Thomas Schmidt

Cannabis is once again in the news in South Africa, with the recent announcement by various government departments of a national cannabis master plan to establish a formal cannabis and hemp industry. At the same time, the government has a long-standing commitment to protecting its local biodiversity, which is embodied in the National Environmental Management: […]

On 2 February 2026 the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development released an invitation for public comments on the Draft Cannabis Regulations (the Regulations) in respect of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act 7 of 2024 (the CPPA). The Regulations address a range of matters not covered in detail by the CPPA, including limits on […]

On 2 February 2026, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development published an invitation for public comment on the Draft Cannabis Regulations (the “Regulations”), issued pursuant to section 6 of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act 7 of 2024 (the “CPPA”). These draft Regulations provide the operational detail for the CPPA. The Headline Figures Let’s […]

The recent publication of the Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Act 35 of 2024 is expected to herald significant changes in South Africa’s approach to the management of plant pests. The Act replaces parts of the Agricultural Pests Act 36 of 1983 directed to plant pests. In doing so, it provides for the designation of an Executive […]

While South Africa has been understandably caught up in election fever, a quietly momentous event has taken place in Geneva. On 24 March 2024, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) member states adopted a new Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge. This adoption follows decades of negotiation and, more recently, vigorous […]

Leon Trotsky is supposed to have said “you may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.”. This may or may not be true in war, but it is certainly true in law. When a person goes into business, they immediately find themselves entangled in law. This is most obvious in the […]

We’re fond of the “tool kit” approach to Intellectual Property. This is where we encourage our clients to view IP not through the lens of a set of rights to be obtained for their own sake, but instead as a series of legal tools which can be applied to a number of different situations and […]

Adams & Adams is very pleased to announce two new appointments to their patent team, which will further enhance the firm’s highly regarded patent, design and Plant Breeder’s Rights(PBR) legal services. Dr Joanne van Harmelen will take on the position as a new partner, bringing her expertise as patent attorney in life sciences, chemical inventions […]