tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26171831381188199942024-03-14T06:43:35.001+02:00Afro-IPAfrican intellectual property law, practice and policies. This weblog provides news, information and comment on IP law and practice right across Africa. <i>Ce blog propose des actualités, informations, et commentaires sur la législation et la pratique en matière de propriété intellectuelle et de droit des contrats d'affaires en Afrique</i>. For some insight into the origins of this blog click <a href="http://www.managingip.com/pdfs/BLOG_booklet.pdf">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2037125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-81665235325609761222024-03-13T21:58:00.007+02:002024-03-14T06:43:02.311+02:00Van's Aircraft let down by its IP Policies as well<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.vansaircraft.com/"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.vansaircraft.com/"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjar-M7owwrcym7Yzar7N0DL3YtcbNa32CoAcb2NAAW_0aN2HAv1DdYGTQNiWSuLj58OtAbycOqT7mYeww6m45FJ6jqwLX_3ae8raXP5MgkWLi2fGsjjLgxBi3bT5gLzVVEteNNDUhTCVgubWi1YhRbHXzQhqwRJY6mRhyiDWvfySyEizlyBt2XIkKdmRMy/s2880/Vans.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="2880" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjar-M7owwrcym7Yzar7N0DL3YtcbNa32CoAcb2NAAW_0aN2HAv1DdYGTQNiWSuLj58OtAbycOqT7mYeww6m45FJ6jqwLX_3ae8raXP5MgkWLi2fGsjjLgxBi3bT5gLzVVEteNNDUhTCVgubWi1YhRbHXzQhqwRJY6mRhyiDWvfySyEizlyBt2XIkKdmRMy/s320/Vans.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://www.vansaircraft.com/" target="_blank">Van's Aircraft</a> is a very successful producer of experimental aircraft and aircraft kits based in the US. Their fleet of RVs (as they are known) have, over the past 50 odd years, become a major player in general aviation, the term used to describe aviation for private pilots and basically everything outside of commercial air transport. In 2023, over 1100 of their fleet were flying worldwide and are popular in Africa. <a href="https://www.cossaviation.com/" style="text-align: left;">Robin Coss Aviation Vans Aircraft Cape Town</a> is their highly regarded distributor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, despite their success in the tangible world, their investment in intangible rights to protect and nurture their innovation appears to have been strangely absent, vastly undervaluing their company at a significant time of need in their history.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">In December 2023, Van's Aircraft made a surprising <a href="https://www.vansaircraft.com/2023/12/vans-aircraft-announces-chapter-11-reorganization/#:~:text=On%20December%204%2C%202023%2C%20Van%E2%80%99s%20Aircraft%20filed%20for,provide%20parts%2C%20service%2C%20and%20support%20to%20our%20customers." target="_blank">announcement</a> that they had severe cash flow problems and had been forced to file for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection - a legal way of retaining ownership of their assets under a plan to restructure and remain in business. Their woes relate to supply chain challenges, problems with laser cut parts, and faulty primers. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Chapter 11 process requires Van's to publicly <a href="https://cases.creditorinfo.com/vansaircraft/documents/docket">disclose</a> their financial position for scrutiny. It is here that we make the observation that their intangible asset value is set at ZERO, and that there are no disclosures of any registered or unregistered intellectual property relating to the brand or designs of aircraft. They are simply recorded as "unknown". </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A check of the national registers using TM View's <a href="https://www.tmdn.org/tmview/#/tmview" target="_blank">database</a> confirm their lack of protection, not listing a single trade mark in their primary market - the United States. Indeed, in class 12 (the class covering aircraft), it would appear that <a href="https://www.vans.com/en-us?_sr=1" target="_blank">Vans Footwear </a>have the jump on them. It would also appear that they do not have registers recording unregistered rights in their designs and knowhow in their various kit planes. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>To understand the significance of this, for over fifty years Dick VanGrunsven has grown this company, yet those efforts reflect as ZERO in the brand value section on the balance sheet.</i> </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite the challenges of valuing brands and intangible assets accurately, few who know this company, would deny that its intangible value is substantially more than "nothing". The reality then is that the company is undervalued at a critical time when it is trying to regain trust from their stakeholders, which include their own customers. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some may argue that by reflecting the brand as ZERO they deter potential creditors from seeking to bankrupt the company and secure the trade marks or other IP at auction at some time in the future, but this is misguided. In fact, it may just do the opposite because the auction value would be low using the valuation the company has placed on its intangibles.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCetm7Q2xOTFTEtndRSblEcjeN68ZMQ_xJbGyIdf6bZlQ9OSWYyU7VGYH5ERBRgCfskEPvUY2kQA5j5NE6vi8V62GaLX2maTAwPNsewscYR1pA8gCz4gvTR_6L0IiJ_wYnqbY4YIoobaYibbeuNZ8zL2iq6ajsPevJANmOYIfiedqzs3ZJeqHY95wQt9V-/s1170/Vans%20Bankruptcy%20Valuation%20of%20Trade%20Marks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1170" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCetm7Q2xOTFTEtndRSblEcjeN68ZMQ_xJbGyIdf6bZlQ9OSWYyU7VGYH5ERBRgCfskEPvUY2kQA5j5NE6vi8V62GaLX2maTAwPNsewscYR1pA8gCz4gvTR_6L0IiJ_wYnqbY4YIoobaYibbeuNZ8zL2iq6ajsPevJANmOYIfiedqzs3ZJeqHY95wQt9V-/w400-h305/Vans%20Bankruptcy%20Valuation%20of%20Trade%20Marks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">By contrast, <a href="https://cessna.txtav.com/" target="_blank">Cessna</a> the bastion of the traditional, non-experimental trainer and small airplane market, has a swathe of trade mark registrations supporting its brand value. The reason for this is because brand valuation, properly executed, entails an assessment of the integrity of the rights in the company's intellectual property. This illustrates the while the experimental aircraft segment is flourishing, one should not experiment with IP if you want to your brand valuation to flourish. In a world where safety means everything, overlooking intellectual property governance and protection is particularly ironic.</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-34356123421495069982023-07-30T18:56:00.010+02:002023-08-02T04:07:14.260+02:00A freedom to operate, sustainably. <p><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">Last week I spent time in Botswana for a hearing. It also gave me an opportunity
to pilot my first international flight. It’s a wonderful thing when two passions
align in a way that is also sustainable, thanks to local innovation.</span></p><p><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">My daughter taught me about the fun of “Insta Reels” and this one I share with you now. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did capturing it!</span></p><p><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kslX7bz_hB4" width="320" youtube-src-id="kslX7bz_hB4"></iframe></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p>Botswana is an impressive country. Its people
are friendly, welcoming, and very capable. It is relatively small but vast (about
5% of South Africa’s population and 25% of its land mass) and an important
business hub in the region. It is also home to a number of tourist attractions,
particularly in the Okavango area.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Gaborone, the commercial capital, is open for
business. Its skyline illuminates at night with brands of well-known eateries,
banks, fashion houses and other commerce. Any exchange control is light, and the
benefits of foreign direct investment are clear with an apparently, thriving
middle class. Hotels are busy and their rates comparable, if not higher, than
those in Johannesburg 300kms away, suggesting a healthy level of demand and investment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">The courts are stately and proudly bear “minimum standards of service” in
their opening halls. Litigating in Botswana on intellectual property cases is somewhat
familiar because their laws and procedures are largely based on the English
system. That said, it is embryonic when it comes to the number of published decisions
on this area of law and as a result, lean on advocacy and common law from South
Africa. This is why we were present.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Getting there by road from South Africa is
relatively painless except for border control which can lead to unpredictable, if
not significant, delays. It is also not entirely stress free as road safety
issues and hijackings (on the SA side) have been reported and naturally scare those
who must travel between the countries. As a result, the country’s policing
system has a no-tolerance approach which acts in stark contrast to their
otherwise amiable demeanor. Necessary, it would seem, to protect what the country
has nurtured. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Flying commercially is the preferred way of travel
but it’s not inexpensive, and although it is a short hop, it can take as long
as road travel once airport waiting times and clearance delays are considered.
Although it is safer than road travel, it is significantly less sustainable for
such a short trip. This is where a private plane becomes an option as it can be
the most affordable, safe (compared to road travel), and sustainable option, especially
if the plane is made by a company like Sling Aircraft, itself a wonderful
example of South African innovation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://slingaircraft.com" target="_blank">Sling Aircraft</a> are based just south of
Johannesburg and over the last two decades have made private plane ownership
and flight relatively affordable for businesspeople with long commutes or
requirements for local travel to tricky to reach places. A secondhand Sling 2
or 4 seat aircraft, for example, is no less affordable than an executive
vehicle and has significantly less environmental impact. It runs on ordinary unleaded petrol
and uses less fuel than an equivalent road trip. It also does not depreciate as
fast a car and is simply a joy to travel in. It took just 1hr 20mins to travel
the distance between the cities.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Of course, flying in small planes is not for
everyone and although it is convenient, it is vulnerable to vagaries of the weather
so careful planning is required. There is no perfect option when it comes to travel
across our continent, but general aviation or small plane travel, marginalised in recent times, can make a
comeback thanks to local innovators, like Sling Aircraft and others.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 352.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Flying oneself is an experience quite unlike
any other and this aspect is not represented in a comparison of facts and
figures between the different forms of transport. It is a privilege, a
challenge, a responsibility, and a freedom, none of which can be measured. I am
just grateful that my own journey to learn to fly, which started a few years
ago, has culminated in this example of practical integration into my
professional career, not only as a commuter option which I have been doing now for
some time, but also to connect people, skills and highlight innovation, in a sustainable
way.</span></p><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-23370266446440394802023-03-19T11:34:00.006+02:002023-03-19T12:10:06.668+02:00South Africa's Eastern Cape hots up in latest passing off decision<p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVjLvGYVgLp9OzTHLswOukGNha3BIEsWrV6ckDIsivOcekFVfeKeV4H7_atW7BsdLjPOljJm2yoCra95bLQHdGrm80ppEpG7ji0gfpVwTXobK3GRui-IkUYrXPC-kTjV5i9k2hSiMPGkFolzHKrA61vzR3jOkFhvzsTb9_torcox-LCEDDmO7gaQ8/s960/Fire%20Logic%20sprinkler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVjLvGYVgLp9OzTHLswOukGNha3BIEsWrV6ckDIsivOcekFVfeKeV4H7_atW7BsdLjPOljJm2yoCra95bLQHdGrm80ppEpG7ji0gfpVwTXobK3GRui-IkUYrXPC-kTjV5i9k2hSiMPGkFolzHKrA61vzR3jOkFhvzsTb9_torcox-LCEDDmO7gaQ8/w133-h133/Fire%20Logic%20sprinkler.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>South Africa: In the
case of <b><a href="http://www.saflii.org/cgi-bin/disp.pl?file=za/cases/ZAECQBHC/2023/17.html&query=fire%20logic" target="_blank">Fire Logic (Pty) Ltd (Fire Logic) </a></b></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.saflii.org/cgi-bin/disp.pl?file=za/cases/ZAECQBHC/2023/17.html&query=fire%20logic" target="_blank"> </a></b></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><b><a href="http://www.saflii.org/cgi-bin/disp.pl?file=za/cases/ZAECQBHC/2023/17.html&query=fire%20logic" target="_blank">v Logic Group Africa (Pty) Ltd t/a Firelogik (Logic
Africa)</a>,</b> the Eastern Cape division of the High Court found this week that Logic Group had
passed off its services by using the name “Firelogik”. The court interdicted them from
using the name in the Cape provinces and ordered them to pay costs. This case
illustrates the need for brand owners to have a zero-tolerance approach and be vigilant about trade mark misuse by
others, to protect themselves with registered trade marks and use the courts to
enforce where necessary.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Background:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fire Logic
has been in existence since 1994 and has developed a substantial reputation in its
brand for fire protection and maintenance services. The dispute began in 2016
when the Logic Africa applied for a license using the name FIRELOGICS. This
led to an exchange between the parties and Logic Group responded by stating
that they were changing their name, but it never fully did so.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86v-_t5Te0-lYel1MFkvDHvgKia7o-MAE9GHSW_V-bOQ7AIyrvBXaITvz7hMlHNhPi6MQtLOmBk8E1SGg-j4-oqVAV0nUOJwNAZ1Bg_Ti3cod21is7MIxp9s9JE8x39XTGrCaZaCPi77n616dmuxyA6mTmM9x1BC4S68Qd-gSmsKk0lZJxZkCGQzq/s1869/Firelogik1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="1869" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86v-_t5Te0-lYel1MFkvDHvgKia7o-MAE9GHSW_V-bOQ7AIyrvBXaITvz7hMlHNhPi6MQtLOmBk8E1SGg-j4-oqVAV0nUOJwNAZ1Bg_Ti3cod21is7MIxp9s9JE8x39XTGrCaZaCPi77n616dmuxyA6mTmM9x1BC4S68Qd-gSmsKk0lZJxZkCGQzq/w360-h134/Firelogik1.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p>By
2019, Fire Logic realised that this nagging fire had only been partially doused
when it received erroneous purchase orders from the retail store Pick ‘n Pay.
