les.org/chapters/seattle/ .

Speaker Bios

Robert Cumbow, Graham & Dunn PC – Shareholder
Bob has been named a “Super Lawyer” by Washington Law & Politics for the last four consecutive years and heads Graham & Dunn's Intellectual Property practice. He counsels a wide variety of clients on intellectual property, licensing, advertising, privacy and Internet issues.

R.D. Perez, Boeing – Director, Trademark and Copyright Management R.D has served as Director of the Trademark and Copyright Management Group within Boeing’s Intellectual Property Business since June 2002. Working with the business units, his organization is responsible for leveraging and protecting the company's trademarks and copyrights as a strategic resource. The organization is also responsible for working within the enterprise to establish policy/process for the non-Boeing use of Boeing trademarks and copyrights on business products, business services, cooperative marketing programs and other external activities.

He attended Cal State Fullerton receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Brigham Young University where he received his Juris Doctor. He is a licensed attorney in California and Washington .

Please contact Julianne Loveless at loveless@seattleu.edu if you have any questions.