intellectual property...won ip team of the year in 2015 and tmt team of the year in 2017 and 2019....
TRANSCRIPT
INTELLECTUALPROPERTY
Contents
04 OurFirm
05 OurFootprintinAfrica
06 OurEastAfricaIntellectualPropertyPractice
08 OurSignatureMatters
12 Accolades
14 KeyContacts
Intellectual Property
32 3
BOWMANS
Our Firm Our Footprint in Africa
Mozambique
Kenya
Tanzania
South Africa
Nigeria
Uganda
Mauritius
Best friends
Bowmans offices
Significant transaction or advisory experience
Alliance firms
Ethiopia
Ourtrackrecordofprovidingspecialist
legalservicesinthefieldsofcorporate
law,bankingandfinancelawanddispute
resolution,spansoveracentury.
WithnineofficesinsevenAfricancountries
andover400specialistlawyers,wedrawon
ouruniqueknowledgeofthebusinessand
socio-politicalenvironmenttoadviseclients
onawiderangeoflegalissues.
Everywherewework,weofferclientsa
servicethatuniquelyblendsexpertiseinthe
law,knowledgeofthelocalmarketandan
understandingoftheirbusinesses.Ouraim
istoassistthemtoachievetheirobjectives
assmoothlyandefficientlyaspossiblewhile
minimisingthelegalandregulatoryrisks.
Ourclientsincludecorporates,multinationals
andstate-ownedenterprisesacrossarangeof
industrysectorsaswellasfinancialinstitutions
andgovernments.
Ourexpertiseisfrequentlyrecognisedby
independentresearchorganisations.We
receivedawardsinthreeoutoffourcategories
attheDealMakersEastAfricaAwardsfor
2019:toplegaladviserintheM&ACategory
forbothdealflowanddealvalue,andadvised
ontheDealoftheYear.IntheDealMakers
SouthAfricaAwardsfor2019,wewereplaced
thirdfordealvalueintheM&ACategoryand
advisedonboththeDealoftheYearandthe
BEEDealoftheYear.
Wearepresentinsevencountries
inAfrica:Kenya(Nairobi),Malawi
(Lilongwe),Mauritius(Moka),SouthAfrica
(CapeTown,Durban,Johannesburg),
Tanzania(DaresSalaam),Uganda(Kampala)
andZambia(Lusaka).
Weworkcloselywithouralliancefirmsin
Ethiopia(AmanAssefa&AssociatesLaw
Office)andNigeria(UdoUdoma&Belo-
Osagie).Thesearetwooftheleading
corporateandcommerciallawfirmsintheir
jurisdictions.
Wehavedevelopedabestfriendrelationship
withoneofMozambique’sstrongestlaw
firms(TacianaPeãoLopes&Advogados
Associados)andregularlyworkwithleading
lawfirmsinothercountriessuchasAngola,
Botswana,Ghana,IvoryCoast,Namibia,
Rwanda,SouthSudanandZimbabwe.
Wehaveacomprehensivedatabaseofallthe
lawfirmsweworkwithintherestofAfrica
coveringsuchcountriesasAlgeria,Egypt,
MoroccoandFrench-speakingWestAfrica.
WearerepresentativesofLexMundi,aglobal
associationwithmorethan160independent
lawfirmsinallthemajorcentresacross
theglobe.LexMundigivesustheabilityto
connectourclientswiththebestlawfirmsin
eachofthecountriesrepresented.
We help our clients overcome legal complexity and unlock opportunity in Africa.
Malawi
Zambia
BOWMANS Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE4 5
Witharobusthistoricaleconomicgrowth
rateandamiddleclasspopulationofover
35million,EastAfricaremainstheinvestment
destinationofchoiceforinvestorsseekingto
expandoperationsintoAfrica.Theentryof
multiplebrandsintotheregionhasmadethe
abilitytoregisterandprotecttherightsthat
investorsandclientsobtainintheirproducts,
servicesandbrandsanessentialsuccess
componentinthebusinessenvironment.
Securingaknowledgeableandexperienced
legaladviserwhounderstandsthelocal
complexitieswiththeappropriatetrack
recordinnavigatingthroughthelegal
landscapeispivotaltothissuccess.
Workingasoneteamcoordinatedacross
threejurisdictionaloffices,ourunparalleled
dedicatedEastAfricaReplacewith
IntellectualProperty(IP)Practicehandles:
• IPlitigationfocusingon
trademarks,patents,designs
andcopyrightinfringement;
• multi-jurisdictionalanticounterfeit
actions/raids;
• Trademarkoppositionsandexpungement
mattersinKenya,TanzaniaandUganda;
• Designandpatentrevocations;
• Brandmigrationadvice;
• IPduediligence;
• Franchising;and
• CompetitionandIPopinions.