Further correspondence was entered into, but it became clear, by August 2021,
that the only way Fire Logic could stop the use of such a similar name, was to approach
the court, which it did. It sought a final interdict and costs.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Logic
Africa responded sometime later by taking down its website and opposing the
applicant on the basis that a reputation could not be shown in the name and the
no confusion was likely. It also claimed that the relief was then moot because of
its name change in 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Findings:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a considered judgment, Acting Judge Bands
found that FIRELOGIC was a fancy name and/or deserving of protection as a
symbol of the goodwill attached to it. Then judge also found sufficient
similarities in the name for there to be a likelihood of confusion, especially
as the two parties operated in the “common field of activity” and in competition with one another.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For attorneys working with the nuances
of application proceedings in South Africa, the judge re-affirmed that bare denials in affidavits
are not sufficient to create disputes of fact under the Plascon-Evans rule. It
is also an example of a situation where an final interdict can be granted even
where the dispute is alleged to be moot. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These findings lead to a decision against
the Logic Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Comment:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYH-PEeoXsbZwPbzn5XDjeLL2cl_t9D6nWOM_begzW03O1Z5f0lAZmSeKLXNgn7b0dBQo1iJcarFIEQqN6TrcBFZLxaUvmYxpK4e1W-j2Lg_r3vgQ6qYcTg8jERmZ4h1dyGWHU3Cbgzk0NialBuWQ3DcQBr-p_z-4qut8Gsr3kwSc-qmKvWuPblpnA/s2121/Afro%20Leo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="1500" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYH-PEeoXsbZwPbzn5XDjeLL2cl_t9D6nWOM_begzW03O1Z5f0lAZmSeKLXNgn7b0dBQo1iJcarFIEQqN6TrcBFZLxaUvmYxpK4e1W-j2Lg_r3vgQ6qYcTg8jERmZ4h1dyGWHU3Cbgzk0NialBuWQ3DcQBr-p_z-4qut8Gsr3kwSc-qmKvWuPblpnA/w110-h155/Afro%20Leo.jpg" width="110" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 49.65pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The analogy between a fire that does not
want to extinguish and the facts of this case that took seven years to conclude
(absent an appeal) are useful in illustrating the need for effective trade mark management
and protection from the outset. This means that when a fire ignites, to continue the analogy,
one must make sure it is dealt with comprehensively at the start. This means a zero-tolerance approach, continued vigilance, the use of undertakings and the
need to apply for trade mark registrations (for swifter, less costly and more predictable
outcomes, as well as the possibility of damages in the form of a reasonable
royalty). In these types of cases, punitive costs may also be a handier deterrent
– it should not be possible for seven years of such misuse - something for lawmakers to consider in future.</span></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-3625376782562558892022-11-11T11:02:00.007+02:002023-11-29T11:06:53.188+02:002022 Crammer® Recordings - content for you!<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This year’s <b>Crammer</b></span><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt;">®</span><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<a href="https://www.adams.africa/crammer-2022/" target="_blank">event</a> hosted by <a href="https://www.adams.africa/" target="_blank">Adams & Adams</a> in late October attracted over 250 attendees
and is the largest legal conference of its type in Africa. It’s an annual event
designed to distill a year’s worth of legal content (largely intellectual property
related) into a single morning through short, sharp presentations. This year’s
keynote speaker was <a href="https://www.topbusinesswomen.co.za/meet-kimberley-taylor-inventor-and-founder-of-loop/" target="_blank">Kimberley Taylor</a> an inspiring, young businessperson who has created <a href="https://www.loop.co.za/" target="_blank">Loop</a>, a groundbreaking logistics company, and <a href="https://inventright.com/about/stephen-key/" target="_blank">Stephen Key</a>, a renowned, US-based inventor and author who is passionate about helping others create value out of their innovations through <a href="https://inventright.com/" target="_blank">inventRight</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
<span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The recordings have been made available and are
now shared with you by Afro-IP. Enjoy!</span></p><p><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8iAWoYQBENrKNKaszUKvQB7qk7ppntV3pmuExKW12Ovj4DEwBhDuRpfyu9dnaCVPTdqnOZGddZMe4Z52wD5OvHpF6r3NwltxO2zjdQeyWaeDPFicSUU0xVb3z4zo80OnVeYNSq8FlejtLo6lZG8XTOV18dlrK0BEYg95reQ9EjfWvBp2GSLhoEb9/s868/Crammer%202022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="868" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8iAWoYQBENrKNKaszUKvQB7qk7ppntV3pmuExKW12Ovj4DEwBhDuRpfyu9dnaCVPTdqnOZGddZMe4Z52wD5OvHpF6r3NwltxO2zjdQeyWaeDPFicSUU0xVb3z4zo80OnVeYNSq8FlejtLo6lZG8XTOV18dlrK0BEYg95reQ9EjfWvBp2GSLhoEb9/s320/Crammer%202022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US">Main Conference Room</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://youtu.be/-o7h6s63CFQ">Adams & Adams Crammer™ 2022 Case Law
Review - Panel Discussion</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Plenary Speakers: </b>Kimberley Taylor and <a href="https://youtu.be/0Zk9seg3Qp0" target="_blank">Stephen Key</a> (click on links below for presentations)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Breakaway Room 1<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://youtu.be/h22Zd6CxCNc">Adams & Adams Crammer™ 2022 High
maintenance – Intellectual property laws and regulations relevant t<br />o Cannabis
in South Africa</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://youtu.be/_22M4XbPY3A">Adams & Adams Crammer™ 2022 It’s
getting hot in here: the effect of environmental sustainability on stakeholders</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8lvGTLPLSQ">Adams & Adams Crammer™
2022 Funding I.P. and R&D</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Breakaway Room 2<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://youtu.be/WkCZjoJgZp4">Adams & Adams Crammer™ 2022 Security is
a priority, not an option: outlook of insurance landscape post the storm</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://youtu.be/GR2LFU2vwa4">Adams & Adams Crammer™ 2022 Robots
Inventing</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fDQ7E3s7TxPamWyq8DcP86s5p39ntR-c9ken713hQiRoxKpfgozzWbzeLA5-0Z92SjFcIqOEyU_5jc2MjfNf9rYVfUkPVcCmgaH606zAUT94fJCQGDBq6aHUu8nvaDripuUn6FiDvkBBP-PLJc53d7XO8UcWRQNwLMMbA4xmTlUUwcvGeOsjHMqS/s2121/Afro%20Leo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6fDQ7E3s7TxPamWyq8DcP86s5p39ntR-c9ken713hQiRoxKpfgozzWbzeLA5-0Z92SjFcIqOEyU_5jc2MjfNf9rYVfUkPVcCmgaH606zAUT94fJCQGDBq6aHUu8nvaDripuUn6FiDvkBBP-PLJc53d7XO8UcWRQNwLMMbA4xmTlUUwcvGeOsjHMqS/w141-h200/Afro%20Leo.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://youtu.be/rJP2z8CdkvM">Adams & Adams Crammer™ 2022 The Hype
about the Meta Verse</a><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Breakaway Room 3 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://youtu.be/bevtTy0S-v8">Adams & Adams Crammer™ 2022 For the
love of Chicken!</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://youtu.be/BLOKUnidarY">Adams & Adams Crammer™ 2022 Do you know
who owns the copyright to your house?</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://youtu.be/_9DXEyHlwU0">Adams & Adams Crammer™ 2022 The
influence of data protection and privacy law on mergers and acquisitions</a></span><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"> </b></p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"></span>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-30887720590414680592022-05-11T13:46:00.004+02:002022-05-11T13:59:26.407+02:00The art of sharing: 10 tips for writing blog posts and newsletters<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sharing
information on just about anything, particularly an esoteric subject like intellectual
property in Africa is so important because it creates awareness, educates, and
ultimately stimulates the market and interest in that subject. For the sharer or
writer, the exercise is a worthwhile investment; it improves writing skills,
understanding, profile, networks, work generation and can be quite cathartic. Yet,
the way in which information is shared plays an important role in maximising
the return on that investment. Here are 10 tips for improving blog posts and
newsletters. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans";">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Focus on what’s important, upfront<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What
is the main thrust of the article, news report or clip that you want to share? Incorporate
this in the first para to your post or intro, either through a quote from the
article or in your own words.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Example:
TYPO has recently released its findings on the success of the FORGOTTO system.
