The 2020 Global Gender Gap Report, published by the World Economic Forum, shows that gender parity will not be attained for 99.5 years.  In the intellectual property (IP) industry, even though genders are similarly creative and innovative, it is not a secret to say that the field is predominantly male-oriented.  Women are, for instance, underrepresented in patenting; one study has even projected that women will not see parity in patenting until 2092!  This issue is addressed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which is committed to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as by many other local and international initiatives.  Our guest today will help us to understand women’s positions when it comes to IP both as an industry and as a practice. Ayala Deutsch is the Executive Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at NBA Properties Inc., based in NYC. The National Basketball Association is widely considered the premier professional basketball league in the world, composed of 30 teams, and is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. She joined the NBA in 1998 and currently is responsible for managing commercial legal affairs and IP matters for the 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 (WNBA), the NBA G League, the NBA 2K League, and USA Basketball.   Ms. Deutsch is also the INTA 2020 President, and will tell us more about her priorities during her tenure as president. In line with Ms. Deutsch’s priorities for her term as INTA’s 2020 President, the Association is proud to launch The Women’s LeadershIP Initiative, a subject held close to her heart. The Initiative—rolled out on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2020—is designed to foster the development of strong leadership skills for women in the IP field, acknowledging the contribution of all-star female professionals to the IP industry while also empowering women to advance their IP careers to the next level. As part of INTA’s strategic direction and focus, the Women’s LeadershIP Initiative will look at where and how the Association may further support and add value to its members in the long run. It will involve the organization of workshops promoting the exchange of views and experiences among women on issues like gender and opportunities, and career development or work-life balance, as well as the development of targeted content to champion women’s talent and professional growth. Every two weeks, on Tuesday, Brand & New gives the floor to inspiring individuals, with a 360-degree vision, to help brand owners, intellectual property lawyers, and marketing and finance professionals (and beyond!) stay curious and agile in an ever-evolving business environment.  Brand & New is a production of the International Trademark Association Hosted by Audrey Dauvet To go further: About Ayala Deutsch (link to https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayala-deutsch-b410418/,  https://www.inta.org/Officers/Pages/Deutsch.aspx and https://careers.nba.com/executive/ayala-deutsch/) INTA Press Release: International Trademark Association Elects Ayala Deutsch of NBA Properties as 2020 President  (link to: https://www.inta.org/Press/Pages/2020_President_Ayala_Deutsch_1119.aspx) Video: Meet INTA’s 2020 President Ayala Deutsch, INTA (link to: