At Adams & Adams, the ‘outstanding‘ trade marks and patents team ‘provides thorough and pragmatic advice on all trade mark prosecution and enforcement matters‘. Firm chairperson Kelly Thompson ‘provides phenomenal support in relation to trade mark opposition and infringement matters across the African continent‘, and Janice Galvad oversees patents and designs matters. Dario Tanziani  leads the patents and designs renewals and recordals side of the practice, and Nicky Garnett is the key contact for the firm’s African patents and designs work. Nolwazi Gcaba heads up the trade mark renewals section; Godfrey Budeli fronts anti-counterfeiting; and Nishan Singh and Steven Yeates are key names for trade mark litigation and prosecution respectively. Consultant Mariëtte du Plessis, Darren Olivier, Dale Healy, Alexis Apostolidis, Russell Bagnall, Sophia Smallbones and Darshan Moodley are star names in the department.

Spoor & Fisher is well known for its specialist expertise in intellectual property law. The firm fields experience across all areas of IP, advising on patents, copyright, trade marks, commercial IP, litigation, domain names and registered designs, to name a few areas. Dirk Hanekom oversees the patents team, Mohamed Khader leads the anti-counterfeiting team, and Marco van der Merwe  heads the trade marks team. IP litigation expert Eben van Wyk is well versed in handling trade mark disputes, and Dina Biagio is very experienced in advising on patent work. Tyron Grant specialises in biotech patent matters, while John Foster  advises on copyright and unlawful competition claims. Charles Webster and Carl van Rooyen are highly regarded practitioners in the IP space. Zama Buthelezi, Chyreene Truluck and Merlene Engelbrecht are also singled out for their contributions. Hugh Moubray has retired from practice.

ENSafrica‘s intellectual property practice ‘provides a world-class service‘ and ‘an unparalleled level of efficiency in navigating through the complex and ever-evolving world of intellectual property‘, and the team garners praise for its ‘in-depth knowledge of patent laws and regulations‘. Practice head Gaelyn Scott has a strong reputation for her expertise in advising on strategic portfolio and brand management, the enforcement of intellectual property rights and IP disputes. Waldo Steyn  leads the commercial IP group, and counts licensing and franchising as core strengths. Joanne van Harmelen specialises in pharmaceutical, life sciences and biotechnology patents matters. Rowan Forster focuses on assisting agrochemical sector clients with trade mark and patent issues; he co-leads the trade mark prosecution team with the ‘detail-oriented and extremely professional‘ Ilse du Plessis. Liézal Mostert and Tevin Jones are also singled out for their contributions.

Von Seidels‘ intellectual property practice has a solid track record in representing clients from the pharmaceuticals, engineering, life sciences, biotechnology, software and oil and gas industries in patents, trade mark and copyright matters. Erik Van Der Vyver leads the firm’s patents team, while Claire Smedley oversees the trade marks group. Ralph van Niekerk is a key name for patent litigation and technology licensing work, and assists software and electronics companies with patent portfolio management. Simonne Moodie specialises in trade mark matters, and also advises on domain name registrations and copyright licensing. Llewellyn du Toit handles medical and pharmaceutical patents matters, and has niche expertise in plant breeders’ rights. Rowan Joseph, Gunther Roland, and Cronje Jackson are key practitioners in the department.

The ‘strong and capable‘ team at Webber Wentzel is well-known for advising on transactional and commercial IP matters, and assists clients from the healthcare, TMT, pharmaceutical, financial services and energy sectors, among others. Practice head Leanne Mostert ‘is always at the forefront of new IP developments‘, and TMT expert Peter Grealy is ‘generous with his advice and a problem solver‘. Tim Ball has experience in handling patent litigation for general pharmaceutical companies, and Carla Collett is a key name for advising on the monetisation of IP and data assets, copyright and trade mark litigation, and high-value commercial IP transactions. Bernadette Versfeld is very well known for her specialist focus on all areas of intellectual property law.

KISCH IP houses ‘a great team with excellent knowledge of the IP business.’ Julia Stephens leads on trade mark work, while Lindy Lowne-Hughes heads the patent renewals group. Mercia Fynn focuses on IP commercialisation, and Masi Mtshali leads the anti-counterfeiting team. Andrew Papadopoulos is a key contact for IP litigation, and Adelhart Krüger specialises in contentious and non-contentious patent work, as well as having niche expertise in advising on unlawful competition and copyright matters for engineering clients. Tammi Pretorius is noted for her trade mark expertise.

Boutique law firm Moore Attorneys assists clients from the education, banking, entertainment, manufacturing and media sectors with a wide range of contentious and non-contentious trade mark matters. The team has also been kept busy advising on licensing issues, commercial transactions and enforcement matters. Firm founder and managing partner Shane Moore specialises in representing clients from the food and beverage, sports, fashion and entertainment and media sectors. Moore heads the practice with litigation expert Kyle Dalton and Shannen Koekemoer, who focuses on trade mark work. Keegan Hyde brings expertise in patent prosecution.

Werksmans Attorneys’ team of ‘consummate professionals‘ works in tandem with the firm’s wider litigation and commercial departments, and is well known for advising on domain name disputes, cross-border transactions, IP portfolio management and the protection of IP rights. Practice head Janine Hollesen specialises in IP law; Donvay Wegierski leads the department’s foreign trade mark division. Dannielle Fiff and Monique le Roux are also praised for their contributions.