According to the report “66% of users applying for applications find it time
consuming and frustrating” ….<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans";">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Summarise the content or what is covered
by the article<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
purpose of your share is to introduce and then give the reader more information
on what the article is about. Your post or content should be able to stand
alone as a summary of what is contained in the article, inviting the reader to
research further by reading the article. In this way, it should function as an executive
summary with an option to link to the article for further reading. Use headings,
subheadings and bullet points to make it simple and concise.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
section, often a second para, could read: <i>[subheading] The TYPO report
canvasses the entire application process including application, publication,
and registration. It also covers user feedback on pricing and a useful
comparative report against user feedback on the LEKKA system as well as the
following: [bullet points]. In general, FORGOTTO is not as functional or useful
as the LEKKA system, according to the report. You can read more about the
findings here (link).</i></span><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b>3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Add value: ask a question or give an
opinion or add additional information</span><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Everyone
can share but the difference between an aggregator and a thought leader is the
value they then add. It needn’t be profound or lengthy. Often, just a question or
statement on the article is sufficient for the reader to start thinking more deeply
about what he or she is reading.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Example:
One wonders if the FORGOTTO system was electronic and had a dedicated helpline,
the experience of the user would be improved (blog post) or we are assisting FORGOTTO
create a more user-friendly application system by offering them IT support
training and user support (newsletter).<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans";">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Add value: provide further information, links,
and sources<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Your
opinion does not sit in a vacuum and itself can lead to debate, discussion, or
contemplation. Invite the reader to other sources on the topic. Not only does
this give them the impression that you are well read (giving gravitas to your question
or view) but it creates trust and a deeper understanding to the topic.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You
can read more about this development here and here (with links). In this article
(link), the findings of the TYPO report are celebrated, and this article (link)
advocates for a paper-based system for the FORGOTTO initiative.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
more tips on blog writing click<a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/8-essential-writing-tips"><span style="color: #666666; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans";">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Treat news articles and even those from law
firms, with caution<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Try
to quote and share from credible sources. Fact-check articles you link to as
much as possible. Time is often a problem so use common sense, read critically,
and adopt a third-party stance using quotes, if in doubt.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
article from ADOPT & ADOPT reports that “80% of IP rights holders have enforced
their rights in Africa” and then don’t be afraid to question the statement. This
statistic does seem high given the 2018 ELIO report (link) which gave a low
score to user confidence on the enforceability of IP rights on the continent
(see 3 above).<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans";">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Link to articles and content in the
correct way<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a name="_Hlk103167952"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
indicates respect and of course would be particularly ironic for a law firm or lawyer to err on. This means using quotes, linking to the article, and acknowledging
the author. It also means quoting only what is necessary (see 1 above) for the
purpose of the post or content. Be aware that photographs may have different
copyright owners and you may not be able to determine who owns the copyright in
a photograph. In this situation rather do not use the picture (see 9 below).<o:p></o:p></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You
can read the full article authored by Munchkin & Munchkin here (link).<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans";">7.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be consistent if quoting different styled
texts<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sometimes
a blog post or newsletter requires linking and commenting on a variety of articles
written in different styles. The important aspect here is to be consistent in
how your report, share and comment on them. The way in which you use dates, currency,
quotes, and the style of comment should be consistent. For a firm newsletter, it
is often quite factual and professional. For a blog post, it may be that you
can have more of a personal touch (indeed, that can add value and create
interest). If you use currency, try to convert it to one which your audience
will understand e.g., dollars, if international. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans";">8.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Plain English please<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">No
latin</span></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (court aquo, causa, mero motu,
verbatim, dies non, quid pro quo, bona fide, inter alia). <b>No </b></span><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: red; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/a-to-z-of-legal-phrases.html"><span style="color: red; text-decoration-line: none;">jargon</span></a></span></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> unless
the meaning is clear from the context (the matter, confusing similarity, the
registrar, class 31, the bench, appellant). <b>No proper nouns</b> unless they
are proper nouns or defined (judge, intellectual property rights, applicant,
appellant, court). <b>No </b></span><b><u><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: red; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://writingcommons.org/article/writing-concisely-and-avoiding-redundancy/#:~:text=Redundancy%20is%20when%20you%20use,especially%20in%20their%20daily%20conversations."><span style="color: red;">redundant words or phrases</span></a></span></u></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
(in order to, in relation to, in respect of, true facts, small in size, consensus
of opinion, past history). <b>Avoid </b></span><b><u><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: red; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.shakespeareswords.com/Public/LanguageCompanion/ThemesAndTopics.aspx?TopicId=19"><span style="color: red;">Shakespearian</span></a></span></u></b><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
words</span></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> (hereinafter, herein, wherefore etc). Generally,
one sentence one thought<a href="https://sites.utexas.edu/legalwriting/2013/04/09/cliches-in-legal-writing/"><span style="color: #666666; text-decoration-line: none;">. </span><b><span style="color: red;">No cliches</span></b></a> (live to fight another day, can of
worms and … my favourite – “be that as it may” comma).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans";">9.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Headings and pictures are important<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibL0A4t21W3VpeJ5Sc-HIb5jfC5bgC19uUYiZbECObXh939mldBe9XwrNPn9oOKxrxeaNfnvXOqYV4t-YmKJqJodqWHx4q_p5UJ2ogaBLkzeH7VbMvQoybd2-B8ZtjwMOvDZc2rsRH8o1_1B1Y4cBFZ7YNcXytngtD9ZdOnDlGb9ZZ5vKsm9vJGC8K/s1280/Tips.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1280" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibL0A4t21W3VpeJ5Sc-HIb5jfC5bgC19uUYiZbECObXh939mldBe9XwrNPn9oOKxrxeaNfnvXOqYV4t-YmKJqJodqWHx4q_p5UJ2ogaBLkzeH7VbMvQoybd2-B8ZtjwMOvDZc2rsRH8o1_1B1Y4cBFZ7YNcXytngtD9ZdOnDlGb9ZZ5vKsm9vJGC8K/s320/Tips.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[licensed on a free to use basis]</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Headings
and pictures capture the reader. It is these two features of the content that
get replicated on social media, in aggregated content and are most likely to
attract interest. Choose them carefully and only after the post is written.
Rather delay a post for decent picture than publish it without one but be
copyright aware (see 6).<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Open Sans";">10.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be
authentic<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Authenticity
and true sharing will develop trust and readership. Although self-congratulation
is frowned upon, done appropriately it can develop a following and add to
authenticity. Don’t be afraid to congratulate others, even competitors where it
is due. Tag authors whose content you have used and be true to your objective,
which should be a service to the client or community – in this case you!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">E.g.,
I sincerely hope these ten tips have been helpful. They are not made up I can assure
you! They are inspired by reader criticism measured in over 1 million pageviews
of over 1000 posts and articles written by yours truly on Afro-IP, IP Finance,
Oxford University Press, World Trademark Review, firm blogs and other publications
- the output of a labour of love over many years. And now shared with you, with
love.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX66WmTfLZ-AU84fdcy7n96EfXfb6-5gJCHYE_7HtXtQeNNiBPkcfDQN_NqFK76j_d_B3hwFGLROt-VbtsKoZS5NuLsEBxt96SbAbEwddFxjrdieuAHqgdbXfoh2pkEyyKOljnWnkPAJAsiRLyCD6BnSbVCxiMv67DIznsta2CzNJI45hVjHcjAdQ/s2121/Afro%20Leo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2121" data-original-width="1500" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX66WmTfLZ-AU84fdcy7n96EfXfb6-5gJCHYE_7HtXtQeNNiBPkcfDQN_NqFK76j_d_B3hwFGLROt-VbtsKoZS5NuLsEBxt96SbAbEwddFxjrdieuAHqgdbXfoh2pkEyyKOljnWnkPAJAsiRLyCD6BnSbVCxiMv67DIznsta2CzNJI45hVjHcjAdQ/w176-h249/Afro%20Leo.jpg" width="176" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Afro Leo</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><i><br /></i><p></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-56794985742976191732022-03-17T21:47:00.002+02:002022-03-18T10:02:52.088+02:00South Africa: Not so good for the SOUL<p><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">A
recent feast on three fast food decisions of the South African High Courts has,
unfortunately, been a very underwhelming experience. Golden Fried Chicken,
owners of the well know local <a href="https://chickenlicken.co.za/products?cId=4">Chicken Licken franchises</a> sought to enforce their
SOUL registered trade marks against three different uses in three different
divisions of the local High Courts:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDaXtNYPLpQkPxsane5HLizmHotnCwIThOnnl0V-6IvGxguoQlAeu66Jfy_hbMcKPJEn2FWALwLnrJb8bQnXQjBxxK_qMNxj-oBhqL2Y5IVqYN3HSDdG3RrzOuaTxH3fqk1Rhkwtfea2b62TBHd5OLuFjTxGkvwd0QCMAeH-y8VqBo-_dea0gZrp0eJg=s2300" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="2300" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDaXtNYPLpQkPxsane5HLizmHotnCwIThOnnl0V-6IvGxguoQlAeu66Jfy_hbMcKPJEn2FWALwLnrJb8bQnXQjBxxK_qMNxj-oBhqL2Y5IVqYN3HSDdG3RrzOuaTxH3fqk1Rhkwtfea2b62TBHd5OLuFjTxGkvwd0QCMAeH-y8VqBo-_dea0gZrp0eJg=w660-h105" width="660" /></a></div><br />In
each of the three divisions, the primary infringement claim was rejected. Where
a counter claim was raised against the descriptive nature of SOUL (as in e.g. soul
food), the argument was found to have some merit but nonetheless rejected, and there
was even a finding that the mark SOUL was well known for the purposes of dilution
(which was then summarily dismissed). <p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It should be appreciated that all three cases
were brought on trade mark infringement grounds alone, and did not include
passing off and unlawful competition, yet in all three cases, the court erred in
the basic application of the infringement test by comparing the use made by Chicken
Licken with the offending use i.e. a passing off type test, in finding that a
likelihood of confusion did not exist between the marks. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The high oil mark, so to speak, is the final
paragraph in the Kwazulu Natal case where the judge introduced the concept of “ubuntism” (the spirit of humanity) by suggesting that Chicken Licken, should, in the national interest, encourage rather
than restrain use of SOUL, and that small businesses should be protected from trade
mark infringement claims of larger organisations! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif" style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEb2jQkD2TgfIbeU2iIuTLtfSWnQ_M4m4o-jCLYNQynCQWXqNF_pdKx3vdARYRUDG6ERJD1NYArHXnCKX3KUGUnvOzmFR14crPNE3rH5ovPtSfsyynIgQorxQRfWLzsQjSl8tpquXMxQ1aO0CY19JMP4RYUEpR--XPrB4AEzLzPkpEp4CyEQqlcZbVuw=s400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEb2jQkD2TgfIbeU2iIuTLtfSWnQ_M4m4o-jCLYNQynCQWXqNF_pdKx3vdARYRUDG6ERJD1NYArHXnCKX3KUGUnvOzmFR14crPNE3rH5ovPtSfsyynIgQorxQRfWLzsQjSl8tpquXMxQ1aO0CY19JMP4RYUEpR--XPrB4AEzLzPkpEp4CyEQqlcZbVuw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt;">Whether
or not you agree that any single proprietor should have exclusivity to SOUL for restaurant services or food, the reality is that, absent a successful
or part cancellation claim, Chicken Licken have registered trade marks for the
full gamut of “restaurant services” (which includes Greek restaurant services, café
services and kitchen services) that attracts certain rights. These rights are
to be able to stop identical and confusingly similar marks. On a basic
application of the infringement tests SOUL SOUVLAKI, OH MY SOUL and SOUL KITCHEN
(including logo marks) are simply, dead meat and should be capable of being stopped.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why
then were the judges so reluctant to grant the interdicts. Was it because Chicken
Licken was too aggressive and corporate against likeable cottage style eateries?
Was it because exclusivity in SOUL just feels wrong? Was it because the infringement
test as constructed and set out in Plascon Evans (SA leading case) and others, easily leads to conflation and confusion,
especially for judges who do not adjudicate trade mark cases on a consistent basis. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One
gets the sense that the answer to all of these questions may have been “yes”
because in some places, the findings are difficult to reconcile and in other
places just downright wrong. But, in my humble opinion, the answer
to the final question is the most emphatic “yes!”. If
one takes the time, in the pleadings and the judgement, to break down the
Plascon Evans test into its individual components and apply them step-by-step (an
approach long advocated by this blog - see <a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2012/07/10-reasons-to-follow-european-approach.html">here</a>), the chances of tossing the equivalent of a frozen chicken
leg into super hot oil in a trade mark judgement, are reduced significantly. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Link to cases <a href="http://www.saflii.org/cgi-bin/disp.pl?file=za/cases/ZAGPJHC/2020/284.html&query=soul%20souvlaki">here</a>, <a href="http://www.saflii.org/cgi-bin/disp.pl?file=za/cases/ZAKZDHC/2019/30.html&query=soul%20kitchen">here</a> and <a href="http://www.saflii.org/cgi-bin/disp.pl?file=za/cases/ZAWCHC/2022/21.html&query=soul%20kitchen">here</a>.</span></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Link to my <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rr8mn6n7myt4vgywe6sq0/Soul-Cases-17-March-Afro-IP-notes.docx?dl=0&rlkey=ynov07ofncjnw0lp12kxn7et0">notes</a> with references to S35 tests, a breakdown of their application and a high level summary of where the judges erred.</span></li><li><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Afro-IP's <a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2009/02/delays-at-sa-registry-favour-trade-mark.html">coverage </a>of the SOULSA decision in 2009.</span></li></ul><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-80578192231874530582021-11-09T13:39:00.008+02:002021-11-09T13:47:45.594+02:00Six Steps for Value Creation in Heritage Brands<p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zz57uANVLso/YYpc9z_fbfI/AAAAAAAAB00/RDlDYzyP00ISUQuW84TBCUg5qDRx17TXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s700/noun_heritage_2404425%2B%25281%2529.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zz57uANVLso/YYpc9z_fbfI/AAAAAAAAB00/RDlDYzyP00ISUQuW84TBCUg5qDRx17TXgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h200/noun_heritage_2404425%2B%25281%2529.png" width="200" /></a></div><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">From a legal perspective
we know that brands are protected by a number of different laws including copyright,
trade mark, design and even personality rights where, for example, the brand is
linked to people. We know too that under these laws the legal owner has several
rights that are linked to monetary consideration, compensation, or penalties.
These include rights to costs, damages, reasonable royalties, accounts of
profit and fines. This creates an economic market for these rights that can be
traded, licensed, pledged and leveraged.</span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A heritage brand is a type
of brand that is linked to culture which could be linked to language, tradition,
or physical objects such as buildings or artefacts. In legal terms a heritage
is linked to a property right that may be inherited or passed from one generation
to the next. A brand, of course, is more than a distinguishing feature of a
product or service, it is experiential in that it evokes meaning and feeling in
those that encounter it. Heritage brands are therefore potentially very powerful
and valuable to those who control them, both legally and intrinsically.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Africa is abundant in heritage.
