Vishen Pillay
About
Vishen Pillay is a partner in the patent department of Adams & Adams Attorneys, the largest intellectual property (IP) law firm in South Africa. He has a background in electronic engineering (UKZN) and is an admitted attorney as well as a qualified patent attorney.
Having over 19 years of experience in IP (approximately 15 years of post-qualification experience), Vishen specialises in assisting his clients to protect their inventions in the fields of electronics, software, artificial intelligence, quantum communication and computing,...
Read More- Drafting patent specifications (particularly in the fields of electronic, mechanical and software related inventions)
- Filing and prosecuting local and foreign patent applications
- Filing and prosecuting local and foreign industrial design applications
- Patent searches and competitive analyses
Academic Record
- LLB – University of South Africa | 2008
- BSc Eng (Elec.) – University of Kwazulu-Natal | 2004
Qualifications
- Admitted Attorney | 2009
- Registered Patent Attorney | 2009
Credentials
- International Federation of Patent Agents (FICPI) – Member
- Legal Practice Council (LPC) – Member
- South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) – Fellow
- SAIIPL: Patent & Design Law Committee
- Southern African Research & Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) – Member
- Legal 500 – Recommended Lawyer: Intellectual Property | 2025
- Legal 500 – Listed as “Leading Partners” in intellectual Property | 2025 – 2026
- Listed in The Best Lawyers: South Africa in Intellectual Property Law (2021 – 2026)
- IAM Patent 1000 – Individuals: Prosecution | 2021 – 2025 (Highly Recommended)
- World IP Review – WIPR Leaders: Patents| 2018 – 2025
- World IP Review – WIPR Leaders: Trade Marks | 2020 – 2026
- IFLR Patent Expert Guide – Experts for Patents | 2019
- Ranked “Highly Recommended” in Prosecution by IAM Patent 1000 | 2021 – 2024
- Chambers Global-Intellectual Property|2025 – 2026
- Listed in IAM Global Leaders (2023 – 2026)
Leading African law firm Adams & Adams announces new leadership team
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...
February 26 2026
Adams & Adams welcomes first female chairperson and further members of the management committee
As we commemorated International Women’s Day on 8 March celebrating the social, economic and cultural achievements of women, Adams & Adams is pleased to announce that Kelly Thompson has been nam...
March 09 2021
Patent Protection in Information and Communications Technology
Innovations in electronic, mechanical and software technology are a dynamic and increasingly growing field, and as such protecting these inventions should be handled by a patent team who not only unde...
November 29 2020