TMAE Summit 2025KPI Got This: Measuring Success for Trademark Team
Alt Legal Team | June 02, 2025
At the TMAE Summit on September 16-17, 2025, Katie Horn (Trademark Paralegal & IP Portfolio Manager, Thermo Fisher) and Kristen Koines (Senior Manager Trademark Administration, Arent Fox) presented the session, “KPI Got This: Measuring Success for a Trademark Team.” Download presentation materials here. Here are some key takeaways from the session:
KPIs = Key Performance Indicators proves that what we do is important and has value to the organization. KPIs measure, monitor, and drive efficiency and progress across all levels
KPIs matter because they align individual and team efforts with firm/company goals, help identify training opportunities, resource needs, and high performers, enable data driven business decisions for trademark portfolio strategy, visualize successes and challenges with leadership.
How do KPIs work – Setting measurable or SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, track with qualitative and quantitative measures, and continually drive efficiency with accountability.
Tracking Indicators:
Leading v. Lagging Indicators
- Leading indicators for TMAS: What actions and behaviors helps you succeed? – These are predictive factors, activities you are doing to reach the goal. Some examples include application filing success rate, response turnaround, docketing compliance rate, portfolio volume managed, etc.
- Lagging Indicators for TMAs – These are reflective Did you actually reach the goal? Some examples include billable hours, filing fees saved, enforcement savings, fees collected, client retention rate, etc.
Qualitative v. Quantitative Indicators
- Qualitative Indicators for TMAs are intangible, non-quantifiable attributes and provide narrative for a holistic assessment. Some examples include customer feedback, morale, self-assessments,
- Quantitative Indicators for TMAs are tangible, trackable factors, measurable with numbers.
Drive Efficiency
- Use a Realtime Scoreboard for TMAs. Color indicators you’re hitting in green and those you haven’t met in yellow and not met/problematic in red. You can create a scoreboard with ChatGPT and this really helps you keep all data in front of you and make data-driven decisions based on what the indicators are showing you.
- Reinforce Accountability. Assign tasks to a certain person, meet regularly, make corrective actions if necessary, change goals if necessary, solicit feedback. Keep track of everyone’s style and generational differences with feelings towards check-in meetings (newer generation employees want lots of check-ins; generation closer to retirement does not want micromanagement.)
Where to Find Data
- IP management systems, quarterly reports (number of searches, applications filed, etc.), surveys and feedback mechanisms (client appreciation score- CAS), billing systems, records with the USPTO, Madrid Montor, and TTAB.
How to Visualize Data
- Use Excel pivot tables (tip: look at videos online to learn this skill), Power BI, trend lines, bar charts, Smartsheet, and dashboards/scoreboards.
Sample KPI for Your Team
Goal: Improve client experience for search requests
How to achieve: Develop tracking system for search requests
How to track:
- Provide monthly reports with all pertinent fields (mark, country, type of search, ranking system)
- Lagging indicator – number of search referrals
- Leading indicator – monthly report ranking
- Qualitative indicator – client satisfaction survey
- Scoreboard – search tracking system
Speakers
Katie Horn, Trademark Paralegal & IP Portfolio Manager, Thermo Fisher
Katie Horn is a Trademark Paralegal and IP Portfolio Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., where she leads worldwide trademark portfolio strategy, brand protection, and naming initiatives. With over two decades of experience spanning in-house and law firm environments—including roles at Motorola, WilmerHale, and Fish & Richardson—she brings deep operational insight and a knack for improving business processes. Katie has served on INTA’s Trademark Administrators Committee since 2022, contributing to its promotions and outreach efforts. Based in San Diego, she enjoys golfing, camping, and time with her dogs and family.
Kristen Koines
, Senior Manager Trademark Administration, Arent Fox
Kristen is a paralegal and administrative manager with over 25 experience in both Russia and the United States. She joined Arent Fox in 2006 as a trademark paralegal, and was promoted to Trademark Administrator in 2017, and Senior Practice Group Liaison Trademark Operations in 2024. She has managed several worldwide portfolios, including Qualcomm Incorporated, Choice Hotels International,
Burger King, Tim Hortons, Cardinal Health, and Fila. Since 2013, Kristen has regularly spoken at INTA’s Trademark Administrators Conference on matters relating to global trademark portfolio acquisition. Prior to joining Arent Fox, Kristen worked in-house at Choice Hotels International, and at a boutique Russian law firm.