Specialist, international intellectual property law firm Spoor & Fisher has been named as the South African “Law Firm of the Year” in Intellectual Property Law by Best Lawyers®. The award recognises a single top firm for its work in a specific legal practice area.

The awards are determined based on lawyer ballot feedback; the number of individual lawyers included in Best Lawyers® for that firm and practice area; the number of office locations a firm has; historical analysis of the firm’s “Lawyer of the Year” awards; and the firm’s overall scope and areas of expertise.

This is the first time the award has been bestowed on any IP law firm in South Africa.

Keith Brown, Chairperson of the Partnership said, “We are delighted to see that our emphasis on client service has led to such high recognition.”

Spoor & Fisher continues its winning streak with Best Lawyers®, one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession, with Dr Owen Dean; Jean McIvor; Carl van Rooyen; and Charles Webster being listed as best lawyers in Intellectual Property and Eben van Wyk being listed as best lawyer in Intellectual Property and in litigation. In addition, two partners, Charles Webster and Eben van Wyk are listed as Intellectual Property Lawyers of the Year in Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively.   

A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and the legal fraternity as a significant honour, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers.

During 2016, Spoor & Fisher ranked consistently as a leading intellectual property law firm as adjudged by reputable legal guides. The year opened on a high note with the firm being recognised by Acquisition International as the Best in International Trade Mark Litigation.

It was also conferred with the title of “Best Intellectual Property Law Firm in South Africa” by Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) and as many as 14 partners were listed as MIP’s IP Stars for 2016. MIP is a leading resource for news and analysis on all intellectual property developments worldwide.

The firm, for the second consecutive year, was also recommended as a top-tier law firm in South Africa by Legal 500 Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Directory 2016. Six partners were named as the country’s top lawyers by The Legal 500.

“The list of accolades is simply a measure of the quality of our lawyers and the degree of confidence our clients have placed in the partnership. These awards reflect the strength and depth of our practice and the extraordinary efforts of all at Spoor & Fisher,” says Brown in conclusion.

With dedicated offices in South Africa and Jersey, Channel Islands, coupled with a growing presence on the African continent, Spoor & Fisher handles filing, registration, prosecution and enforcement of trade marks, patents, designs and copyright. The firm’s intricate knowledge and experience across Africa and the Caribbean enables it to provide clients with robust intellectual property protection strategies.