Updates from the field World IP Day photo gallery Map of domestic activities
Updates from the field
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - February 2026
The USPTO’s IP attaché for the Mercosur region, Cairo Jennings (second from right), participates in the Department of Justice’s Digital Piracy Working Group meeting in Latin America, held February 25-27 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mr. Jennings led a panel discussion with U.S. stakeholders on best practices for effective public-private partnerships. The panelists also discussed the latest technical developments in digital piracy in the region and ways to counter those bad actors.
Bangkok, Thailand - February 2026
The USPTO’s IP attaché for Southeast Asia, Matthew Kohner, speaks at the Trademark 5 (TM5) workshop on combatting bad faith trademark filings, held on February 5, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand. Representatives from all five of the world’s largest trademark offices participated in the workshop, which aimed to support Thai trademark examiners in addressing the growing incidence of bad faith applications. The Japan Patent Office (JPO), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property (Thai DIP) co-organized the event.
Lima, Peru - November 2025
Lima-based IP attaché Jennifer Chicoski speaks at the launch of the anti-counterfeiting campaign “Por un Perú de Largo Aliento,” a coalition that supports of the respiratory health of Peruvian workers. The campaign aims to educate the public on health risks associated with counterfeit and low-quality respiratory products such as masks, respirators, and filters. Peru has a large number of mining, construction, and agriculture workers who depend on respirators to safely do their jobs. The launch event was held on November 18, 2025, at the headquarters of the National Society of Industry in Lima.
More Updates from the Field
Bangkok, Thailand - September 2025
USPTO Bangkok-based IP attaché Matthew Kohner (left) and U.S Embassy Bangkok Economic Analyst Stephen Orr destroy counterfeit Ford car parts during Thailand’s annual destruction ceremony of IPR infringing goods, held on September 5, 2025. More than 1.5 million counterfeit items, including apparel, footwear, and car parts bearing U.S. and international brands, were destroyed to ensure they would not re-enter channels of commerce. (Photo courtesy Chanchart Chotiphol)
Singapore - August 2025
On August 26, 2025, Matthew Kohner, IP Attaché for Southeast Asia, met with Vichea SUON, Director of Cambodia’s Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) and Chairperson of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC), and his delegation to discuss IP protection and enforcement in ASEAN. This meeting occurred on the margins of Singapore IP Week.
Nairobi, Kenya - June 2025
On June 5, 2025, Johannesburg-based attaché Katherine Hiner participated in an event organized by the American Chamber of Commerce, Kenya, and the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi. The event, held in Nairobi, focused on creating opportunities for U.S. industry to operate and invest in the Kenyan creative economy. During the event’s first panel discussion, “Unlocking the Potential of the U.S.–Kenya Creative Ecosystem,” Ms. Hiner emphasized the importance of a strong IP framework for creators and rights owners to realize the full market potential of Kenya’s creative sector.
Shanghai, China - May 2025
The USPTO’s IP counselor in Beijing, Michael Mangelson, moderated a discussion at a pharmaceutical IP seminar held on May 15, 2025 at the U.S. Consulate’s Shanghai American Center. Mangelson co-hosted the event with the USPTO’s Shanghai office. The panel discussion included speakers from Jones Day Shanghai, AstraZeneca, PhRMA’s Beijing Office, and a former Beijing IP court judge.
Bangkok, Thailand - April 2025
On April 21, 2025, the IP attaché team met with Ms. Nusara Kanjanakul, the new Director General of the Thai Department of Intellectual Property (DIP), to discuss a variety of topics, including ongoing IP legislative developments in Thailand, U.S. stakeholder concerns, and potential bilateral cooperation between the USPTO and DIP, including on items outlined in the IP workplan finalized last year.
Bangkok, Thailand - March 2025
On March 5, the IP attaché team in Thailand (including IP attaché Matthew Kohner, fifth from right) and the Economic Section of the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok participated in an intellectual property rights awareness event at MBK Center, a shopping mall in Bangkok. The mall is on the U.S. Trade Representative’s Notorious Markets List. The event, organized by the Thailand Department of Intellectual Property and led by Director General Nusara Kanjanakul (fifth from left), was part of a broader public outreach campaign aimed at promoting IP protection and enforcement. The campaign included five events that took place in February and March.
Quito, Ecuador - October 2024
The USPTO’s IP attaché in the Andean region, Jennifer Chicoski (second from right), presents a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the USPTO and the Tribunal de Justicia de la Comunidad Andina (Court of Justice of the Andean Community) on October 28, 2024, in Quito, Ecuador. The MOU solidifies the collaborative working relationship between the two entities.