Weactforclientsbothlocallyand
internationallyundertheMadridand
ARIPOsystemsofregistrationand
helpthemwithnationalprotectionin
othercountriesworldwidethrougha
networkofassociateagentlawfirms.
Ourclientsincludeleadingmultinationals
fromaroundtheworldwithinthefinancial
services,manufacturing,pharmaceutical
andhealthcare,andtechnology,media
andtelecommunicationssectors.
Our East Africa Intellectual Property Practice
BOWMANS
CONTENTS PAGE6
Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE7
Ourrecentexperienceincludesacting
for/advising:
Commercial IP transactions
• KansaiPlasconAfricaLtdinrelationtotheir
IPrightsasaresultoftheacquisitionofa
100%ofSadolinPaints.(KenyaandUganda).
• ABInBevinthedisposalofcertain
brandsinBotswana,Malawi,
MozambiqueandSwaziland.
• Variousbrandownersandlicensees
inrespecttofranchising,distribution
andlicensingarrangements,bothwithin
KenyaandwithinEastAfrica.
Filing, prosecution and strategy transactions
• AGRAontrademarkstrategyand
processesrelatingtoEthiopia,Ghana,
Kenya,Mozambique,TanzaniaandUganda.
• Cowbellonthefilingof20trademarks
undertheinternationalregistrationsystem
knownasMadrid.Thedesignatedcountries
include:Botswana,theEuropeanUnion,
Ghana,IndiaandMadagascar.Wecontinue
tomaintaintheportfolioofsomeofthe
outstandingtrademarks.
• DiageoBrandsB.V.inoppositiontothe
registrationoftheBLUELABELtrademark.
• EquityBankLtdonthestrategyanddesign
portfolioof21brandsinsevencountries
(withapossibilityofupto17countries)
acrossAfrica.
• EquityBankLtdonthestrategytobe
followedandfilingofover35trademarks
insevencountriesinAfrica,including:
Burundi,DemocraticRepublicofCongo
(DRC),Rwanda,SouthSudan,Tanzania,
UgandaandZanzibar.Wecontinueto
maintaintheportfolio.
CodeofAdvertisingPracticeandDirect
MarketingpublishedbytheAdvertising
StandardsBodyofKenya.Unilever
arguesthatthecampaignamountsto
comparativeadvertisingandiswithout
substantiation.(Kenya)
• ScotchWhiskyAssociationina
trademarkdisputeoverMcKenzie
RoyalWhisky.(Tanzania)
• SonyCorporationinaHighCourtappeal
againstarulingoftheAssistantRegistrar
thatallowedtheApplicant’smarkto
proceedforregistration.(Kenya)
• Tiffany&Company,apremiumluxuryjewellery
brand,incross-borderIPlitigation.(Tanzania)
• UBERB.V.inHighCourtCivilCase356
of2016KanuriLtdvUberB.V.Thiscase
seekstoestablishcontractualrightsofparties
inaserviceagreementandtheabilityofa
partytochangetermsatitsowndiscretion
whereprovidedforbycontract.(Kenya)
• ViacomInternationalInc.inopposition
proceedingsagainstGlitzEntertainmentLtd
inatrademarkdisputeoverthe
markUNPLUGGED.(Tanzania)
• Javainthefilingoffourtrademarksin
16countriesincluding:Botswana,Egypt,
Ethiopia,Ghana,Kenya,Malawi,Morocco,
Namibia,Nigeria,OAPI,SouthAfrica,
Tanzania,Tunisia,ZambiaandZimbabwe.
• PhilipMorrisonthestrategytobefollowed
andfilingofseventrademarksinSouth
Sudan.Wecontinuetomaintaintheportfolio.
IP litigation
• BudweiserBudvarNationalCorporation
inatrademarkdisputeoverthe
BUDWEISERtrademark.(Tanzania)
• CIPLAbeforethePharmacy&Poisons
BoardandtheAnti-CounterfeitAgencyfor
breachesofitsintellectualproperty.(Kenya)
• DisneyEnterprisesInc.inaninfringement
oftheMICKEYMOUSElogomarkand
theULTIMATESPIDERMANanddevice
mark.(Kenya)
• GoogleInc.inoppositionproceedings
relatingtoitsBEBAPAYtrademark.(Kenya)
• KansaiPlascon(U)Ltdinanongoing
suitbroughtagainstRegalPaints(U)Ltd
fortrademarkinfringementandpassing
off.(Uganda)
• KCBBankinacopyrightandtrademark
infringementandpassingoffsuitfiledby
NewtonOirereNyambariga.(Kenya)
• MarriottHotelsinatrademarkinfringement
matterinvolvingtheMARRIOTT
trademark.(Kenya)
• NairobiJavaHouseLtdinaHigh
CourtCivilAppealfollowingthedecision
oftheRegistrarfollowingtrademark
oppositionproceedingsinKampala.
