Spoor & Fisher has once again been recognised as one of South Africa’s top Intellectual Property firms for 2022, in the South Africa Legal Rankings, according to Chambers & Partners.

The Chambers Global Guide ranks the top lawyers and law firms in over 200 jurisdictions across the world. Based on thousands of responses from clients, they provide in-depth insights  and reviews of the top ranked law firms, law departments and lawyers, globally. The firms included in the rankings have been recommended by in-house counsel, other third-party experts and private practice lawyers.

Spoor & Fisher is described by Chambers as a distinguished law firm with renowned proficiency across a heterogeneous variety of IP-related commercial concerns. Based in Pretoria, the firm is well regarded for its ability to service its prestigious client base in South Africa and throughout the continent, with clients derived from industry sectors such as healthcare, consumer goods and financial services. The team demonstrates proficiency acting for clients in areas including trade mark and patent prosecution and enforcement, acting for both plaintiffs and defendants, with comprehensive accompanying registration and renewal capabilities. Additionally, this firm is noted for its expertise in anti-counterfeiting.

Law firms and individual lawyers are ranked in bands from 1 (highest) to 6 (lowest) and being ranked in any band is a significant achievement. The qualities on which rankings are assessed include: technical legal ability; professional conduct; client service; commercial astuteness; diligence and commitment.

The Chambers and Partners, 2022 rankings recognised the following Spoor & Fisher lawyers for their expertise in Intellectual Property:

• Charles Webster -  An accomplished trade mark and copyright litigation counsel with further experience of issues relating to competition law.
• Carl van Rooyen - A long-standing lawyer in the market with a well-established reputation for his contentious IP representation. He is based in Pretoria and operates a practice which focuses on both trade mark and copyright disputes, as well as unlawful competition.
• Eben van Wyk - Servicing a roster of notable clients in the sports, consumer goods and retail industries from a base in Cape Town, he is instructed for his counsel on trade mark opposition and infringement disputes, as well as trade mark filings and domain name registration.
• Herman Blignaut - A skilled advocate based in Pretoria, from where he is regularly engaged on trade mark and copyright litigation and opposition. Market commentators note his work on major mandates in the market.
• Dina Biagio – Offering excellent advice to clients on broad range of commercial IP matters, including licensing and transactions, as well as carrying out IP audits and investigations, she is particularly noted for her work on patents.

In Patents, the following top ranked lawyers were recognised for their expertise:

• Hugh Moubray – He is one of the field's most notable and most well-respected lawyers. Having amassed a wealth of IP litigation experience in his career, he remains one of the most sought-out choices of counsel for opposition and infringement cases. He heads the firm's patent litigation practice.
• Jonathan Whittaker - He has a particularly well-established reputation for his patent work, with his extensive litigation experience being complemented by his advisory practice. He acts for clients in a range of areas including the mining and manufacturing sectors.

Clients across the board commended the firm, with one stating: "The quality of service received from Spoor & Fisher has been very impressive. Not only are they highly professional but they are always willing to provide assistance as and when required, which makes our already complex jobs so much easier."

Another client added: "The firm has an unparalleled level of expertise and experience in the field of trade mark law. Communications and consultations are conducted in a highly professional manner. They take a clear and concise approach to explain and clarify legal positions and challenges."

As one of the biggest filers of trade mark applications, Spoor & Fisher is geared to handle most any trade mark query or instruction, anywhere in the world. Its trade mark department deals with trade mark prosecution at all stages, as well as oppositions, trade mark infringement, passing off, ambush marketing, unlawful competition, company name objections, domain name disputes, regulatory provisions, and consumer- and advertising-related matters, with its litigation and anti-counterfeiting teams available for enforcement globally or across Africa.