News & Insights
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
Adams & Adams visits Zambia
On 10 November 2023, Adams & Adams Partner and Chairperson of the Africa Strategy Committee, Mr Simon Brown and the Africa Practice Manager, Mr Menzi Maboyi, travelled to Lusaka, Zambia to meet with the newly appointed Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) and his team. Our team was […]
December 14 2023
OAPI workshop: Geographical Indicators
OAPI in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa (AfrIPI) project and the Project to Support the Implementation of Geographical Indications (GI) in OAPI Member States (PAMPIG2) recently hosted a regional workshop in the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé. The three-day event focused on the “Management of Geographical Indications in the OAPI area: Current […]
December 14 2023
Qualcomm and Adams and Adams Launch Free Online IP Training for African Innovators
Johannesburg – Dec 11, 2023 – Qualcomm Incorporated announced today, the launch of L2Pro Africa IP e-learning Platform, a free online training program designed to empower startups, SMEs, and researchers in Africa to protect, secure, and maximize their innovations. This program has been created in collaboration with Adams and Adams, Africa’s leading intellectual property (IP) […]
December 13 2023
The Power of the Embargo - A reaffirmation by the SCA of the Body Corporate's right to impede transfer of a sectional title unit
In the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Appeal in the matter between The Body Corporate of Marsh Rose v Steinmuller and Others (149/2022) [2023] ZA SCA 143, the court underscored the inherent right of a body corporate to block the transfer of a property by withholding a levy clearance certificate because of outstanding […]
November 28 2023