News & Insights
Changes at the Libyan Trade Marks Office and the new Executive Regulations no. 26 for 2024
Libya’s latest trade mark regulations herald key changes for protecting and registering trade marks locally. Changes at the Libyan Trade Marks Office and the new Executive Regulations no. 26 for 2024 On 17 January 2024, the Libyan Ministry of Economy issued Resolution No. 26 of 2024 presenting new regulations for Chapter Ten of Law No. […]
February 08 2024
Unlawful competition finding: Nutrifoods Ghana Ltd. v Twellium Industries Ltd
The recent judgement in the case Nutrifoods Ghana Ltd. v Twellium Industries Ltd highlights the significance of pleading sufficient evidence in establishing claims of unlawful competition in Ghana Unlawful competition finding: Nutrifoods Ghana Ltd. v Twellium Industries Ltd On 18 December 2023 the Ghana High Court delivered judgement in respect of the unlawful competition case […]
February 08 2024
EUIPO’s TMClass welcomes The Gambia
The Gambia Industrial Property Office (GIPO) has joined the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) TMClass harmonized database of goods and services (HBD) as the 96th participating IP office. EUIPO’s TMClass welcomes The Gambia As from 18 December 2023, GIPO will officially use and recognize terminology from the HDB in TMclass. GIPO’s decision to use […]
February 08 2024
Copyright training session hosted by The Gambia Copyright Office
On 5 December 2023, the Copyright Office which is part of the National Centre of Arts and Culture conducted a training session in The Gambia’s North Bank Region on issues affecting copyright and related rights promotion and protection. This was in accordance with its mandate in terms of sections 56 and 57 of the 2004 […]
February 08 2024
Adams & Adams collaborate with Cape Verde Registry
Adams & Adams recently engaged with the Cape Verde Registry to discuss its collaboration with WIPO, proposed fee adjustments, and a new Industrial Property Code to address and overcome ongoing challenges relating to capacity and delays. Adams & Adams collaborate with Cape Verde Registry On 12 December 2023 Elio Teixeira, partner at Adams & Adams, […]
February 08 2024
Angola Registry adopts zero tolerance for delayed filing powers of attorney
The Angola Registry has modified its stance on deadline extensions for filing powers of attorney in trade mark opposition cases, refusing any late filings and deeming it irrelevant to discuss the merits of its decision. The Registry’s internal rules provide that extensions can only be requested once, for 30 or 60 days, as stated in […]
February 08 2024
NEGLIGENCE VS GROSS NEGLIGENCE DILEMMA IN INSURANCE CLAIMS: EYEBROW RAISING FINDING BY THE OMBUDSMAN
INTRODUCTION: The law draws a distinction between “negligent conduct” and “grossly negligent conduct”. Grossly negligent conduct is synonymous with reckless conduct. The distinction is of great legal significance. If a conduct is deemed to be “negligent”, an insurance policy is bound to respond to a claim. If, however, it is found to be “grossly negligent”, […]
February 08 2024
New Managing Director at the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) Appointed
With effect from 26 January 2024, Mr John Onyango, was appointed as the new Managing Director of KIPI for a 3 year term. This permanent appointment follows a long stint as the Acting Managing Director from 1 December 2019 – 31 May 2023. From 1 June 2023 – 25 January 2024, Ms Norah Ratemo was […]
February 07 2024
Adams & Adams welcomes Dr Joanne van Harmelen as new partner
Adams & Adams is very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Joanne van Harmelen as a new partner. Joanne joins Adams & Adams in March 2024, bringing her expertise as patent attorney in life sciences, chemical inventions and plant breeders’ rights to strengthen the firm’s highly regarded patent, design and PBR legal services. “We […]
February 01 2024
Bell tolls for Dabus Machine in the UK
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom handed down its judgment on whether a machine (Dabus) powered by artificial intelligence (AI) may be an inventor in terms of the UK Patents Act. The Court was asked to consider two patent applications filed by Dr Stephen Thaler who maintains that the inventions were created autonomously by […]
January 31 2024
The New Landscape of Trade Mark Laws In Zambia
Last year, Zambia passed the Trade Marks Bill 2023 in an effort to revise its archaic trade mark legislation prescribed by the Trade Marks Act (Chapter 401) 1958 (“the Old Act”). The Old Act has been in force for more than six decades. The Old Act did not provide for the registration of service marks […]
January 19 2024
What are the key insurance policy considerations as the year kickstarts?
It is that period where there are many pressing things which preoccupy people’s minds, such as school/university fees, finalising the last errands before heading back to work, etc. Against this backdrop, it is perhaps understandable why this is a period where most insureds are likely to miss sight of critical aspects of their insurance policies. […]
January 11 2024
North African countries collaborate to strengthen anti-counterfeiting measures in an environmentally sustainable manner
Countries in Northern Africa, including Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Egypt have been increasing their focus on anti-counterfeiting and protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. A seminar, following on from previous events hosted by AfrIPI, was held in September 2023 in partnership with other international organizations to focus on enforcement of intellectual property rights and […]
December 14 2023
Netflix, Amazon Prime and others invest in Nigeria
Nigeria has the potential to become one of the largest export markets for the US creative sector. Ramin Toloui, assistant secretary for economic and business affairs, United States department of state, says the US government is willing to invest in Nigeria’s creative economy. The U.S. mission in Nigeria has been supporting the Africa International Film […]
December 14 2023
WIPO Director General Visits Namibia and Pledges Support in Developing an Innovation Ecosystem
Over the years, WIPO has been assisting African countries in developing IP policies and innovation ecosystems. Namibia is one of the countries collaborating with WIPO. This collaboration resulted in WIPO’s Director General, Daren Tang visiting Namibia to pledged WIPO’s continued support for strengthening Namibia’s innovation ecosystem. The two- day visit enabled the Director General to […]
December 14 2023
WIPO Director General launch a joint master’s degree program on IP and innovation in Morocco
WIPO has extended its collaboration with Morocco to include a joint master’s degree program on IP and Innovation. The agreement regarding establishment of the joint master’s program was signed during a visit by WIPO’S Director General Daren Tang to Morocco in October 2023. The master’s program hosted by Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and the […]
December 14 2023
Recent successes in appeals for delays in meeting formalities deadlines for patent matters in Egypt
Egypt is one of several countries that still require applicants to obtain legalisation of certain documents when filing patent, design or trademark applications in that country. Failure to file the legalised documents within the deadlines provided often lead to lapsing of the right in question. Applicants are afforded the opportunity to file an appeal against […]
December 14 2023
47th Session of the Administrative Council and 19th Session of the Council of Ministers of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) held in Gaborone, Botswana
The 47th Session of the Administrative Council of ARIPO was held in Gaborone, Botswana from 20 – 23 November 2023. Adams & Adams Partners, Nicky Garnett and Jameel Hamid, together with the Africa Practice Manager, Menzi Maboyi attended the session. Adams & Adams works closely with ARIPO and we continue to support ARIPO in its […]
December 14 2023