Polsinelli is pleased to announce that Senior Partner and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Philip G. Hampton II has received the International Trademark Association’s (INTA) 2024 President’s Award. This prestigious recognition is awarded annually to individuals from member organizations who have made a significant impact on INTA and the global trademark community.

“I am deeply honored to receive INTA’s 2024 President’s Award. It is a privilege to be recognized by such a prestigious organization and I remain committed to advancing intellectual property law and supporting diversity, equity and inclusion within our profession,” said Hampton.

With a career spanning more than 40 years as an intellectual property (IP) attorney and a long-standing involvement with INTA, Hampton has established himself as an invaluable member of the IP community. His deep experience in patent and trademark litigation, patent and trademark counseling, trademark prosecution, enforcement, maintenance and licensing of all types of intellectual property make him a highly regarded attorney in his field. He has been an expert witness in almost three dozen trademark infringement actions and has served as a Special Master in several patent infringement actions for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Hampton is also a dedicated and effective champion for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) who consistently works to increase representation of minority attorneys and advocate for trademark administrators (TMAs). He has been involved in diversity, equity and inclusion programs and initiatives for most of his professional career, having mentored dozens of IP students and young lawyers from underrepresented groups. While serving as the Assistant Commissioner for Trademark in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), minority attorneys increased by more than 400%. During his tenure at the USPTO, Hampton promulgated almost 200 Commissioner’s Decisions and oversaw the first new edition of the Manual of Trademark Examining Procedure in nearly a decade.

Hampton's prowess in intellectual property law is well-recognized. In 2016, Hampton was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Diversity in Tech Award presented by the IP Section of the National Bar Association. In 2022, he was inducted into the Washington Bar Association’s Hall of Fame. He has also been designated as a “Titan of the IP Bar” by AIPLA and received the Mark T. Banner Award from the IP Law Section of the American Bar Association. Additionally, Hampton teaches trademark law at Howard University School of Law, where he has been an adjunct professor for more than a decade.