Its multiplicity of languages, traditions and ancient foundations mean that heritage,
as a resource, is omnipresent. By attaching or symbolizing that heritage to and
in a brand there are obvious opportunities for value creation. This value can simply
be the control of that heritage for future generations, or it could be leveraged
to create revenue streams. The value creation is protected and created, in a legal
sense, largely through intellectual property laws.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Business has long recognized
Africa’s potential for value creation in its heritage. From blockbuster films
to hospitality, fashion and motor vehicles using or reflecting African culture
and heritage, our worldwide consumer culture is replete with examples of these types
of products and services. In most of these examples, local communities derive
little or no benefit apart from the flattery that exists in such use and in
some cases, the lack of control over such use threatens the very existence and
fabric of their heritage. However, the astute business has managed to form
partnerships with local communities to enhance the value of the brand and
ensure its sustainability. For stakeholders, there are therefore good reasons to
understand the potential value of heritage brands and their use. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here are six steps towards
protecting and controlling the value of heritage in a brand:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Audit the heritage:</span></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> analyze the heritage through
the lens of intellectual property to determine which features are protectable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rank and bank the rights:</span></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> this involves understanding
the costs and benefit of the protection, the international agreements for
reciprocal protection of such rights and how the features in the audit can be
used to cost effectively harness and capture the rights.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Identify the business
model you wish to use: </span></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">licensing, endorsing, certification, accreditation and
enforcement models are all potentially available to you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ensure value creation for
the community: </span></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">this
step requires patience, education and building trust. It also requires the
delivery of real value to the community that is transparent and accountable. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v5pqMxgYxrw/YYpdwZfPqJI/AAAAAAAAB08/2Nv76nrsWjMNILWR8dJLbMOXxXOfpXVVACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Afro%2BLeo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1448" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v5pqMxgYxrw/YYpdwZfPqJI/AAAAAAAAB08/2Nv76nrsWjMNILWR8dJLbMOXxXOfpXVVACLcBGAsYHQ/w141-h200/Afro%2BLeo.jpg" width="141" /></a></div><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Structure the venture: </span></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">the structure needs to be
efficient, protective of the IP, attractive to stakeholders (the public and potential
funders) and transparent to achieve legitimacy. It requires good skill sets in
each aspect of the delivery.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Communicate effectively: </span></b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Governing, reporting and leadership
are all very important in ultimate value creation.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><br /><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-90105075612348458482021-09-15T10:59:00.002+02:002023-11-29T11:16:11.341+02:00SOUTH AFRICA: HIGH COURT STILL NOT QUITE GETTING IT RIGHT<p><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">In the recent case of </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.saflii.org/cgi-bin/disp.pl?file=za/cases/ZAGPPHC/2021/463.html&query=icollege">iCollege
(Pty) Ltd (iCollege) v Excellence Skills Development and Mentoring (Expertease
Skills) and ZA Central Registry NPC <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">(</span>Domain
Name Registry)</a></b><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify; text-transform: uppercase;">, </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">iCollege (Pty)
Ltd sued </span><a name="_Hlk82576508" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">Expertease Skills for trade mark infringement
and passing off for their use of the mark ICOLLEGE, and requested the transfer
of the domain name <i>icollege.co.za</i> from the Domain Name Registry. The
citation of the Domain Name Registry is a mechanism for enforcement of the judgment,
and they did not take part in proceedings.</a></p><p><a name="_Hlk82576508" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is apparent from the decision that the High
Court, in dismissing the claim, has still not got to grips with the proper application
of the trade mark infringement tests, and this post will focus on these errors
and omissions and once again appeal to the court and legal practitioners to adopt
and follow the step-by-step approach used in Europe (see earlier posts </span></span><a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2012/07/10-reasons-to-follow-european-approach.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">here</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, </span></span><a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2012/07/trade-mark-checklist-part-1-principles.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">here</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> and </span></span><a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2012/07/trade-mark-checklist-for-infringement.html"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">here</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">) as it will help reduce
errors in application. The majority of the decision surrounds the trade mark
infringement claim under S34(1)(a) and so this post focuses on that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The claim for passing off and Section 34(1)(b)
and (c) are not dealt with in any detail and are abruptly dismissed as the
Section 34(1)(a) claim was not successful, albeit that there are also obvious errors
in this part of the judgement (for example at para 69 it states – “The test for
passing off with regards to section 34(1)(c) is set out by the court in <i>Laugh
It Off Promotions”</i>).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Facts and findings<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">iCollege</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #242121; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">provides accredited and
skills-based training with the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA)
at its 17 campuses nationwide and at an e-learning centre. It is the registered
proprietor of two device trade marks for iCollege covering education and
training services applied for in 2013 and 2018. The 2018 mark is the colour
mark as indicated in the table below.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At para 4 the judge makes a finding that
iCollege has made “<i>continuous and extensive use”</i> of the trade mark since
2013. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"></span><a href="https://icollege.co.za/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Expertease Skills</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> is an internet-based
business that provides E-Learning courses to consumers located worldwide for international,
technology vendor specific information technology certifications. It uses the
marks illustrated in the table below.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NRL5Bce9Jw0/YUG0t81DZiI/AAAAAAAABz4/luhUUMF3KO03YgChQPja7scahoy1vdJfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1575/Icolleges.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1575" height="257" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NRL5Bce9Jw0/YUG0t81DZiI/AAAAAAAABz4/luhUUMF3KO03YgChQPja7scahoy1vdJfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w437-h257/Icolleges.JPG" width="437" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In dismissing the iCollege’s the High Court in Pretoria made the following findings:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Comparison of the services (paras16-26)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“From the papers it would thus seem that the
main similarity between the business of the applicant and the respondent is
merely the fact that both render services in relation to “<i>education and
training services”</i> (I have already pointed out that the applicant’s
trade mark is registered in relation to, <i>inter alia</i>, “<i>education
and training services.”</i>) However, in my view, it does not follow that the
mere fact that both parties render “<i>educational and training services</i>”
would mean that they in fact render the same or similar educational and
training services, nor does it follow that the target market for these services
(the potential notional customer) is the same (para 26). This sentiment is
repeated at para 39.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Whilst the judge is correct that the two
parties do not provide the same services, she confuses the test of passing off for
that of trade mark infringement. For trade mark infringement purposes the services
are identical in that they are both education and training services or, put
differently, the services covered by iCollege’s trade mark are wide enough to
cover those in respect of which Xpertease Skills uses their trade marks. This is
a critical error.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Comparison of marks (paras 48-55)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Trade mark infringement was pleaded under all
provisions of Section 34 and the test is the same for each of the infringements
contemplated by that section. What is required of the judge is to make finding
as to whether the marks are identical, similar or different. If the marks are
different, the test stops there – there can be no infringement. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In this case, as Xpertease
Skills uses a different mark to that which is registered, the marks are obviously,
not identical. The question then is if they are not different, they must be similar
and what that level of similarity is. Importantly, for this part of the test, the
judge should not determine whether there is a likelihood of confusion. That would
be premature as it involves the interplay of the other parts of the infringement
tests e.g. similarity/identity of services, notional consumer, strength of the
earlier mark etc.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Para 48-55 unfortunately misapplies the test for
similarity of the marks and conflates it with other aspects of the tests for
infringement. This makes it difficult to determine what the court’s conclusion is
on the similarity of the marks. The test is also restricted to a comparison on
the logo marks in use and appears to ignore the fact that Xpertease Skills also
use the word mark on its own. This would reduce visual difference in the marks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At para 50 the judge finds that “<i>but for
the word iCollege / ICOLLEGE, the two marks are not, in my view, similar. The
ultimate test however is, as stated by the court in Cowbell, whether, on
comparison of the two marks, there is a likelihood of confusion</i>”. Perhaps by
this the judge is saying that the marks are only similar in that they include the
word iCollege, and that the rest of her analysis focusses on that. However,
even this liberal reading of the reasoning it does not make sense because it
fails to then draw on the conclusion on the similarity/identity of the goods in
assessing the likelihood of confusion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are also other errors such as the determination
of “material link” para 54. The term material link as used in the context of
the Verimark case cited in the judgement, and in Europe is there to determine
whether the use of the trade mark by the alleged infringer is trade mark use
(as opposed to pure incidental or descriptive use) and in the dilution test. In this case it is trite
that both parties are using iCollege as a trade mark and so the concept of ‘material
link” under S34(1)(a) is met. It is use of a mark by the alleged infringer in
the course of trade in the provision of educational services.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><b><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Notional Consumer (paras 56 – 65)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The penultimate finding under trade mark infringement
is at para 63 and illustrates that if there is a problem in the application of part
of the test, it perpetuates itself:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk82576508;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“ Apart from the
fact that the applicant placed no evidence before the court to substantiate a
likelihood of confusion within the context of this matter, I am not persuaded
that any customer would be confused into believing that the educational
services presented by the respondent are somehow linked to the applicant. I
have already pointed out that there are material differences between the
content of the courses presented by the parties as well as their respective
teaching methods. The common element of the marks (“college” or the
composite mark “icollege”) is, at best, weak in that it is, as already pointed
out, descriptive of the educational vehicle both parties use to offer their
educational services. The mark does not describe the applicant’s or
respondent’s educational services. In fact, the trade mark does not tell the
potential customer anything about the product. As such, the trademarks do not
serve as a badge of origin of the educational services it presents. Adding the
prefix “i” (composite mark) also does nothing more than to refer to the
internet.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
evidence to substantiate a likelihood of confusion for trade mark infringement
purposes is through the application of the applicable test. Whilst it may be
said that more evidence could have better served iCollege’s case, there cannot
be said to be “no evidence” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(for example,
iCollege’s registration certificates are evidence of their rights). Furthermore
the conclusions on likelihood of confusion are more appropriate to a passing
off test.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
correct conclusions based on what is in the judgement in this case, appear to
be better summarised as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a.)
the <b>marks are similar </b>if not highly similar<b> </b>in that they consist
of the identical components “iCollege” which are a material part of the marks
in the sense that they are the only verbal component, and visually prominent.
They are also conceptually identical insofar as a meaning can be ascribed to
them. The judge does conclude that the marks are at least similar.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">b.)
