Press Releases

International Trademark Association Elects Ayala Deutsch of NBA Properties as 2020 President

Published: November 25, 2019

New York, New York—November 25, 2019—The International Trademark Association (INTA) is pleased to announce the election of Ayala Deutsch as the 2020 President of the Association and the Chair of its Board of Directors. Ms. Deutsch, Executive Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at NBA Properties, Inc., New York, New York, assumes her one-year term January 1.

In this volunteer role, Ms. Deutsch will lead INTA in advancing its key priorities on intellectual property (IP) policies around the world—protecting trademarks and brands, promoting harmonization of trademark law, advocating against brand restrictions, promoting anticounterfeiting strategies, and managing Internet governance and the domain name system. In addition, Ms. Deutsch will help the Association achieve the goals of its 2018‒2021 Strategic Plan, which promote the value of trademarks and brands, reinforce consumer trust, and embrace innovation and change.

She succeeds David Lossignol, Head of Trademarks, Domain Names and Copyrights, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland.

“I’m looking forward to furthering the Association’s great work and doing my part to take it to the next level,” Ms. Deutsch said. “I hope 2020 is a year of realizing possibilities, both for myself and for the organization.”

Her presidential task force will explore “how to develop all-star IP practitioners,” she said. “As brand owners and trademark professionals, we must constantly innovate and evolve with the times to grow professionally and personally and to effect meaningful change in our field and in the world.”

INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo noted Ms. Deutsch’s career history with NBA Properties, Inc., “brings a totally different experience to the Association. Her expertise, unique perspective, and status as a well-respected member of the INTA community will bring tremendous value as we address critical issues in the evolving IP landscape.”

Ms. Deutsch, who is currently serving as INTA’s president-elect, has been on the Board since 2015; she previously was a member of the Board from 2002 to 2005.

In her role at NBA Properties, Inc., Ms. Deutsch is responsible for managing commercial legal affairs and IP matters for the National Basketball Association (NBA) and its affiliated leagues, including the global acquisition, protection, and enforcement of IP rights belonging to the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League, the NBA 2K League, and their respective teams. Her specialties include trademark law, copyright law, and technology law.

Ms. Deutsch was named to her current position in January 2016 after serving as Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel since February 2014. She also previously served as Senior Vice President & Chief Intellectual Property Counsel. She joined NBA Properties, Inc., in January 1998.

Ms. Deutsch previously served as an adjunct professor of sports law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, New York, New York, and as a member of the Trademark Public Advisory Committee of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She received her JD from NYU School of Law, New York, New York.

Also elected as INTA officers for 2020 are:

  • President-Elect: Tiki Dare, Assistant General Counsel, Oracle Corporation, Redwood City, California
  • Vice President: Zeeger Vink, Intellectual Property Director, Maus Frères, Paris, France
  • Vice President: Jomarie Fredericks, Deputy General Counsel and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, Rotary International, Evanston, Illinois
  • Treasurer: Dana Northcott, Vice President and Associate General Counsel-Intellectual Property, Amazon.com, Inc., Seattle, Washington
  • Secretary: Elisabeth Bradley, Vice President and Head of Trademark, Copyright, and Brand Protection Law, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, New Jersey
  • Counsel: Erin Hennessy, Partner, Bracewell LLP, New York, New York
  • Past President: David Lossignol, Head of Trademarks, Domain Names and Copyrights, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland

About the International Trademark Association
The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of brand owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and related intellectual property (IP) to foster consumer trust, economic growth, and innovation. Members include more than 7,200 trademark owners, professionals, and academics from 187 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark resources, policy development, education and training, and international network. Founded in 1878, INTA is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Brussels, Santiago, Shanghai, Singapore, and Washington, D.C., and representatives in Geneva and New Delhi. For more information, visit inta.org.