Introduction

The United States will join the Madrid Protocol on 2 November 2003. This is the latest significant step in the internationalization of trade mark filing. It now cannot be long before every major country and region is a member of the Madrid system. These developments offer major advantages to trade mark owners. However, for private practitioners, the advantages (if any) are not so clear cut. One thing is certain, however, the role of outside trade mark counsel is rapidly changing, as is the work available to such counsel. The time spent on filing and prosecution issues is now dwarfed by that accorded to opinion work and inter partes disputes. The trend towards the latter is unstoppable. The message to all private practitioners is clear, adapt or, like the dodo, become extinct.