the <b><u>services are identical</u></b> in that those offered by </span><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Xpertease Skills are
covered by the trade mark registrations. The judge acknowledges this but appears
the be confused by the test of passing off which compares services in use.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">c.) the marks have been “<i>continuously
and extensively”</i> used (concluded in para 4) but are not well known. The
marks consist of the descriptive words “college” and “I” for “internet” which
are not strong components of the mark. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Portions
of the registered mark(s) (eg COLLEGE and I meaning INTERNET) is/are therefore relatively
weak mark inherently. However, as iCollege’s marks has/have been used over
almost ten years it has elevated their distinctiveness. In layman’s terms, not
as strong as the iPhone mark but still a protectable mark and, of course, it is
registered. On balance one may say that that iCollege’s mark is <b>deserving of
ordinary protection</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">d.) the consumer (of
educational and training services) is <b>an ordinary consumer</b> including
those seeking educational services online. Those seeking educational services
online may have a heightened level of awareness referred to in <i>YuppieChef </i>and
<b>may be more discerning</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">e.) <b>there is trade
mark use of iCollege</b> by the alleged infringer (as opposed to non trade mark
use or incidental use). <b>It is unauthorized</b>. </span><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So,
based on the judgement, we have unauthorised trade mark use of a similar (if
not highly similar) mark applied to identical services covered by the
registered trade mark offered to an ordinary consumer seeking educational services
online, who can be discerning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans",sans-serif" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
order come to the finding that the court did, it would need be convinced that
there are material differences in the marks or that the consumer is so
discerning that they would not likely be confused. I am not convinced that there
are material differences in the marks or that the consumer is that discerning,
but then who am I. My point is that had the court <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>applied the test in this way (or perhaps had the
papers have been pleaded in this way), the court would not make the mistakes
highlighted above, be less open to an appeal and, if there was an appeal, the
basis for the appeal would be clearer. It would make for greater clarity,
expediency and clarity all round.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-1813511004672679922021-04-16T10:34:00.000+02:002021-04-16T10:35:46.043+02:00World IP Day 2021 Free Workshop Event - IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In celebration of World Intellectual Property Day 2021, the <b><a href="https://www.up.ac.za/centre-for-intellectual-property-law">Centre for IP Law at the University of Pretoria</a></b> together with <b><a href="https://www.adams.africa/">Adams & Adams Attorneys</a></b> will host a free Workshop on <b>28 April 2021</b>. </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The theme for World IP Day 2021 is <b>IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market</b>. To that end, the free workshop will focus on how small- and medium-sized enterprises can benefit from using the IP system and other topics such as IP valuation, IP finance, IP infringement and IP licensing. There will be a free IP consultation in the form of a Q&A session for SMEs and individuals interested in learning about the best ways to take their ideas to market and protect their IP assets. </span><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGaibnKCP_0/YHlKst7a4bI/AAAAAAAAAlY/DoCZtqy1XnAWm9IqR4MVbPBwsbtQk5_jwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Copy%2Bof%2BCopy%2Bof%2BCopy%2Bof%2BColorful%2BInternational%2BChildren%2527s%2BBook%2BDay%2BEvent%2BFacebook%2BEvent%2BCover-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yGaibnKCP_0/YHlKst7a4bI/AAAAAAAAAlY/DoCZtqy1XnAWm9IqR4MVbPBwsbtQk5_jwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Copy%2Bof%2BCopy%2Bof%2BCopy%2Bof%2BColorful%2BInternational%2BChildren%2527s%2BBook%2BDay%2BEvent%2BFacebook%2BEvent%2BCover-1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Confirmed speakers so far include: </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pieter Visagie</b>, partner at Adams & Adams specialising in the drafting of patent specifications and the filing and prosecution of patent and designs applications both locally and abroad. </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Dr Chijioke Okorie</b>, lecturer and researcher at Centre for Intellectual Property Law, University of Pretoria. Chijioke is a copyright law expert and the author of the book, Multi-sided Music Platforms and the Law: Copyright, Law and Policy in Africa (Routledge, 2020).</span><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Eugene Honey</b>, Partner at Adams and Adams, has specialised in Trade Marks and Copyright matters, as well as Commercial IP matters including Franchising and Licensing, IP valuations, IP Due Diligence and IP portfolio management since 1991. He acts for many local and international trade mark Proprietors, Licensors and Franchisors. He has been on the EXCO and has been the legal advisor to the Franchise Association of South Africa since 2002. </span><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Lisa van Zuydam</b>, Senior Associate at Adams & Adams, is a qualified attorney and trade mark practitioner specialising in litigation relating to trade marks, copyright, passing-off, unlawful competition, domain name disputes, company and business name objections and advertising and regulatory issues in South Africa and across Africa. She advises and represents organisations of all sizes from small South African businesses to large multi-national organisations with substantial portfolios.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The Centre for IP Law and Adams & Adams teams hope to see you there! <br /><br /><b>Date:</b> Wednesday, 28 April 2021 <br /><br /><b>Time:</b> 11AM (SAST/GMT+2) <br /><br /><b>Cost:</b> Free (<b><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/world-ip-day-2021-free-workshop-ip-smes-taking-your-ideas-to-market-tickets-151053157059" target="_blank">Registration is required</a></b>)<br /><br /><b>Platform:</b> Zoom <br /> <br />Please register <b><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/world-ip-day-2021-free-workshop-ip-smes-taking-your-ideas-to-market-tickets-151053157059" target="_blank">here</a></b>. [To submit your questions and request free intellectual property consultation, please fill out the form with the information requested. The speakers will help answer your questions on the day] <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /></span><br /></div>Chijioke Ifeoma Okoriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10599860917152871531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-27788077842517840582021-04-01T10:20:00.003+02:002021-04-01T10:20:49.853+02:00Afro-IP is looking for you!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-swVg9DkFVLc/YGWCIjmmeTI/AAAAAAAABwU/F8dpw8MmR68kYOeKdEcXxti2potOrOtdACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Call.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="2048" height="352" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-swVg9DkFVLc/YGWCIjmmeTI/AAAAAAAABwU/F8dpw8MmR68kYOeKdEcXxti2potOrOtdACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h352/Call.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-49473778896194060072021-04-01T10:10:00.001+02:002021-04-01T10:10:17.318+02:00Mauritian Lead Public Private Educational Targets Counterfeits in South East Africa<p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tTGH5Q9Am-w/YGV-skcRbtI/AAAAAAAAAHM/8eaPUxYlaLkGj-FF5emKJBv45oER7wK4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s187/MRA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="104" data-original-width="187" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tTGH5Q9Am-w/YGV-skcRbtI/AAAAAAAAAHM/8eaPUxYlaLkGj-FF5emKJBv45oER7wK4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/MRA.JPG" /></a></div>INTA, together with the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) and
IPvocate Africa, organised a first virtual Customs training for 24 south-east
African countries that took place from 9 to 11 December 2020 (for English-speaking countries
and on 17 and 18 March 2021 (for French-speaking countries). Customs officials
from all around East Africa participated in the online seminar hosted on
the secure virtual conferencing platform of INTA. The training sessions will be
followed by a customs action targeting counterfeit goods in the region in the
second quarter of 2021.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The initiative was born out of a virtual Customs training program with
MRA during the lockdown in April 2020. MRA was pleased with the result of the
online training and initiated this regional event. Online customs trainings are
definitely the way forward, although they cannot permanently replace the
personal contacts with the customs officials. Going forward, right holders and
right holder organisations should push for online trainings in other regions of
the world as a supplement to actual physical training events where personal
contacts can be fostered. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nrzikH4wd7U/YGV-xLIaPcI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/gH9pcJiHA6whqcuTlzqBhr9lfHTeHiWdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1240/Afro-Dodo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nrzikH4wd7U/YGV-xLIaPcI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/gH9pcJiHA6whqcuTlzqBhr9lfHTeHiWdwCLcBGAsYHQ/w116-h200/Afro-Dodo.png" width="116" /></a></div><p></p>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: #1000; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Marius Schneider and Surishta Chetamun, <a href="mailto:office@ipvocateafrica.com">IPvocateAfrica </a></span>Afro-Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06558067588270693298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-5164825415787603742021-03-30T11:51:00.001+02:002023-11-29T11:29:43.019+02:00Scholarly Horizons - a new resource for all things copyright and more<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-XYfFtcxFc/YGLzZRTDY1I/AAAAAAAABv4/2ia4r04jErwjLbr10hc7LLbz4t6BThsOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s378/SH.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="378" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-XYfFtcxFc/YGLzZRTDY1I/AAAAAAAABv4/2ia4r04jErwjLbr10hc7LLbz4t6BThsOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/SH.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Denise Nicholson, the specialist librarian in
copyright and scholarly communication, has launched <a href="https://scholarlyhorizons.co.za/" target="_blank"><span color="windowtext"><i><b>Scholarly Horizons</b></i></span></a>, a resource and advisory service for
publishers, researchers and academics and more! According to the website launched this week, Scholarly Horizons offers various web
sessions which are particularly useful for academics, authors,
postgraduate students, and librarians, but can also be tailored for
corporates, government departments, specific interest groups, freelancers,
NGO’s, authors, and/or secondary school teachers and
learners.</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">In addition to this educational content, it has published its maiden informative <a href="https://scholarlyhorizons.co.za/ebulletin/ebulletin-march-2021/" target="_blank">ebulletin</a> and they provide an array of related services which are described <a href="https://scholarlyhorizons.co.za/ebulletin/ebulletin-march-2021/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This new service addresses a neglected need in the field of copyright and related rights. Knowing Denise from her work at Wits University, the service is likely to be of high quality and affordable. Afro-IP will be tracking her progress with interest and with luck she will send a guest post for our readers when she gets a gap.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">You can read more about Denise on this blog, <a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/search?q=denise+nicholson" target="_blank">here.</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p><br /></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-18572212140785764112021-03-30T11:22:00.000+02:002021-03-30T11:22:08.685+02:00Mauritius joins ARIPO<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-meuFyXcfk0A/YGLs-WNNK-I/AAAAAAAABvw/RS3JfGWl0tgOQXDS8QqZ7CSebpuVyW8qgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1240/Afro-Dodo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-meuFyXcfk0A/YGLs-WNNK-I/AAAAAAAABvw/RS3JfGWl0tgOQXDS8QqZ7CSebpuVyW8qgCLcBGAsYHQ/w116-h200/Afro-Dodo.png" width="116" /></a></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 14.98px;"><a href="mailto:office@ipvocateafrica.com" target="_blank">Marius Schneider</a> </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 14.98px;">& <a href="mailto:anticounterfeiting@ipvocateafrica.com" rel="nofollow">Nora Ho</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"><a href="mailto:anticounterfeiting@ipvocateafrica.com" rel="nofollow"> </a></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 14.98px;"><a href="mailto:anticounterfeiting@ipvocateafrica.com" rel="nofollow">Tu Nam</a>, IPvocate Africa Legal Advisers</span><span lang="DE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;"> have informed Afro-Dodo that t</span>he Republic of Mauritius is now the twentieth
African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) member state.
