Combatting Counterfeits Target of Workshop

Frost & Sullivan is partnering with Baker & McKenzie LLP to host an exclusive two-day interactive workshop on effective legal strategies to combat counterfeiting and gray market products on September 15-16, 2005 in Chicago, IL.
Counterfeit and gray market automotive products are sold for prices 40 to 80 percent less than genuine products. The manufacturers of counterfeit products can do so because they have made virtually no investment in product development or the underlying technology and are capitalizing on the brand image and value developed by the genuine manufacturer.
The workshop will commence with the welcome and keynote address entitled “Size and Scale of North American Counterfeiting,” by Mary-Beth Kellenberger, Frost & Sullivan Consulting Analyst and representatives from Baker & McKenzie’s International Intellectual Property Practice. Thereafter, case studies and breakout sessions will offer a comprehensive view of trends and challenges in this market.
Topics include “Face to Face with Counterfeits,” a look at how one company was pushed to the brink by counterfeit products and counsel on preventative measures other companies can use to not become susceptible. Another session on “Understanding the Issues” will identify obstacles that are confounding manufacturers’ ability to appropriately respond to the counterfeit threat.
Attendees will then convene for a networking reception followed by a dinner.
Leveraging its expertise in the counterfeiting market, legal specialists from Baker & McKenzie LLP’s Intellectual Property Practice will discuss how to build an effective anti-counterfeiting strategy, while another interactive breakout session will utilize legal and marketing strategies to develop a plan of action.
“Counterfeit and gray market automotive components are no longer a myth; they pose an explicit threat to automotive component manufacturers. If left unchecked counterfeits undermine brand image, quality, and profitability in any category where they gain a foothold,” says Mary-Beth Kellenberger.
For registration information, email transportation@frost.com or call 1.877.GO.FROST