Nicky Garnett

Nicky Garnett is the Co-Head of the Africa Patents Section of the Patent Department, a position she has held since 2008.

Prior to joining the Firm, Nicky was a partner running the IP Practice of a law firm in Harare, Zimbabwe where she originally qualified and during which time she established excellent working relations with the Zimbabwe and ARIPO IP Offices and gained a good working knowledge of their IP systems. Nicky moved to South Africa in 2008 and took up the position of Head of the Africa Patents Section in the Patent Department. She now runs a team of 18 people who deal with all incoming patent or design instructions from foreign clients for filing in African countries outside of South Africa.

Nicky is integrally involved in the strategic operations of Adams & Adams Africa Network and works closely with national and regional IP offices and partners.  Nicky travels widely both regionally and internationally and is recognised as one of the most knowledgeable African IP practitioners with multi-jurisdictional experience and regional exposure.

Nicky is passionate about African innovation initiatives and has recently made significant contribution to a free online IP learning tool called L2Pro Africa (Learn to Protect Africa). The tool provides information on filing, prosecution and enforcement for a number of African countries and will be expanded in the year ahead. L2Pro Africa was made in partnership with a Qualcomm which is a long standing and valued client of the firm. In 2012, Nicky co-authored a book on Intellectual Property in Africa which was a joint effort of the Adams & Adams Africa Team. Nicky is actively involved in business development and marketing activities in and for the firm and has established herself as a thought leader and one of the leading female IP practitioners on the continent.

Nicky has been ranked by IAM Patent 1000, MIP IP Stars – Patent Star and was named one of the Top 250 Women in IP in 2020 and 2023.