Mauritius deposited its instrument of accession to the Lusaka
Agreement which establishes ARIPO on 25 September 2020. Mauritius has
however not acceded to the relevant protocols related to patent, trade mark or
design. It is not possible to designate Mauritius via an ARIPO application. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">"We
have not heard anything locally on the future accession of Mauritius to the relevant
protocols related to patent, trade mark or design. It is therefore difficult to
predict whether accession to these protocols</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">is on the cards in the near future for
Mauritius."</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 14px;">For more on the development of IP in Mauritius on this blog click </span><a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/search?q=mauritius" style="font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 14px;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 14px;">.</span></p><p></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-52680304977648940222021-03-18T06:42:00.002+02:002021-03-18T06:42:26.763+02:00INTA Webcast Series: Enforcement of IP Rights in Africa<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4x6mhNYNn44/YFLYZKhwwTI/AAAAAAAABvE/Yg6UzA-Wr4kevFT3WKbeGUOnon9V-G-JwCLcBGAsYHQ/s735/BlogEnforce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="735" height="142" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4x6mhNYNn44/YFLYZKhwwTI/AAAAAAAABvE/Yg6UzA-Wr4kevFT3WKbeGUOnon9V-G-JwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h142/BlogEnforce.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">INTA,
the global association of brand owners and professionals supporting trademarks
and related IP to foster trust, economic growth, and innovation, have teamed up
with </span><b style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://www.ipvocateafrica.com/" target="_blank">Marius Schneider </a></b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">and </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-ferguson-b563748/?originalSubdomain=za" style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.5pt;" target="_blank"><b>Vanessa Ferguson</b></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"> to broadcast a webcast series dedicated
to Africa. It is available live or on demand!</span></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"> six-session webcast series, <b>Enforcement
of IP Rights in Africa</b>, will highlight developments in Africa. The
presenters include government officials, practitioners, and brand-owner
representatives from key jurisdictions.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The series starts with an overview session
focusing on the current economic climate, factors contributing to
counterfeiting, and the robust anti-counterfeiting activities taking place
across Africa. The four subsequent episodes focus on these topics in different
regions of the continent. In the final session, local and international
organizations will report on the initiatives they are taking to fight
counterfeiting in Africa.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The series will be presented live during the six weeks and will
subsequently be available on demand. Members and non-members can purchase a
single session or the entire series.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Marius Schneider and Vanessa Ferguson are no
strangers to this blog having launched their book “<i>Enforcement of Intellectual
Property Rights in Africa</i>” published by Oxford University Press in May 2020.</span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 20pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">You can
register for the events <a href="https://learning.inta.org/products/session-4-ip-enforcement-in-west-africa?force_login=1" target="_blank">here</a>. Today’s session covers <b><a href="https://learning.inta.org/products/session-4-ip-enforcement-in-west-africa?force_login=1 https://learning.inta.org/products/enforcement-of-ip-rights-in-africa-webcast-series?utm_source=ELearning%20Marketing&utm_medium=e-blast&utm_campaign=ELEARN2021&utm_term=NA&utm_content=0204_AfricaWebSeries_launch_memberregister_button?&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTkRCaVkyRXpOalEwWldKbSIsInQiOiJ6WXVtbTVndWF4ZjNDOW8xZHZvK3g4blA2VnZCUGh3bVVUNHk1ZnFXc3QwNjMzUDZcL3Iwa3NmRWNjYzRjWDZKSnJwU0owZU9IeDJmTnU5VmhORER1bjJpUnZXZTB5V2lKK0JaYmF3MytFbUVPY1J1YVwvbnNkdGhhWkxLVFoyd3BRIn0%3D" target="_blank">IP Enforcement in West Africa</a></b>:</span></p><p style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 20pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">"Being the number one economy and the country
with the largest population in Africa, Nigeria is the focal point of investors
in the West African region. At the same time, Nigeria has increasingly become a
target destination and a significant transit route for counterfeit and pirated
products. This has a significant impact on the neighbouring countries,
including member states of the regional IP organization, OAPI and Ghana—another
regional giant.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">”</span></i></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The event kicks off at 8:00am EDT. See you there! </span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQNMPVKbOZ4/YFLZtTCGU8I/AAAAAAAABvM/tk7IKPn-3M8LFr5cUz8xfb30CS35ql2pgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Afro-Buff-margin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="245" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQNMPVKbOZ4/YFLZtTCGU8I/AAAAAAAABvM/tk7IKPn-3M8LFr5cUz8xfb30CS35ql2pgCLcBGAsYHQ/w123-h200/Afro-Buff-margin.png" width="123" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 20.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><br /></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-20614234134445793702021-03-17T06:33:00.013+02:002023-11-29T11:38:08.896+02:00SOUTH AFRICA: CIGARETTE BRAND OWNERS OCEANS APART? <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Cape
Horn is a rugged headland that lies at the southernmost point of Terra de Fuego,
an archipelago at the very tip of South America. It is notoriously difficult to
navigate, with unpredictable weather, high seas, strong winds and turbule</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">nt
conditions. It is where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet and it took a Dutchman
Jacob Le Maire to first circumnavigate this cape in 1616. Fast forward 400 odd
years and we have a case report of a South African judge navigating the
turbulent waters of a trade mark dispute between a licensor and its former licensee
involving the brands PACIFIC and ATLANTIC for cigarettes. Can these trade marks mix in the marketplace, was the essential question.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Judge
Hughes of the Gauteng Division of the High Court was called upon to decide whether
Carnilinx (PTY) Ltd, a former licensee of Open Horizon Ltd’s PACIFIC trade
marks (whose license had been terminated for selling counterfeit PACIFIC BLUE cigarettes!),
was infringing those trade marks through the use of the mark ATLANTIC. Illustrations
of the marks in use are helpfully inserted in the judgment.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-itFi0uakhZw/YFGEFNTCkGI/AAAAAAAABu0/VPWIlRZh5ckfRYP4TaBkk5xlupux0EW7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1437/Pacific.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="1437" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-itFi0uakhZw/YFGEFNTCkGI/AAAAAAAABu0/VPWIlRZh5ckfRYP4TaBkk5xlupux0EW7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Pacific.JPG" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-itFi0uakhZw/YFGEFNTCkGI/AAAAAAAABu0/VPWIlRZh5ckfRYP4TaBkk5xlupux0EW7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1437/Pacific.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXSiT-95P1o/YFGEHg0odAI/AAAAAAAABu4/zz6MR5PNi_UDuqmqQQcZxrNAs4U0lxniwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1471/Atlantic.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="1471" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXSiT-95P1o/YFGEHg0odAI/AAAAAAAABu4/zz6MR5PNi_UDuqmqQQcZxrNAs4U0lxniwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Atlantic.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The
application was launched claiming infringement under Section 34(1)(a) of the South
Africa Trade Marks Act 194 of 1994. This section is the identical/similar mark,
identical goods infringement provision. It was trite that the goods, namely the
sale of cigarettes, were identical and so what lay before the court was to
decide whether the use of ATLANTIC infringed one of more of the PACIFIC trade
marks owned by Open Horizon. Although there are a number of trade marks to
consider, the essential question was whether ATLANTIC was a similar mark to
PACIFIC. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Not surprisingly, Judge Hughes,
in a well-reasoned judgment, decided that they were not, noting in the process
that a number of trade marks co-exit in the marketplace and on the register
with “ocean/sea/water” type themes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The
interesting aspect of this case is not so much the decision – few would argue
that the marks are too similar (except of course if this was your former licensee
who had built up trading goodwill using your brand only to switch it to something
arguably similar after selling counterfeit products of your own brand) – but the
lessons for licensors.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">In
the decision, there is reference to a standard clause in a license agreement requiring
the licensee not to impair any right, title and interest in the intellectual property:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">‘</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Title to the Intellectual
Property</span></i></b></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.2pt; margin: 7.2pt 0cm 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><i>5 1 The Licensee agrees that all right, title and internet in and to the
Intellectual Property vests in the Proprietor and that it shall have no claim
in and to the Intellectual Property.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.2pt; margin: 7.2pt 0cm 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><i>5.2 The Licensee may not during or after termination or cancellation of
this agreement:<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.2pt; margin: 7.2pt 0cm 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><i>5.2.1 dispute the validity or enforceability of these rights or the
Patents;<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.2pt; margin: 7.2pt 0cm 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><i>5.2.2 do anything that contests; or<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.2pt; margin: 7.2pt 0cm 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><i>5.2.2 in any way impairs, any part of that right and title and interest
of any of the intellectual property rights which may be the subject of this
Agreement and will not direct or assist any other person to do so.’</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.2pt; margin: 7.2pt 0cm 0cm; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><i><br /></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Now
knowing the outcome, the question is how this clause could have been strengthened
to avoid such a situation. The good about this clause is that it contemplates that it would survive the
termination of the agreement but it would have been better (for the licensor)
had it also prohibited the use of marks that contained, for example, “ocean-like
connotations” and made it clearer that it did survive termination of the agreement. Hindsight is an exact science but it does illustrate that care
should be taken when considering standard clauses and adapting them to one’s brand.
Too often short thrift is given to these clauses by licensors.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The
second lesson of this case lies in the attempt by Open Horizon to introduce a claim
for unlawful competition at the very last moment. The argument is contained in
para 41 of the decision:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><i>‘Bearing in mind the history of this matter
and the fact that the Respondent was previously licensed by the Applicant and
its predecessor-in-title, STIP, there can be no doubt that the only plausible
explanation is that the Respondent deliberately adopted its confusingly similar
ATLANTIC marks and get-ups in order to imitate the Applicant's successful
PACIFIC range of products, thereby obtaining a springboard advantage and taking
unfair advantage of the Applicant's fruits and labours. The Respondent is also
unlawfully interfering with the Applicant's exclusive rights in its
PACIFIC trade marks and PACIFIC get-ups.’ </i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">This
argument was not determined by the judge because it was relied on only after
pleadings had closed but, in my opinion, is a stronger argument than S34(1)(a) trade
mark infringement, especially as the optics do favour the licensor. However, it would have likely required
considerably stronger papers to have had any chance of being successful (it is not a slam dunk by an means) and
hence would have been more costly to bring. It is telling that the judge simply
dismissed it on grounds that it was out of time and did not express a finding
on the merits of it at all. This can signal that there is something in the argument.</span></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-794652531018190462020-09-10T14:11:00.016+02:002020-09-11T10:45:12.946+02:00In the world of COVID-19, has the value of the Intellectual Property become an afterthought? Guest Post<p><b style="font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mergers: cautionary tales</b></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a61daf4b-7fff-5f29-2f47-f6e3592f1fce"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) are happy hunting grounds for lawyers </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RFeQY_bbJFg/XzJ6_yLsulI/AAAAAAAABpM/zqoEVT9CNQkUI4US9giENVNK-O0b8w8zQCLcBGAsYHQ/s240/jeremy_sampson.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RFeQY_bbJFg/XzJ6_yLsulI/AAAAAAAABpM/zqoEVT9CNQkUI4US9giENVNK-O0b8w8zQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/jeremy_sampson.jpeg" title="Jeremy Sampson" /></a></div>and accountants.</span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the increasing numbers of distressed companies due to Covid-19 and the economic recession, the opportunities are increasing by the day. Add to this the weakness of the Rand and overseas investors, awash with cash, must be watching with heightened interest. Perhaps the main hurdle to inward investment is the ANC and regulatory issues which can be challenging. But while, as Michael Katz argued (“trade Carefully”, FM, July2), legal and financial examinations are always necessary, the metrics have changed.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twenty years ago, an investor would focus on NAV and the 80% of the value that is tangible. Today the roles are reversed: intangible assets, like patents and brands sometimes make up 80% of a company’s value.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is likely to accelerate. We live in a digital world turbocharged by Covid-19, a world of brands and reputation. As Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella put it, he’s seen more transformation in three months than the previous three years.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But this raises another challenge: figuring out if the assets are real, valued realistically and not in dispute. Nowadays, all major brands have their own profit and loss accounting. From this you can see that another option rather than a full-blown M&A is to buy or sell brands, provided they are separable from their owner. As companies review their strategies, they’ll ask which brands remain relevant, which are past their sell-by date and are there brands out there you would love to own that may be available? </span></p><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take the explosion in video conferencing options as we all work remotely. For many Skype was the main option but now we have quite a few more, including options from Microsoft and Google. A newcomer that has taken the market by storm is Zoom. Canny investors piled into Zoom Technologies in April, pushing its share price up threefold in five weeks. Only, it was the wrong Zoom: over the same period in April, Zoom Communications had risen a modest 30% until the US securities & exchange commission suspended trading in Zoom Technologies. Since then the right Zoom has soared on the market.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Egg on its face</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the most publicised oversights when it comes to due diligence of brands happened when Rolls-Royce sold its car division. The original company was founded in 1904 as an engineering group, though today it is best known for supplying aero engines to Boeing and Airbus. In the early 1970’s the group was close to liquidation and the UK government bailed it out. In 1973, the automotive division became a standalone company, Rolls-Royce Motorcars Limited, with its assets Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars. In 1998 Volkswagen won a bidding war with BMW to buy the car company for $790m. But unbeknown to Volkswagen, it had bought the plant, designs, a unionized work force and a car - but not the trademark Rolls Royce, which remained with the parent company. That left it with spätzle on its face. So Volkswagen could build a car to all intents and purposes a Rolls Royce but no call it a Rolls-Royce. It though it had bought a car but ended up with a dog. But it didn’t end there, as BMW then bought the rights to the Rolls Royce trademark for $66m. The result today is that we have a Bentley produced by Volkswagen and a Rolls-Royce produced by BMW. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Welcome to the new world of brands where Volvo is owned by the Chinese, Land Rover by the Indians and Mini by the Germans. It illustrates how, in most deals, the value of the intellectual property remains an afterthought. The world’s most valuable brand is Amazon, with the brand itself making up over 24% of total business value. Look at the S&P 500, and you’ll see that more than 77% of the value of these companies, in total, is made up of intangible assets. International investors are cognisant of these facts. It means that, for this new world, due diligence has to be far more rigorous than it used to be.</span></p><div><span style="font-size: 14px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><i><a href="https://brandfinance.com/who-we-are/our-people/person/jeremy-sampson/" target="_blank">Jeremy Sampson</a> is the managing director of Brand Finance Africa</i><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8PpwhN_Ewzo/X1s4dr50zcI/AAAAAAAABqc/_CEx1Y_xALU1L4j-pNsWxqJxyLL6rEvXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1200/LION.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="700" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8PpwhN_Ewzo/X1s4dr50zcI/AAAAAAAABqc/_CEx1Y_xALU1L4j-pNsWxqJxyLL6rEvXgCLcBGAsYHQ/w120-h205/LION.png" width="120" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-58263390226186828132020-09-10T14:10:00.002+02:002023-11-29T11:52:01.721+02:00OUP event: Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Africa<p><span lang="EN-GB">J</span><span lang="EN-US">ust a brief note to inform you that there will
be a free webinar to mark the launch of ‘Enforcement of Intellectual Property
Rights in Africa’ today 10 September at 3 PM UK time. Marius, Vanessa and Sarah would be very happy if
you could join this event. Link no longer available. Afro Leo attended.</span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8l6RzFv59lg/X1oXbfNpNQI/AAAAAAAABqE/qH59d48B_uAqQJoO55iPNqvL7AWPG9PigCLcBGAsYHQ/s491/OUP.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="393" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8l6RzFv59lg/X1oXbfNpNQI/AAAAAAAABqE/qH59d48B_uAqQJoO55iPNqvL7AWPG9PigCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/OUP.png" /></a></div><br /><p class="xmsonormal" style="line-height: 105%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><br /></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-19910024922445141782020-06-21T13:59:00.000+02:002020-06-22T08:43:50.049+02:00Copyright reforms likely unconstitutional says SA President in major decision<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tER2N8J2uPw/Xu9JJpJPV3I/AAAAAAAABlA/v6j4txoFcPAgk_kttrBvYBxC8bxnPvkogCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/S%2526L.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="928" height="241" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tER2N8J2uPw/Xu9JJpJPV3I/AAAAAAAABlA/v6j4txoFcPAgk_kttrBvYBxC8bxnPvkogCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/S%2526L.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The President of South Africa has made a much-awaited <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/v8l54u8j8t8qqnm/CAB.pdf?dl=0">announcement</a> regarding
the controversial Copyright Amendment Bill and Performer’s Protection Amendment
Bill in South Africa. His decision to refer the Bills <b>back to the National Assembly</b>
is because they “<i>may not pass constitutional muster</i>” and could be at risk of
being set aside by the courts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The reasons:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 18.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Incorrect tagging –the Bills were incorrectly tagged as section
75 Bills when they are section 76 Bills that affect cultural matters and trade.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">That the Bills will enact law that may be retrospective and
arbitrary deprivations of property. Copyright owners will be entitled to a “<i>lesser
share of the fruits of their property than was previously the case</i>” and there
is uncertainty as to how it would operate.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">A failure to consent on the material amendments including the
fair use provisions.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Impermissible delegation of legislative authority to the Minister
regarding the deprivation of property i.e. copyright from those to whom it was
assigned in the past.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Several new exceptions constitute:</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">arbitrary deprivation of property and violate the right to
freedom of trade, occupation, and profession.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">may conflict with international treaties signed by South Africa.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">For these reasons the
National Assembly is requested to consider “</span><b style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">the Bills afresh so that
their objectives can be realized speedily and without the risk of any constitutional
challenge”.</b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Afro Leo spoke with Afro
Chic who has been following the developments on CAB very closely: “<i>I wonder
what different outcome would have been achieved had a different process taken place?
