Celebrate Black History, not the Black Market
February is Black History Month -- and once again, it's also Anticounterfeiting Month in the City of New York, according to Mayor Bloomberg's official proclamation today at the Harper's Bazaar / Kirkland & Ellis LLP Anticounterfeiting Summit. In his words, "Counterfeiting is not a victimless crime."
At last year's inaugural event, Valerie Salembier of Harper's Bazaar brought together industry representatives, law enforcement, lawyers, and lobbyists to draw attention to the issue; this year, the focus was on solutions. Kirkland & Ellis's crack team of anticounterfeiting lawyers, including Joe Gioconda, described the benefits of an strategies for civil litigation at a pre-luncheon seminar. Later speakers focused on enforcement efforts, including the New York Police Foundation's "Madison Avenue Blue" event, during which retailers will donate the proceeds from selected blue items (get it?) to fund undercover anti-piracy operations. Education -- of both Western consumers and developing countries like China -- was also on the agenda.
And it wouldn't be a fashion event if France, which implemented new anticounterfeiting measures last year, didn't have the last word:
