The awards were made by INTA President Rhonda Steele at the Association’s annual Leadership Meeting at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Florida.

Cheong, of Ella Cheong in Hong Kong, was recognised for her work as a former INTA Board member, for promoting trade mark protection in the Asia-Pacific region and for mentoring young practitioners.

Accepting the award, she urged INTA members to encourage and support women in the practice of trade mark law.

Muller, senior trade mark counsel at Shell, was INTA president from 2000 to 2001, during which time he laid the groundwork for INTA’s growth in China, launched initiatives to promote academic membership and inaugurated the presidential award.

He also chaired the Association’s 2006 Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Steele presented five volunteer service awards to INTA members.

Kristina Rosette, of Covington & Burling, received an award for advancing trade mark law, in recognition of her work helping to influence ICANN’s recently adopted policy on domain tasting.

Awards for INTA committee work were presented to Catherine Holland, of Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear, and Dan Yeatts, of Thomson CompuMark, for their work in shaping a model bill on dilution in California and developing INTA membership, respectively.

Chris Foley of Finnegan and Michael Metteauer of Fulbright & Jaworski received awards for their work in furthering the aims of the Association. Foley has coordinated the annual moot court competition and Metteauer compiled a report on developing leadership within INTA.

The Leadership Meeting is taking place this week, with some 1,100 committee members and others registered to attend the meetings and presentations.

INTA executive director Alan Drewsen told attendees that the Association’s membership has grown to 5,700, including 1,000 corporate members.