What is clear from this is that copyright is considered “property” for the purposes
of Section 25 of the</i></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> Constitution</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">. This has potentially far reaching implications in the current
context of national debate on appropriation of property without compensation in
the land reformation process. One wonders what, potentially unintended, consequences
may come from that.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://www.adams.africa/staff/stephen-hollis/">Stephen Hollis</a>, Adams
& Adams, who has been a crusader for a number of trade associations that do
not support the Bills in their current form is delighted, citing this as “<i>a huge win
for the creative sectors</i>” whilst at the same time commenting that “<i>now
the real work begins</i>”. Stephen should also be delighted because much of reasoning
in the President’s communication was extracted directly from submissions that were
carefully prepared by him and others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Blind SA, who had
initiated <a href="https://citizen.co.za/lifestyle/your-life-entertainment-your-life/2298286/blind-sa-takes-ramaphosa-to-court-over-copyright-amendment-bill/">legal proceedings</a> to compel the President to comply with his duties
and who advocated for many of the changes in the Bill, stated that they will “<i>study
the State Attorney’s letter [containing the President’s decision] and the
options available to Blind SA</i>”.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/denise-rosemary-nicholson-5519607/?originalSubdomain=za">Denise Nicholson</a>, librarian at Wits University and well known proponent for signature of the Bills, was obviously disappointed - <i>"</i></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><i>One has to question,
if he views these issues as unconstitutional, why Ramaphosa only acted in terms
of his constitutional obligations after blind people had to take him to the
Constitutional Court and the USTR and EU stepped up their economic
bullying. Had he acted responsibly in terms of Section 79(1), maybe these
issues could have been resolved by now for the benefit of all stakeholders.
Many of the provisions in the Bill would have been extremely helpful for
libraries, archives, teaching and learning, research and innovation, during the
lockdown period. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><i>Perhaps the USTR, EU,
and multibillionaire conglomerates that are the main beneficiaries of copyright
from South Africa, especially from the educational and library sectors,
perceive this as a 'win'. Well, it is indeed a sad day for access to
information for education, research, innovation, AI, people with disabilities,
digitization programmes and preservation of our cultural heritage, authors and creators,
libraries and archives, etc. They all need many of the provisions in the Bill
to function in a digital world in the 21st century. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 11.25pt;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><i>Of course, everyone
wants this matter resolved fairly and efficiently, and for the benefit of all
South Africans. But, the President's failure to act decisively and within a
reasonable period as required by our Constitution has prejudiced everyone.
Access delayed is access denied for all!</i>"</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">It will not be easy or
quick for the National Assembly to deal with the constitutional aspects of the
Bill. The processes for section 76 Bills are significantly <a href="https://www.parliament.gov.za/how-law-made">different</a> from those of section
75 but that may not be the biggest hurdle says Afro-Chic who considers that the
National Assembly will likely need to refer the matter back to the Department of Trade and Industry. In snakes & ladders, that is like going from the final tier to the first, chimes in Afro Leo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Public consultation needs
to follow due process which will take time. On a positive note, the whole
process has brought copyright onto the national agenda and there is at least
agreement on the need for urgent reform. What happens next is likely to require
strong leadership and collaboration to take the process forward. There will need to be ladders to make the game move faster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;">For those new to action,
please read the numerous posts on this blog tracking the progress of CAB and
the divergent views on it. Here are some of them:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Us41FtN3d0/Xu9KPhlEIpI/AAAAAAAABlI/fnLXsOjTdX4vWKB78yY1Im7da3FeptgGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/LION.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Us41FtN3d0/Xu9KPhlEIpI/AAAAAAAABlI/fnLXsOjTdX4vWKB78yY1Im7da3FeptgGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/LION.png" width="116" /></a><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><b><a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-copyright-amendment-bill-where-to.html"><span style="color: #666666;">THE COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT BILL: WHERE TO FROM HERE?
ALUTA CONTINUA!</span></a><br />
<a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2019/08/decolonising-copyright-building-our.html"><span style="color: #666666;">DECOLONISING COPYRIGHT: BUILDING OUR CREATIVE AND
INFORMATION ECONOMY</span></a><br />
<a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2019/08/critics-of-south-africas-copyright.html"><span style="color: #666666;">CRITICS OF SOUTH AFRICA'S COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT BILL
GATHER</span></a><br />
<a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2019/08/re-creates-seminar-on-copyright.html"><span style="color: #666666;">RE-CREATE'S SEMINAR ON THE COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT BILL</span></a><br />
<a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-copyright-amendment-bill-where-are.html"><span style="color: #666666;">THE COPYRIGHT AMENDMENT BILL: WHERE ARE WE NOW?</span></a><br />
<a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-upcoming-seminar-on-knifes-edge.html"><span style="color: #666666;">EXPECTATIONS AHEAD OF 'ON A KNIFE'S EDGE'</span></a><br />
<a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2019/07/south-africas-copyright-bill-taking.html"><span style="color: #666666;">SOUTH AFRICA'S COPYRIGHT BILL - TAKING THE DEBATE
FORWARD</span></a><br />
<a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2017/12/has-south-africas-ip-agenda-been.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #666666;">HAS SOUTH AFRICA’S IP AGENDA
BEEN CAPTURED?</span></a><br />
</b><a href="https://afro-ip.blogspot.com/2019/08/resources-on-cab-debate-all-links-you.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #666666;"><b>RESOURCES ON THE CAB DEBATE:
ALL THE LINKS YOU NEE</b>D</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Credit: Jacqui Brown </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/120600995@N07/14125947172">https://www.flickr.com/photos/120600995@N07/14125947172</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Edited on 22 June to include comments from Denise Nicholson</span><br />
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Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-89077804968459343302020-06-10T22:28:00.002+02:002020-06-11T13:24:02.130+02:00Afro-IP chats to authors of Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Africa on Afro-Live<div><div>Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Africa by Marius Schneider and Vanessa Ferguson was published by Oxford University Press in May 2020.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KNzfLA3-Il0/XuITp5GB4nI/AAAAAAAABi4/QxUqo8ZrrT4V-lO48LrbnxIbW9JoY2yzwCK4BGAsYHg/s2000/AfroIP%2BBook%2Bcover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KNzfLA3-Il0/XuITp5GB4nI/AAAAAAAABi4/QxUqo8ZrrT4V-lO48LrbnxIbW9JoY2yzwCK4BGAsYHg/w200-h160/AfroIP%2BBook%2Bcover.png" width="200" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Filling a gap in the market, this is the first book dedicated to providing a detailed overview of the law and practice in relation to intellectual property rights enforcement in all 54 African countries. For the first time, a comprehensive manual on the conditions and procedures under which the civil and criminal courts, the police and customs take action with regard to counterfeit and pirated goods is publicly available.</div><div><br /></div><div>The book fully explains civil and criminal enforcement procedures, as well as customs recordals. Clear structure makes information easy and quick to find. It has been written in plain English and accessible to lawyers and non-lawyers alike.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can listen to the full interview with the authors over on the Afro-Live tab on the website or by clicking <a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/p/afro-live.html">here</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>For more information about the book including an overview, description, table of contents, author information and reviews click <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/enforcement-of-intellectual-property-rights-in-africa-9780198837336?cc=gb&lang=en#.">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Afro Leo congratulates Marius and Vanessa on their endeavours. This book will be a valuable addition to anyone interested in Africa as a market for their goods or services, and globally as it addresses the transhipment of goods across Africa. </div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjBPAwEID08/XuFBpIBDoMI/AAAAAAAABhk/Ld3Nt25-aA8F2ggB7bNwmhUXrJV1lqveACK4BGAsYHg/s1200/LION.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjBPAwEID08/XuFBpIBDoMI/AAAAAAAABhk/Ld3Nt25-aA8F2ggB7bNwmhUXrJV1lqveACK4BGAsYHg/w117-h200/LION.png" width="117" /></a></div></div>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-35961953076004009972020-06-06T12:47:00.002+02:002020-06-06T12:49:49.343+02:00A Lockdown Poem by Kelly Thompson<p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a guest post from Kelly Thompson.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b2bf1544-7fff-70dc-91e3-d991ec7db892"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Lockdown Poem.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I like our firm, I really do,</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jv2aNhSTkVg/XttzeymdokI/AAAAAAAABgQ/jhz5VdLUNFwQz4V0nK5PNUTZ91EUqjaiACK4BGAsYHg/s300/kelly_thompson.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jv2aNhSTkVg/XttzeymdokI/AAAAAAAABgQ/jhz5VdLUNFwQz4V0nK5PNUTZ91EUqjaiACK4BGAsYHg/kelly_thompson.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Floors 1 and 4 and 3 and 2.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From the far-flung branches to the basement and canteen,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the cubicles and boardrooms and stairs in between.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Piles of papers and mile-high files;</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Books and computers and trolleys in the aisles.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From all of these things we’ve had to flee,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To work from home and stay Covid-free.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The clicks on the keyboard, the ping of the lift,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Those mundane sounds would now be a gift.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When I work alone in my solitary room,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the only other faces I see are on Zoom!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My wine supplies are dwindling, grey hairs growing out,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I’m starting to rethink what life’s all about.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It’s not about the hustle and the bustle and the rush,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The work gets done without the stress and the crush.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Awareness grows in the pauses “in between”,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the quiet time, the stillness, and nature so green.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Creativity flourishes, the mind expands</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and humans just must find a use for their hands.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So I work and I walk and I bake and I eat,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And then I do it all again the next day, on repeat.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I’m a lawyer, a teacher, a mother, a cook,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I entertain myself with Netflix, I read the odd book.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But still something is missing, something’s not quite right,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">There’s a niggle that’s waking me up in the night.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Going paperless is fabulous, family time is great;</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So what’s bugging me so much? (Was it something I ate?).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Then it comes to me in that space between asleep and awake,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The thing that is causing my poor heart to ache.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It’s the people I miss, the chats and the smiles,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Even the grumpy ones, I miss them for miles!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A cup of tea with a colleague, a shared laugh in the passage,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The absence of these is surprisingly savage.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So upon reflection, it seems this much is true:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I don’t mind not seeing floors 4, 1 or 2…</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2d11f9e4-7fff-e028-2773-01c4e031f502"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What I am actually missing is all of YOU!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A guest post by Kelly Thompson.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "open sans", sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; white-space: pre;">Kelly is a partner at Adams & Adams Pretoria.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-69194092335462220212020-06-05T12:10:00.000+02:002020-06-05T12:10:39.624+02:00South Africa: More than 80 academics, researchers and teachers call on President to fix the patent laws<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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More than 80 leading academics, teachers and researchers have <a href="https://www.fixthepatentlaws.org/more-than-80-academics-researchers-and-teachers-call-on-president-ramaphosa-to-fix-the-patent-laws/">written</a> to the President surrounding the need to make changes to South Africa’s patent law, particularly around issues pertaining to COVID-19. It details their urges to the President to engage in a process of law reform- something to which his offices have already committed, although progress in this regard has been slow. The letter relates to both existing and prospective patented and patentable equipment that may be used to combat or mitigate the effects of the pandemic and includes products such as respirators and personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as diagnostic testing equipment and medicines. </div>
