Africa

Africa is the world’s second largest continent. It covers approximately 12 million square miles – about one-fifth of the earth’s land area. If one includes the surrounding islands, there are almost 60 territories with a population of approximately 800 million.

The African continent has become a focal point for expansion. Many of our clients offer their services, or export their products, to a number of different countries in Africa.

Travelling through Africa one notices that increasing numbers of brands and products are available. However with expansion comes the possibility of competition and imitation and it is therefore crucial to ensure that intellectual property is adequately protected in this region.

There are almost 60 countries in Africa. Most have their own national trade mark laws, which traditionally have been modelled on the trade mark laws of their former colonizing powers, in particular the United Kingdom, France and Portugal. In addition to this, there are two multi-national IP organizations in Africa namely OAPI (African Intellectual Property Organisation) and ARIPO (African Regional Intellectual Property Organsiation).

Having worked with these systems for many years, Spoor & Fisher Jersey has gained extensive knowledge and practical experience of each different legal system and structure. It is therefore ideally placed to assist clients in protecting their patents and trade marks, and other intellectual property rights, throughout Africa.

Spoor & Fisher Jersey deals directly with local Trade Mark and Patent Registries wherever possible. To this end it has its own offices in several African countries. Elsewhere, it has an extensive network of local employees and other long-established contacts spread across the continent.

 

The Team

Mike Sevant
Wayne Meiring	BA LLB Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.
Matthew Costard	BA (Hons)
Julie Hughes	BA (Hons) LLB (Hons) English Barrister (non-practising).
Chris Walters	LLB Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.
Craig Kahn	BSc (Hons) (Microbiology) BProc Patent Attorney. Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.

 

 

 

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