Almost 1,500 nominations and two months of extensive research later, the shortlist for this year's WTR Industry Awards can now be revealed. The awards recognise the vital work of in-house trademark counsel and identify those teams and individuals that are performing their functions to the highest standards. The winners will be announced next month at an exclusive reception in Washington DC.

The 2012 shortlist is filled by companies that have made a major impact on trademark practice over the past year, their efforts spanning the entire range of IP challenges facing today’s trademark professional. Amongst the corporate teams featured on the shortlist are those from the Association of American Medical Colleges, Chevron, Coca-Cola, Coty, Daimler, Fox Entertainment Group, Jack Daniel's Properties, L'Oréal, NYSE Euronext, Petrobras, Richemont and Starwood Hotels and Resorts. The nominees for in-house counsel of the year - one of two individual awards to be presented - are Thomas la Perle of Apple, Microsoft’s Russell Pangborn, Tim Behean from adidas, Xerox Corporation’s Margaret Walker and Jean-Pierre Maeder of Nestlé. These and many other individuals and companies on the shortlist will learn their fate at the WTR Industry Awards ceremony, which will be held on Tuesday May 8 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC.

However, there is one award winner that can now be announced. For his outstanding contribution to trademark practice,the International Trademark Association’s Alan Drewsen will be honoured with a lifetime achievement award. Throughout his career, Drewsen worked both in private practice and in-house, joining INTA in 1998. Under his leadership, the association has experienced a surge in membership and increased its global reach.

The full shortlist is below, with full pre-ceremony coverage in the latest issue of the magazine (available online to subscribers later today).

The full shortlist is as follows: