Fanta Punch
Partner
Phone: 868 299 0981
Mobile: 868 355 7731
Bar Admissions
2006: Trinidad & Tobago
Areas of Practice
- Intellectual Property
- Anti-Competition
- General Commercial Litigation
Profile
On joining the firm, Fanta spent a number of years in the Litigation department representing clients in a number of civil litigation, debt collection and enforcement matters. Fanta now heads the firm’s Intellectual Property practice, with particular expertise in intellectual property infringement, anti-counterfeiting matters and border enforcement actions. She is also engaged in the management of IP portfolios and advises on brand protection issues, licensing, assignment and distribution agreements. She represents clients in opposition and cancellation proceedings. She advises on anti-competition law issues.
Recent experience includes:
- Represented international shoe manufacturers and distributors in anti-counterfeiting and trademark infringement strategy.
- Advised international personal care manufacturer in anti-counterfeiting & trademark infringement strategy.
- Represented major cement manufacturer in trademark prosecution and opposition proceedings throughout the region.
- Handled trademark opposition proceedings on behalf of major personal hygiene manufacturer.
- Represented major international distributor of alcoholic products on trademark infringement matter.
- Management of trademark portfolios for international clients in food, retail products and pharmaceutical industries.
Publications
“Blurred Lines – Use of Social Media to Commercialise Brands” featured in the T&T Guardian newspaper on October 30, 2022
“Protecting your personal information on all fronts” – featured in the T&T Guardian newspaper on March 27, 2022
“Combatting Counterfeiting – An overview of Border Enforcement Measures for 2021” – December 20, 2021
“Leveraging Copyright and Technology” – AMCHAM T&T Linkage; Issue 2; 2021
“Carnival is Bacchanal: A Controversy over Intellectual Property Rights”; T&T Guardian newspaper July 4, 2021
International Comparative Legal Guide – “Trinidad & Tobago Trademark Laws and Regulations 2020” July 2020
Anti-Corruption-A Snapshot of the Local Landscape; AMCHAM T&T Linkage; Issue 4; 2020
“Privatisation of gas stations: The potential impact on prices at the pump” T&T Guardian newspaper, November 15, 2020;
“COVID-19 Puts The Spotlight On Price-gouging”, T&T Guardian, June 21, 2020
“Should You Bother to Make A Will?, Business Guardian, 24 November 2020
“What’s In A Name? Fenty v Fenty” Hamel-Smith Forum, Vol. 10 Issue 7, June 2019
“The Secret of Confidential Information-A Snapshot of Confidentiality Issues that Can Affect Your Business” Hamel-Smith Forum, Vol. 10 Issue 5, November 2018
“Getting Smart with your IP: A Focus on Developing Markets” – Special Edition – Hamel-Smith Forum – July 2018
‘Made in T&T…A Brief Look at the Entrepreneurial Benefits of Geographical Indications’ – Hamel-Smith Forum, Vol. 10 Issue 4, March, 2018
‘Guarding Against Online Infringement’ –, Hamel-Smith Forum, Vol 9 Issue 3, November 2015
‘Proving Passing Off’ – Hamel-Smith Forum, Vol 9 Issue 1, March 2015
‘Tackling Trademark Infringement’ – Hamel-Smith Forum, Vol. 8 Issue 7, Nov 2014
‘Use it or Face Losing It! Protecting Trademarks Through Use’ – Hamel-Smith Forum, Vol. 8 Issue 5, Jan 2014
‘Shades of Grey – Navigating the Parallel Import Market’ – Hamel-Smith Forum, Vol. 8 Issue 3, March 2013
‘The Value of Trademark Registration’ – Hamel-Smith Forum, Vol. 7 Issue 5, June 2012
Education
2016: LL.M International Legal Practice, University of Law, U.K.
2005: Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, College of Law, U.K.
2004: Graduate Diploma in Law – University of Westminster, U.K.
1996: Post Graduate Diploma Human Resource Management, University of the West Indies
1991: B.A. (Hons.) History/Social Sciences – University of the West Indies
Presentations
2021:
Trade & Investment Commission (TIC) Policy Dialogue – Best Practices In Anti-Counterfeiting Enforcement In The Caribbean, “Anti-Counterfeiting Measures in Trinidad and Tobago”– November 2, 2021
International Trade Mark Association/ World Free Zones Organization Joint Seminar on “ Free Trade Zones: How to Combat Illicit Trade and Counterfeiting” – September 2021
Michigan State University’s Center for Anti-Counterfeiting “ Free Trade Zones and Brand Protection in Latin America” – June 2021
Crime Caribbean Bermuda Latin America Crime Stoppers and the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council “ Intellectual Property and Counterfeiting” – March 2021
World Intellectual Property Organisation “ ADR in Mobile Application Disputes” January 2021
2020 :
Dialogue Solutions “Protecting and Enforcing Intellectual Property Rights” – October 2020
Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Commerce “Fair Trade 101 – T&T’s Competition Policy Explained” September 2020
International Trademark Association (INTA)/Customs & Excise Seminar – “Policy Dialogue on Anti-Counterfeiting”; September 2020
Trinidad & Tobago Manufacturing Association /Customs & Excise Seminar – “Counterfeiting in Trinidad & Tobago” August 2020
Hamel-Smith Webinar – “Pricing, Competition and Unfair Practices” – May 2020
2019:
Intellectual Property Caribbean Association Annual General Meeting “Battling Anti-Counterfeiting: A Trinidad & Tobago Perspective” – November 2019
World Intellectual Property Organisation Conference – “Negotiating Key Contracts in the Mobile Applications Sector “ – November 2019
Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute (CCGI) and AMCHAM Conference – “Anti-Money Laundering” – August 29, 2019
INTA Joint Country Information Session Trinidad & Tobago/ Dominican Republic – Information session – “Policy Dialogue on Anti-Counterfeiting”; July 2019
Anti- Counterfeiting/Sensitization and Brand Awareness Training – Customs & Excise
2018:
Intellectual Property Office Workshop on Anti-Counterfeiting – Training on Anti-Counterfeiting Measures for Nike Inc., The WD-40 Company
Trinidad & Tobago Manufacturing Association – Annual Trade & Investment Conference
Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Commerce “ Rethinking Intellectual Property When Going Global”
2017:
Intellectual Property Caribbean Association Annual General Meeting –‘ Geographical Indications- A Trinidad & Tobago Perspective’
2015:
Association of Caribbean Corporate Counsel Annual Summit –‘ Commercialising Intellectual Property’
Association of Caribbean Corporate Counsel Seminar – Caribbean Social Media Marketing Summit – ‘Policing your Intellectual Property in an ever evolving virtual space ‘
2014:
Association of Caribbean Corporate Counsel–‘ Exploiting IP Rights’