(KenyaandUganda)
• Proctor&Gamble(PG)inanadverti
singdisputeagainstUnileverwhoargue
thatPG’stelevisionandbillboarddetergent
advertisingcampaigncontravenedthe
Anti-counterfeit
• ADIDASGmbHinfilingacounterfeit
actionbeforetheKenyanAnti-Counterfeit
Agencyresultinginthesuccessfulraid,
seizureanddestructionofaconsignment
ofcounterfeitproductsatthePortof
Mombasathatwereinfringingonthe
protectedtrademarkrightsofADIDAS.
• CaterpillarInc.inasuccessfulanti-
counterfeitenforcementcovering
MombasaandNairobi.
• DiageoBrandsB.V.andEastAfrica
BreweriesLtdinacounterfeit
complaintonJohnnieWalkerBlack
andRedLabelinRwanda
• GlaxoSmithKline(GSK)infilinga
counterfeitactionbeforetheKenyan
Anti-CounterfeitAgencyandthe
CommissionerforCustomsresulting
inthesuccessfulraid,seizureand
destructionofaconsignmentof
counterfeitproductsinfringingonthe
protectedtrademarkrightsofGSK.
• WahlClipperinacountrywidecounterfeit
enforcementagainsttradersdealingin
counterfeitproductsbearingthe
Wahltrademark
Our Signature Matters
BOWMANS Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE8 9
Gaming, fintech and related transactions
• AirbnbPaymentsUKLtdontheviability
of,andregulatorylandscapeapplicable
to,improvedfunctionalityontheir
paymentsplatform.
• BacardiandLewisSilkinLLPonthe
MARTINIonlinecompetitionandthe
termsandconditionsfortheMARTINI150
momentspromotion.
• AleadingbanklistedontheNairobi
StockExchangeindevelopingnovel
e-commerceagreementsaimedat
incorporatingcomplextechnology
systemsintotheirdailybanking,payment
andtransactionfunctions.
• Fish&RichardsonP.C.onbehalfof
theirclientIntelCorporationonbetting
andgaminglawsandregulation,data
protectionandprivacylawsinKenya.
• InventureMobileLtd(Tala)onthe
viabilityandregulatorylandscape
applicabletoaconsumercreditproduct,
includingdraftingproductterms
andconditions.
• ReedSmithonbehalfoftheirclient
E-PrizeandIntelCorporationonbetting
andgaminglawsandregulation,data
protectionandprivacylawsinKenya.
• SegoviaTechnologyontheviabilityand
regulatorylandscapeapplicabletoan
advancedmoneyremittanceservice.
• SimpliceBileAnohonthesettingupofa
digitalbettingcompany.
• Visaonbettingandgaminglawsand
regulation,dataprotectionandprivacy
lawsinKenya.
BOWMANS
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CONTENTS PAGE11
Intellectual Property
OurIPPracticehasbeenrecognisedbyinternationaldirectoriesandhasreceivedvariousawardsinthefollowingcategories:
AFRICAN LEGAL AWARDSWonIPTeamoftheYearin2015andTMTTeamoftheYearin2017and2019.
CHAMBERS & PARTNERSBowmansisrankedBand1inIntellectualPropertyinKenya.PartnerJohnSyekeihasbeenrankedBand1forIntellectualPropertyinKenyaforthepastfouryears(2017to2020).
MANAGING IPBowmansisrankedinTier1intheTrademark/CopyrightCategoryin2016and2017.BowmansisrankedinTier2inthePatentCategoryin2016and2017.BowmansisnamedAfricaFirmtowatchin2018.
WORLD TRADEMARK REVIEW 1000BowmanshasbeenrankedintheGoldBandforTrademarksforthepastfiveyears(2016to2020).Chambers & Partners: 2020: ‘Sourceschampionthefirm'scommitmenttoservice,statingthat"it'sa
lawfirmthatcaresabouttheclients,ensuresitoffersthebestcommercialadviceandgrowswithyouasaclient."Anotherintervieweeopined:"WithBowmansyougetveryclearandrelevantadvice.Thefirmandindividualsareimpressive-we'repleasedwiththeirworkandconfidenttheyunderstandwhatwe'retryingtoachieve”.’
