Ana C. Al-Sakhria

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312-554-7948

aca@pattishall.com

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I'm the CEO of a growing business. How could your work help me protect my business?
I have over 16 years experience in brand management, including in-house experience with The Quaker Oats Company, where I was responsible for maintenance of all domestic brands, as well as maintenance of their non-beverage marks throughout Latin America.

As you can imagine, a brand like Quaker Oats is well policed. I bring that depth of experience to Pattishall. I've been involved in prosecuting thousands of international trademark filings involving foreign associates in 200 countries. My work on thousands of domestic trademark filings means my clients receive efficient assistance managing large trademark portfolios.

What industries do you consider your areas of concentration?
My strengths are in the areas of trademark prosecution and maintenance, as well as registration of trademarks with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). I've done extensive research on the clearance and use of marks.

I work primarily with clients in the healthcare industry, automotive, apparel and computer hardware/software. These businesses constantly develop new products, so it's very important to have a close working relationship with them. Because we don't have to be brought up to speed, we are able to answer their questions during the early stages of product development, and provide them with quick results in a cost-effective manner.

Recently, I collaborated with a client to develop a system to improve internal communication among various entities that provide Pattishall with information about the current use of marks. This system avoids duplication of internal e-mail correspondence, centralizes the information they need, and keeps track of upcoming deadlines.

What special skills do you bring to the Pattishall team?
I'm fluent in Spanish. Did you know that there more countries speak Spanish than any other language? Latin America is a huge and growing market; as you can imagine, having good relations across the region can really help with foreign applications. While in-house, I was the liaison between the company's law department and the Latin American subsidiaries, responsible for searching and clearing new marks, and prosecuting U.S. and foreign applications.

Pattishall was one of the first IP firms to develop an international practice. The firm has a long, rich history working in Latin America. In fact, Jeremiah McAuliffe learned Spanish so he could develop a network of firms throughout the region. He was one of the founders of the Inter-American Association for Protection of Industrial Property Rights. I'm proud to be a part of that tradition.

How have you been described by your colleagues?
Very organized, knowledgeable, dedicated, and efficient. You cannot do this kind of work in the volume that we do it without being both organized and efficient. Imagine clearing a trademark in more than 100 countries, and that will give you some idea of those skills in action.

How does your experience help you with clients and colleagues?
My knowledge in trademarks and organizational skills have been used to assist clients in setting-up in house trademark files and working at the client's offices to help out in temporary staffing.

I love the diversity of clients I work with because it has made my job very challenging and has allowed me to utilize and enhance my strong Intellectual Property background, as well as my organizational and multi-tasking skills.