TMAE Summit 2026Take Back (Quality) Control: Maintaining Healthy Trademark Operations Practices
Alt Legal Team | May 18, 2026
The Trademark Administrators’ Exchange (TMAE) Summit on October 19-21 is the premier event designed for trademark administrators and professionals who keep IP operations running smoothly. Join peers from across the country for this exciting event providing focused education (CLE pending), interactive discussions, immersive workshops, and valuable networking—all in a collaborative, welcoming environment. Learn about additional sessions here.
One single missed step can turn into missed deadlines, inconsistent records, and risk you didn’t see coming. Building quality control into trademark operations is crucial, but maintaining that consistency gets harder when teams are stretched or unexpected gaps arise. In this session, Shama Elliott of PricewaterhouseCoopers and Jesus Enrique Vargas of Keltie will explore how to implement robust quality control frameworks within trademark departments, from portfolio management through day-to-day operations, and how to plan for disruptions without interrupting the business. Drawing on practical experience, they’ll discuss approaches to keeping trademark operations consistent, efficient, and resilient. In particular, they’ll address:
- Implementing quality control frameworks within trademark departments
- Managing trademark portfolios while enhancing consistency in daily operations
- Establishing operational guidelines to reduce risk
- Planning for employee leave, vacations, and short-staffed teams
- Preventing business interruptions and maintaining seamless TM operations
Register for the TMAE Summit here.
Speakers
Shama Elliott, Trademark Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Shama Elliott is a Trademark Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), responsible for managing their global trademark portfolio with a focus on prosecution, registration, strategy, enforcement, and brand protection. Prior to joining PwC in 2020, Shama managed global trademark portfolios and led client training on brand protection and best practices for WarnerMedia and American International Group (AIG). Shama holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a B.A. in Business Management, with a specialization in Management and Operations, from Monroe College.
Jesus Enrique Vargas, Trade Mark Paralegal, Keltie
Keltie LLP’s Jesús Enrique Vargas is an experienced trade mark paralegal specialising in trade mark prosecution, maintenance, and enforcement. With over nine years of experience in top-tier law firms, he has a proven track record of managing global trade mark portfolios and achieving favourable outcomes for clients. Qualified in Venezuela, Chile, and the UK, he holds a BA in International Studies, a Postgraduate Diploma in Cybersecurity Law, and the CITMA Paralegal Certificate. An active member of the global IP community, JE participates in INTA as Co-Chair of the TMAP Sub-Committee within the Leadership Development Committee. For ASIPI, he co-chairs the DEI Committee and contributes to the Anti-Counterfeiting Committee. He also contributes to the CITMA Paralegal Training Working Group, demonstrating his commitment to advancing the field of trade mark law.