2019: 'Market-leadingintellectualpropertygroupwithanenviablerosterofglobalclients,includinge-commercecompanies,banksandconsumergoodscorporations.Highlyadeptinthehandlingofregionalmandates,notablyadvisingontrademarkregistrationandinfringements,counterfeitingandgeneralportfoliomanagement.Possessestop-drawerexpertiseinIPlitigation,includingoppositionproceedingsandpatentprosecutions.'
World Trademark Review 1000:2020:‘Full-serviceBowmansboastsafirst-rateIPpractice.Knownforitshigh
commercialawarenessandabilitytogetin-syncwithclientsonabusinesslevel,thefirm’s“knowledgeable,thoroughandexperienced”practitionersoffertailoredstrategicadvicetohouseholdbrands.’
2019:'Prolificintrademarkandpatentfilingslocallyandregionally,thisensemblealsohasthemostMadridfilingexperienceofanyoutfitinKenya;whereverIPprotectionisneeded,Bowmansdeliversassuredly.ThefirmmatchesthisprosecutiondexteritywithgreatproficiencyinIPlitigation;itadvocateswithdistinctionattheHighCourtandCourtofAppealanddevisesswiftanddecisiveanti-counterfeitingmeasuresthatputthefearintoforgers.'
2018:'Dynamicanddeeplyexperiencedteamisamongthebestinthecountry,itshowsgreatprofessionalismandknowshowtogetthingsdone.'
Intellectual Property Accolades
BAND 1
KENYA
Banking&Finance
Corporate/M&A
Employment
FinTech
IntellectualProperty
RealEstate
SOUTH AFRICA
CapitalMarkets:Debt
CapitalMarkets:Equity
Competition/Antitrust
CorporateInvestigations
Corporate/M&A
Employment
Environment
IT&Telecommunications
Projects&Energy
PublicProcurement
Shipping
Tax
TMT
TANZANIA
GeneralBusinessLaw
UGANDA
GeneralBusinessLaw
BAND 2
SOUTH AFRICA
Banking&Finance
DisputeResolution
FinTech
Media&Broadcasting
Restructuring/Insolvency
KENYA
Projects&Energy
CHAMBERS & PARTNERS 2020 RANKED US IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS
TIER 1
KENYA
Financial&Corporate
Mining
SOUTH AFRICA
CapitalMarkets:Debt
CapitalMarkets:Equity
Energy&Power
M&A
UGANDA
Financial&Corporate
ProjectDevelopment
TIER 2
KENYA
Energy&Power
Infrastructure
SOUTH AFRICA
Banking
Infrastructure
Mining
Oil&Gas
ProjectFinance
TANZANIA
Financial&Corporate
TIER 3
TANZANIA
ProjectDevelopment
IFLR1000 2019 RANKED US IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS
TIER 1
KENYA
Banking,Finance&CapitalMarkets
Commercial,Corporate&M&A
Employment
RealEstate&Construction
SOUTH AFRICA
Commercial,Corporate&M&A
Competition
Employment
Projects&Infrastructure
Shipping&Transport
TANZANIA
LeadingFirm
UGANDA
LeadingFirm
TIER 2
KENYA
DisputeResolution
Privitisation&Projects
SOUTH AFRICA
Banking&Finance
DisputeResolution
InvestmentFunds
Tax
THE LEGAL 500 EMEA 2020 RANKED US IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS
71 37 67Recognised Lawyers
Recognised Lawyers
Recognised Lawyers
BOWMANS Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE12 13
Key Contacts
AUDAX KAMEJA
Partner
DaresSalaam,Tanzania
T:+255768988643
TERRY MWANGO
Partner
Nairobi,Kenya
T:+254202899000
To view profiles of our lawyers,
please visit www.bowmanslaw.com
FREDERICK MPANGA Partner
Kampala,Uganda T:+256414254540
JOHN SYEKEI
HeadofIntellectualPropertyEastAfrica
Nairobi,Kenya
T:+254202899000
BOWMANS Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE CONTENTS PAGE14 15
Cape Town, South AfricaT:+27214807800
Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaT: +255768988640
Durban, South AfricaT: +27311091150
Johannesburg, South AfricaT: +27116699000
Kampala, UgandaT: +256414254540
Lilongwe, MalawiT: +265990318152
Lusaka, ZambiaT: +260962275329
Moka, MauritiusT: +23052980100
Nairobi, KenyaT: +254202899000
Follow us on Twitter:@Bowmans_Law
www.bowmanslaw.com
Alliance Firms:
Aman Assefa & Associates Law Office, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaT: +251114702868
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, Lagos, NigeriaT: +23412774920-2,+23412719811-3
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