FIRM NEWS

2 May 2026 – Adams & Adams has been named Africa Firm of the Year for the second consecutive year at the 2026 Managing Intellectual Property (IP) Awards for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), which was hosted in London on 2 May. The accolade cements the firm’s leadership position in IP law across […]

We are aware of fraudulent communications circulating from unauthorised third parties falsely claiming to be from our firm and alleging changes to our banking details. We assure you that our banking information remains unchanged. For added assurance, Adams & Adams is registered as a public recipient beneficiary with South African banks. Cyber-related fraud and impersonation […]

26 Feb 2026, Pretoria Leading African law firm, Adams & Adams has announced the election of its new leadership team under a refreshed management structure championed by outgoing chairperson Kelly Thompson. Dispute resolution partner Jac Marais assumes the role of chairperson from 1 March 2026 for a four-year term. Under his leadership of the commercial, […]

With effect from 1st January 2026, Ms. Ainna Vilengi Kaundu was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) in Namibia. Ms Kaundu has been an integral part of BIPA for several years, having recently served as Executive of Intellectual Property Services before her appointment as CEO. Widely regarded […]

What a dramatic end to the 2025 AFCON tournament! Senegal secured its second AFCON title and one of its anchor players, Sadio Mané  won the best player of the tournament award. As an African law firm, we celebrate with all participating teams and extend our congratulations to Senegal. With the tournament now concluded, this marks […]

The Trade Marks Regulations, 2024 have officially come into force in Sierra Leone following its publication as Statutory Instrument No. 19 of 2024. The new regulations are intended to establish a comprehensive procedural framework governing trade mark practice in Sierra Leone, ensuring clarity and certainty in relation to national and international filings, enforcement mechanisms, and […]

While virtual interactions are invaluable for teams working across a continent, it cannot replace the value that in-person engagements deliver, with the opportunities to establish and deepen personal and professional relationships. There is something special about moments that bring together people from different corners of a continent to share not only their expertise, but also […]

Johannesburg, South Africa Leading law firm Adams & Adams, announces the launch of the SMARTAI IP Portal, a groundbreaking digital platform and advisory service designed to help businesses understand, assess, and address the risks posed by the AI revolution. “As artificial intelligence transforms industries at an unprecedented pace, businesses face new and complex risks, from […]

Due to ongoing nationwide strikes and protests across Madagascar, including significant disruptions in Antananarivo, our operations are currently impacted. Daily clashes between demonstrators and authorities have led to road blockages, limited public transport, and safety concerns near our local associates’ office. The Registry is operating on limited hours and only when it is deemed safe […]

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has published that there will be notable increases in some of its patent application fees as from 19 January 2025.  Since South African patent applicants generally have a strong interest in the USA as a patent jurisdiction, the changes should be taken note of. The most relevant change […]

On 1 October 2024, Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers approved Ethiopia’s accession to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and the Madrid Protocol for the International Registration of Marks. The ratification documents were sent to the House of People’s Representatives for approval, which is the lower house of the Ethiopian Federal Parliamentary Assembly, […]

11 September 2024 – Adams & Adams, an internationally recognised and leading African law firm, is proud to announce the opening of a franchise office in Mauritius, marking a significant milestone in the firm’s strategy to enhance its legal service offerings across Africa. “Mauritius is one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, with a robust legal framework […]

Pretoria – Adams & Adams, a leading African law firm, is pleased to announce the appointment of Stuart Boyd as chief operating officer (COO), effective 1 August 2024. With a career spanning over 28 years in legal and financial services, Stuart brings extensive experience in strategic management and organisational leadership. He previously served as COO […]

The online platform at the Egyptian Patent Office which malfunctioned and had been offline since Saturday, 3 February 2024, has been restored. The Patent Office has issued an official communication advising users that as of 11 February 2024, the online platform is fully operational again and that all deadlines for submitting applications, documents, and responses […]

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 […]

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) […]