Nthabisheng Phaswana

Nthabisheng is a partner in the Africa Patent Department. She holds LLB and LLM (Mercantile Law) from the University of Pretoria. She was admitted as an attorney in 2005. She joined Adams & Adams in 2007 and has been responsible for patent and design filing and prosecution, transactional matters in respect of patents and designs throughout African countries outside of South Africa.

Nthabisheng has extensive experience regarding patent and design landscape in Africa. Throughout her years of practice, she has been actively involved in fostering relations between Adams & Adams and the IP Registrars of various African countries and as result she travelled regularly throughout the continent.

In addition to her role as a partner at Adams and Adams, Nthabisheng was a member of the firm’s Management Committee in her capacity as the chairperson of the Diversity Committee. She is also involved in committees of various International Organizations (American Bar Association and American Intellectual Property Law Association) relating to Intellectual Property.

She co-authored a chapter on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Management in Emerging Economies as well as the Adams and Adams Practical Guide on Intellectual Property in Africa. Nthabisheng has been recognised by World Intellectual Property Review – Leaders: Patents for three consecutive years, 2021 – 2023.