Fireside Chat with Deborah A. Hampton at Chemours: Career & Accolades in IP

About Deborah A. Hampton

Deborah is the Trademark Team Leader, Senior Trademark & Copyright Program Manager for The Chemours Company FC, LLC. She is responsible for managing Chemours trademark, copyright, and trade dress portfolio with two major brands being Teflon™ and Freon™.

What is your main focus of your role at Chemours?

"My major focus is the protection and enforcement of the company brands and working with the business to craft strategic plans for the brands. Prior to joining Chemours in 2015, I worked on teams during her career that managed global portfolios for brands such as Victoria’s Secret, AT&T and Elizabeth Arden. I have over thirty-five years of experience as a Trademark Practitioner and while I've worked in several industries - fashion and personal care are her favourites."

Can you tell us about your appointment at the International Trademark Association (INTA)?

"In November of 2020, I was elected to the office of Secretary - I am proud to be the first African American officer since the organization’s inception in 1878. I am currently Vice President and the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officer for INTA."

Could you share more about your accolades and career highlights?

"In 2021, I was delighted to be named by the World Trademark Review (WTR) as one of the top 25 trademark industry influencers as well as one of twelve women shaping the trademark profession. In 2017, I was nominated and selected for the inaugural class of WTR’s ’s WTR300: The World’s Leading Corporate Trademark Professionals. Since then, I've been selected to the 2018,2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 classes. I was also been nominated and chosen as one of WTR’s Global Trademark Thought Leaders for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

I was appointed by the U. S. Secretary of Commerce in 2011 and 2014 to the United States Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Public Advisory Committee to serve two three-year terms.

I am pleased to be featured (chapter. 8) in the book Lessons from The Top Paralegal Experts: The 15 Most Successful Paralegals in America and What You Can Learn from Them, by Carole A. Bruno.

In addition to INTA’s Board of Directors, I have served on several on other boards for organizations such as the Capital Law School Paralegal Program Advisory Board, Foundation for the Advancement of the Paralegal Profession, and the Widener School of Law School Legal Studies Paralegal Program Board of Advisors."

Why are you passionate about intellectual property and your profession?

"I’m passionate about providing excellent service to the business, utilization of non-attorneys to the fullest in accordance with the ABA definition and loving what you do. I love IP and couldn’t have asked for a better career as it combines one of favourite’s, shopping. It’s hard for me to turn it off and sometimes my family doesn’t like shopping with me because I often point out problems with packaging, displays, knockoffs and the like. The other most important thing I love about this profession are the people. I’ve known some of my colleagues, literally since my first day of my first paralegal position back in the eighties. We’ve seen each other, skinny and otherwise, single, married with/without children and now we have grandchildren. It is simply the best.

Finally, I'm proud to be an inventor – registering "Techniques for monitoring mobile telecommunications for shared accounts" [Patent Number 7,280,816 issued October 2007]."