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The writers of the letter call on the President to make equipment available to all who need it, in line with both national and international imperatives- especially with regard to substantive examination of patent applications, lawful flexibility, and patentability criteria. The concern of the writers of the letters is that much of the equipment needed in the fight against the virus has been rendered unaffordable due to patenting- making it out of reach for many who need it. The writers express concern that in our current law, there is no requirement for substantive examination of patents to ensure they meet the requirements to be granted a patent which allows for loopholes such as patent evergreening which extends patent monopolies beyond 20 years and blocks entry of generic products. </div>
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These generics can be more affordable thus making the products more accessible. The writers also highlight that our current law also compromises supply security in South Africa- this has happened in many instances in the pharmaceutical domain in respect of medical conditions but is a problem that can be solved as was the case with antiretrovirals, where introduction of generics made treatment affordable and thus accessible. In 2018, the writers articulate, Cabinet approved the Intellectual Policy of the Republic of South Africa Phase 1. It has now been two years since the approval but the relevant legislation has still not come before Parliament. </div>
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The writers thus call for the draft legislation to be tabled expeditiously. In addition to this, the writers call upon the president to take special measures to ensure affordable access to COVID-19-related items. This could include a CIPC moratorium on the issue of patents over such products or compulsory licensing. </div>
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Brought to you by Afro Chic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Image Credit: United Nations COVID-19 Response</div>
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Afro Chichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221937340623206435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-46125150011062711672020-06-05T11:42:00.000+02:002020-06-05T12:03:56.779+02:00Protect yourself with proper PPE<br />
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The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it a sense of immense panic. There is universal concern as to how to protect oneself, loved ones, colleagues and others around them. The pandemic means we cannot do business as usual and personal protective equipment (PPE) has become the necessity of the day. In these turbulent economic times, this has become a pie of which many want a slice, often to the detriment of the innocent consumer who have, in many instances- purchased counterfeit products which are of inferior quality and do not serve to adequately protect them from getting the virus or from passing it along to others.</div>
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The stark reality is that few in society know what makes for adequate PPE or what type of PPE is appropriate for their use. Clamouring to get hold of PPE in a hurry has meant that people have simply grabbed whatever they could find- regardless of its origin. In addition, the sudden requirement of PPE for both health care professionals and others has made for a shortage of equipment, sometimes leaving people feeling like they have no choice but to make use of inferior equipment that is a replica of a registered item. Indeed, these are unprecedented times and it is important to provide guidance in obtaining the correct equipment and to understand the consequences of not doing so.</div>
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Adams and Adams published a <a href="https://www.adams.africa/legal-news/counterfeiting-of-personal-protection-equipment/">blog</a> on this subject. It states that many unregistered, substandard and expired goods have arrived at the borders of South Africa and that many are being advertised on social media platforms and elsewhere online. It cautions about the dangers of making use of such equipment indicating that it will not protect people from the virus. It also indicates that it is possible for consumers to know the difference between original and counterfeit products through examining whether they are approved by the European CE standard, the South African National Standards and International Organisation for Standardisation and South African Bureau of Standards. This can be done through examination of the certifying documents the PPE comes with or on the PPE itself. This must be checked by the end user. </div>
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Branded items are a good way of showing solidarity for a cause but also carry a risk. Should the branded item be found to be substandard- in this case should branded PPE be below par- the organisation who branded the item and sold or gave it to a consumer may well run the risk of liability should the product be proven to be inferior. For this reason organisations wishing to put their names and logos on PPE should first have verified that the PPE has a legitimate origin. It must also be ascertained whether it is the appropriate kind of PPE to be distributed to a specific consumer group. Certain PPE, for example, ought to be reserved for healthcare workers owing to shortages of this equipment and it is a lack of goodwill to provide this equipment to members of the public.</div>
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The importance of proper, safe and tested PPE cannot be overstated. It is up to all of us to ensure that the equipment that we use or distribute is safe and as effective as can be expected. There is a lot we do not know about the virus but what is certain is that we can all play our part in slowing its spread. Stay safe- not just by grabbing any PPE that seems available, but by making use of tried, tested and legitimate PPE.</div>
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Image credit: United Nations COVID-19 Response</div>
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Afro Chichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07221937340623206435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-13398239780810249682020-06-04T11:45:00.009+02:002023-11-29T11:59:49.152+02:00Africa and counterfeit pharmaceuticals in the time of COVID-19<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">Counterfeit and substandard medications
and critical medical supplies are flooding the world market due to the COVID-19
pandemic. In developing countries, including African coun</span></i><i style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US">tries, where
regulators and producers are often less active, the challenge to counter fake
pharmaceuticals is particularly high. <a href="https://www.ipvocateafrica.com/team/">Marius Schneider and Nora Ho Tu Nam</a> have
recently contributed a Current Intelligence article ‘<b>Africa and counterfeit
pharmaceuticals in the times of COVID-19’ </b>to the Journal of Intellectual
Property Law & Practice. The article is accessible freely <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jiplp/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jiplp/jpaa073/5827884">here</a>: </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-US">In fact, this free-access article forms
part of the numerous content made available by Oxford University Press (OUP) as
part of its response to</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span><i><span lang="EN-US">the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As a</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> <i>signatory
on the </i></span><i>Wellcome Trust statement pledging to share research findings and data </i><i>rapidly and op</i><i>enl</i><i>y, OUP has made available free of charge more than 2800
journal articles, handbooks, monograph books and chapters. To consult the list
of available resources, please visit this <a href="https://academic.oup.com/journals/pages/coronavirus#4ed8e35fef5c12e369d">link</a>.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FlBwy2dLvuk/XuIVpyEc08I/AAAAAAAABjk/VFSh4qEuwb4aiNuwA_UYdW2a7ztxAfGXgCK4BGAsYHg/s869/SA%2BConference%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="869" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FlBwy2dLvuk/XuIVpyEc08I/AAAAAAAABjk/VFSh4qEuwb4aiNuwA_UYdW2a7ztxAfGXgCK4BGAsYHg/s320/SA%2BConference%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div><p></p><br />Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-63456898009374699012020-05-20T21:47:00.000+02:002020-05-20T21:47:01.706+02:00INTA's 2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting Goes Virtual<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;">The International
Trademark Association (INTA) announced today that it will be transforming its
2020 Annual Meeting & Leadership Meeting in November into an all-virtual
event, in response to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the worldwide
COVID-19 pandemic.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In April, INTA announced
that it would hold a first-ever combined Annual Meeting & Leadership
Meeting on November 16<b>–</b>20 in Houston, Texas, but that it would continue
monitoring COVID-19 to determine the viability of an in-person event.
Earlier, when the health crisis first emerged, the Association postponed the
original 2020 Annual Meeting in Singapore, which would have taken place last
month.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With the virtual format,
the Annual Meeting will remain November 16<b>–</b>20; during the prior week, on
November 11<b>–</b>13, committee meetings and Leadership Meeting sessions for
INTA volunteers will be scheduled. Registration will open in early July.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In switching to the
online event, like with earlier changes, INTA continues to prioritize the
health and safety of members, staff, sponsors, exhibitors, and the community.
It has also taken into consideration members’ budget and travel restraints and
concerns, among other factors.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Cancelling the Annual
Meeting has not been an option for us,” said INTA CEO Etienne Sanz de Acedo.
“While the path here has come with a heavy heart, we believe this
forward-looking approach is the safest option right now and keeps registrants’
best interests in mind. Moreover, we are excited about the prospect of not only
bringing our community together again, but doing so in a new and innovative
way, on a secure and engaging platform.”</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The virtual meeting will include
live, simulated-live, and on-demand educational sessions, multiple networking
opportunities, an interactive Exhibit Hall, and many of the same features
registrants have come to expect at INTA’s in-person gatherings, such as Table
Topics and Speed Networking.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-joVdXgI0NWk/XsWIDV93DYI/AAAAAAAABbo/Y0EDpSFCGeE4kdBlFyCWEhb_HqmAXPLwACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/LION.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-joVdXgI0NWk/XsWIDV93DYI/AAAAAAAABbo/Y0EDpSFCGeE4kdBlFyCWEhb_HqmAXPLwACLcBGAsYHQ/s200/LION.png" width="116" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mr. Sanz de Acedo noted
that the new format “aligns with INTA’s digital transformation and pioneers a
future that incorporates virtual offerings into our in-person events.”</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Watch the video
announcement <u><a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FgVb2632MXgE&data=02%7C01%7CDarren.Olivier%40adams.africa%7C6ca8019064cb45ae7c9e08d7fce709c6%7C8df9fece58d34e219a8db674ac24caa6%7C0%7C0%7C637255941573271409&sdata=GIvn2eWIo1N6P5ODHfyAukMwNco%2F6Z6D%2F1M8T6Nztoc%3D&reserved=0">here</a></u>.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-ZA; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Whilst the annual rendezvous will be missed as a wonderful opportunity to catch up with colleagues and clients face to face, this is also an opportunity as it means that the conference becomes more accessible for Africans that often find the content cost prohibitive or exclusive to partners within firms. It will be interesting to learn more about the format and just how firms respond with their own initiatives. </span></div>
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Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2617183138118819994.post-59047205213072456462020-04-21T07:16:00.000+02:002020-04-21T07:19:52.815+02:00AFRO-LIVE delivers insights from Nairobi, Lagos and Cape Town<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pXQwNWy2B48/Xp6AKeo5qOI/AAAAAAAABa4/uHDHAlCXLYceDXOOimXqGsiJU6UbBXE2wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IPLive.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="800" height="166" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pXQwNWy2B48/Xp6AKeo5qOI/AAAAAAAABa4/uHDHAlCXLYceDXOOimXqGsiJU6UbBXE2wCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/IPLive.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The <b>CCC Series</b> continues with conversations with </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Isaac</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Chijioke</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Caroline</b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> about their experiences and views over lockdown:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Isaac speaks to us about COVID life in Kenya. How people are finding it challenging to shift work productivity when they are used to it working another way but at the same time are taking a turn to the arts such as cooking and poetry. "Develop your artistic side", he says.</i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In this podcast, Chijioke explains what it is like to be locked down in Nigeria. She chats about her own personal experiences and how the creative industry is coping with COVID. She also shares her own tips about how to cope with the COVID crisis...</i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Caroline explains how she is dealing with Covid19 in Cape Town on both a mirco and macro level. As a member of the higher education industry, she touches on copyright and how it effects us as we move our teaching online and adopt remote learning.</i><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">You can listen them to over on the<b> AFRO-Live tab</b> on the website or by clicking <a href="http://afro-ip.blogspot.com/p/afro-live.html">here</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span>Afro Leohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286511335136823881noreply@blogger.com0