Patent Attorneys, Providing Intellectual Property services throughout Africa

South African Patents
The Patents act of 1978 governs the South African patent system and provides protection for patented inventions, including patents of addition. For more...

Other African Countries
Most African countries are either members of A.R.I.P.O or O.A.P.I., through which patent protection is afforded. Often patents can be filed in the specific country itself or through one of the abovementioned organizations. We are expertly placed to assist you in either regard. For a list of African countries click here.

South African Copyrights
Copyright is conferred by the Copyright Act, 1978 without registration.The Act protects literary, artistic and musical works, sound recordings, cinematographic films, computer programmes, radio and television broadcasts, satellite transmissions and published editions. The categories of persons who are afforded copyright protection are defined in the Act and include foreign persons and incorporated bodies from member states of the Berne Convention. More.

Other African Countries
Some African countries are members of the Berne convention.

South African Trademarks
Registible trademarks are distinctive signs of any kind and descriptions which are able to be represented graphically. The South African Trademark registration system is governed by the Trademarks Act, 1993. More.

Other African Countries
Most African countries are either members of A.R.I.P.O or O.A.P.I., through which Trademark protection is afforded. Often Trademark can be Registered in the specific country itself or through one of the abovementioned organizations. We are expertly placed to assist you in either regard. For a list of African countries click here.

In South Africa
The Designs Act, 1993 provides protection to aesthetic and functional designs through registration. Functional designs have features which are necessitated by the function which the article to which the design is applied is to perform and includes integrated circuit topography and mask works related thereto. Aesthetic designs relate to designs applied to articles of manufacture because of the pattern, shape, configuration or ornamentation of the design which is judged solely by the eye. Aesthetic designs must be new and original while functional designs must be new and not commonplace. More.

In the rest of Africa
Most African countries are either members of A.R.I.P.O or O.A.P.I., through which Design protection is afforded. Often Designs can be Registered in the specific country itself or through one of the abovementioned organizations. We are expertly placed to assist you in either regard. For a list of African countries click here.

In South Africa
A Counterfeit Goods Act provides enhanced means for dealing with counterfeit goods, especially at ports of entry to South Africa. The Merchandise Marks Act, 1941 deals with prohibited marks, the marking and covering of merchandise and false trade descriptions and marks.

In South Africa
We prides itself on our many international clients and to facilitate relations with our clients we are able to communicate in English, German, French, Korean, Dutch, Polish and Czech. Hahn & Hahn Inc also provides sworn translation services for translations from and to, French and German.

In South Africa

Apart from Capital Gains Tax (CGT) requirements, significant tax advantages may be realised when acquiring a business which owns intellectual property. In particular, the South African, UK and Australian tax regimes provide that any company purchasing intellectual property (excluding trademarks) is entitled to deduct the purchase price from its pre-tax earnings over the lifetime of the intellectual property. Please note that the company would still be able to depreciate the intellectual property whether or not it takes advantage of the above tax relief.

Whilst companies often spend considerable amounts on securing intellectual property rights, experience has shown that a proper valuation of such intellectual property, in particular the technology aspects thereof, is rerely carried out. By properly reflecting the intellectual property as an asset in the balance sheet as required by the Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP), a company could significantly improve its shareholder value and benefit from an often neglected, yet important source of value creation.

Furthermore, the valuation of a company's intellectual property will often bridge the gap that typically exists between the marketing and financial departments of large companies. For example, the marketing and R & D departments could justify their expenditure on advertising, research and promotional activities to the financial department by putting a value to the IP arising out of their efforts.

Please note that our IP valuation service is available to clients all over the world.