TMAE Summit RoundtablesIR We There Yet?: Navigating Routes to International Registrations
Alt Legal Team | May 27, 2026
We’ll be making the most of our time during the lunch hour at the TMAE Summit by hosting small roundtable discussions on a variety of relevant topics. Each roundtable will have a host assigned to lead the discussion with pertinent questions, allowing you to share knowledge and resources and get to know your fellow conference attendees.
Roundtable Description
Using one application to expand protection to dozens of countries at once sounds efficient. In practice, though, knowing when the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) systems actually save time and money—and when they quietly create more work—is where trademark teams earn their keep. In this roundtable, Karolyn Richter of Davis & Gilbert draws on nearly two decades of global portfolio management experience to talk participants through the real-world tradeoffs of international filings, from Madrid strategy to managing downstream complications. In particular, the discussion will include topics such as:
- Evaluating when the Madrid System delivers cost savings, and when national filings are more efficient
- Managing WIPO irregularities and refusals, including when to escalate issues internally or externally
- Tracking central attack risk during the five-year dependency period of the basic application or registration
- Choosing between subsequent designations and new national filings when expanding protection
View all TMAE Summit Roundtables here.
Learn more about the TMAE Summit here.
Roundtable Host
Karolyn Richter
, Senior Trademark Paralegal, Davis & Gilbert
Karolyn Richter is a Senior Trademark Paralegal with over 18 years of experience managing complex U.S. and international trademark portfolios across top law firms and major global brands. Her work spans full‑cycle USPTO prosecution, global clearance, trade dress analysis, anti‑counterfeiting, and extensive coordination with foreign counsel on worldwide filings and refusals. She has significant hands‑on experience with the Madrid and Hague Systems, preparing and filing international applications and renewals through e‑Madrid and e‑Hague, and has completed WIPO’s Specialized Certification Course on the Madrid System, strengthening her expertise in international registration procedures.