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PodcastEpisode 18 of 25

NRF's Stephanie Martz’s Expert Advice on Harnessing Innovation in Retail

Stephanie Martz, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of the National Retail Federation, gives her predictions of the future of IP from the perspective of a Washington political insider.

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Episode 18 Future of IP Protection

Listen to the full conversation

In this episode, Branddy speaks with Stephanie Martz, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of the National Retail Federation.

During the episode, Stephanie gives an insider’s look into the ever-shifting landscape of intellectual property in the United States. With experience working as a lawyer for a federal judge, on Capitol Hill, and even in the White House as part of the Obama Administration, she provides vital insights on non-practising entities, artificial intelligence, and the NRF and the support it provides its members, before providing three key pieces of advice for brands listening in.

Get in touch with your host, Branddy Spence.

Topics discussed

  • Why non-practising entities, also known as “patent trolls”, have been swiftly diminishing in recent years. 
  • The impact AI is having on the IP landscape 
  • The work conducted by the National Retail Federation 
  • The ways in which the IP protection world finds itself in a time of flux, from patent eligibility, the appeal review process, and laws developing in the Federal Circuit 
  • The conversations happening with now in Capitol Hill surrounding IP law.

Guest quotes

#1.)  "A retailer is not just a seller of goods. It's an entrepreneur, a marketer, an employer, deeply invested in customer service, and capable of anticipating trends." 03:14

#2.)

“You have to be able to see trends around the corner and have goods in your store that that your customers want, but goods that they don't know they want yet. I love learning from our members, and I have so much respect for what they do every day. It's really fun.” 03:30

#3.) “The rate of patent litigation has gone down from a high watermark in 2012 of about 7,500 cases filed per year, down to about 4,500. So that's been really, really positive." 08:46

#4.) “We have plenty of other members who similarly rely on the strength of their brand and the protection the IP law gives them to make sure that they maintain consistency, customer loyalty, and grow their market share.” 16:50

#5.) “It becomes really difficult in the age of the Internet, when there are both the established marketplaces that we all know, and many of us love, as well as marketplaces on social media and all kinds of other places that are cropping up every day, and it can be very, very difficult to police your brand.” 17.10

Resources mentioned

For the latest episodes, search for “Future of IP Protection” on Spotify, Apple, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

More episodes

Watch on video
All 25 episodes
  1. 25Vivek Jayaram on Educating the Next Generation of IP Lawyers
  2. 24Maura Regan of Licensing International on New Approaches to IP Management
  3. 23Eproint’s Gabriela Bodden Explores IP Challenges in the Caribbean and Latin America
  4. 22WIPO’s Todd Reves on the Latest Developments at the World Intellectual Property Office
  5. 21Maral Behnam-Garcia on the Three Pillars for Brand Success
  6. 20INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo on Transforming IP into a Revenue Center
  7. 19AAFA’s Steve Lamar on Protecting Fashion IP in an Evolving Digital World
  8. 18NRF's Stephanie Martz’s Expert Advice on Harnessing Innovation in Retail
  9. 17Purple’s James Larson on Brand Protection in the Age of AI
  10. 16Nestlé's Myrtha Hurtado Rivas on How IP Protection Strategies Should Respond to Evolving Technology
  11. 15StockX's Paul Foley on How to Build a Brand Protection Authentication Strategy
  12. 14ZipString's Austin Hillam on How to Protect Your Inventions and Keep Innovation Going
  13. 13Kawaii Lighting's Lan Bui on Why Counterfeits Will Never Stand Up Against High-Quality Products
  14. 12Taking Swift Action to Protect Your IP with SwiftPaws' Meghan Wolfgram
  15. 11Warner Music Group's Matthew Walters-Bowens on How Musicians Can Keep Their Creative Work Protected
  16. 10Tapping into IP Protection Resources with Draft Top's Armand Ferranti
  17. 09Navigating the Processes of Knockoff Takedowns with NightCap's Michael Benarde
  18. 08Winning the Game of IP Protection with USAOPOLY's Paul May
  19. 07The Role of IP Professionals in Business Strategy with BEDGEAR's Joseph Codispoti
  20. 06Buzzfeed's Assistant GC on the Growing Landscape of IP Protection and Online Content Creation
  21. 05Keeping Your Brand Protected by Keeping Ahead of Technology
  22. 04Protecting IP - and People's Dreams - Through Collaboration and Anti-Counterfeiting
  23. 03An In-House Counsel's Guide to IP Protection and Licensing at a Large Media Company
  24. 02How Brands Can Achieve Consistent and Scalable Success in Protecting Their IP
  25. 01Beyond IP Enforcement: Protecting Your Brand's Reputation with Data, AI, and Stakeholder Communication

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