intellectual property · • uber b.v. in high court civil case 356 of 2016 kanuri ltd v uber b.v....
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INTELLECTUALPROPERTY
2
BOWMANS
Contents
04 OurFirm
05 OurFootprintinAfrica
06 OurEastAfricaIntellectualPropertyPractice
08 OurSignatureMatters
12 Accolades
14 KeyContacts
Intellectual Property
33
Our Firm
WithinfourAfricancountriesand
over400specialisedlawyers,weare
differentiatedbyourindependenceandthe
qualityoflegalservicesweprovide.
Wedrawonouruniqueknowledgeofthe
Africanbusinessenvironmentandin-depth
understandingofthesocio-politicalclimateto
adviseclientsonawiderangeoflegalissues.
Ouraimistoassistourclientsinachieving
theirobjectivesassmoothlyandefficiently
aspossiblewhileminimisingthelegaland
regulatoryrisks.
Ourclientsincludecorporates,multinationals
andstate-ownedenterprisesacrossarangeof
industrysectorsaswellasfinancialinstitutions
andgovernments.
Ourexpertiseisfrequentlyrecognisedby
independentresearchorganisations.Wewere
rankedfirstbydealvalueandsecondbydeal
countinMergermarket’s2018Africaleague
tablesforlegaladvisors.Wereceivedawards
infiveoutofsixcategoriesattheDealmakers
EastAfricaAwardsfor2018:toplegaladviser
inM&Aforbothdealflowandvalue,toplegal
adviserinGeneralCorporateFinanceforboth
transactionflowandvalue,andadvised
ontheDealoftheYear.IntheDealmakers
SouthAfricaAwardsfor2018,wewereplaced
firstfordealflowintheGeneralCorporate
Financecategory.
WewerenamedSouthAfricanLawFirmof
theYearfor2018intheChambersAfrica
AwardsforExcellenceandAfricanLawFirm
oftheYear(LargePractice)attheAfrican
LegalAwardshostedbyLegal Weekand
theCorporateCounselAssociationofSouth
Africa.Wewerealsooneofonlytwofirms
thattookhomethreepracticeawards-for
PropertyandConstructionTeamoftheYear,
EnergyandNaturalResourcesTeamofthe
YearandTMTTeamoftheYear.
Bowmans is a leading African law firm. Our track record of providing specialist legal services, both domestic and cross-border, in the fields of corporate law, banking and finance law and dispute resolution, spans over a century.
BOWMANS
CONTENTS PAGE4
Our Footprint in Africa
Bowmans offices
Relationship firm
Significant transaction or advisory experience
Bowmans offices
Relationship firm
Significant transaction or advisory experience
SOUTH AFRICA MOZAMBIQUE
NIGERIA
KENYA
TANZANIA
UGANDA
Bowmans offices
Relationship firm
Significant transaction or advisory experience
SOUTH AFRICA MOZAMBIQUE
NIGERIA
KENYA
TANZANIA
UGANDA
Bowmans offices
Relationship firm
Significant transaction or advisory experience
SOUTH AFRICA MOZAMBIQUE
NIGERIA
KENYA
TANZANIA
UGANDA
Bowmans offices
Relationship firm
Significant transaction or advisory experience
SOUTH AFRICA MOZAMBIQUE
NIGERIA
KENYA
TANZANIA
UGANDA
Bowmans offices
Relationship firm
Significant transaction or advisory experience
SOUTH AFRICA MOZAMBIQUE
NIGERIA
KENYA
TANZANIA
UGANDA
Weprovideintegratedlegalservices
throughoutAfricafromsixoffices
(CapeTown,DaresSalaam,Durban,
Johannesburg,KampalaandNairobi)in
fourcountries(Kenya,SouthAfrica,
TanzaniaandUganda).
WeworkcloselywithleadingNigerian
firm,UdoUdoma&Belo-Osagie,and
Mozambique-basedboutiquefirm,Taciana
PeãoLopes&AdvogadosAssociados.We
alsohavestrongrelationshipswithother
leadinglawfirmsacrosstherestofAfrica.
WearerepresentativesofLexMundi,aglobal
associationwithmorethan160independent
lawfirmsinallthemajorcentresacrossthe
globe.Thisassociationgivesusaccesstothe
bestfirmsineachjurisdictionrepresented.
Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE5
Witharobusthistoricaleconomicgrowth
rateandamiddleclasspopulationofover
35million,EastAfricaremainstheinvestment
destinationofchoiceforinvestorsseekingto
expandoperationsintoAfrica.Theentryof
multiplebrandsintotheregionhasmadethe
abilitytoregisterandprotecttherightsthat
investorsandclientsobtainintheirproducts,
servicesandbrandsanessentialsuccess
componentinthebusinessenvironment.
Securingaknowledgeableandexperienced
legaladviserwhounderstandsthelocal
complexitieswiththeappropriatetrack
recordinnavigatingthroughthelegal
landscapeispivotaltothissuccess.
Workingasoneteamcoordinatedacross
threejurisdictionaloffices,ourunparalleled
dedicatedEastAfricaReplacewith
IntellectualProperty(IP)Practicehandles:
• IPlitigationfocusingon
trademarks,patents,designs
andcopyrightinfringement;
• multi-jurisdictionalanticounterfeit
actions/raids;
• Trademarkoppositionsandexpungement
mattersinKenya,TanzaniaandUganda;
• Designandpatentrevocations;
• Brandmigrationadvice;
• IPduediligence;
• Franchising;and
• CompetitionandIPopinions.
Weactforclientsbothlocallyand
internationallyundertheMadridand
ARIPOsystemsofregistrationand
helpthemwithnationalprotectionin
othercountriesworldwidethrougha
networkofassociateagentlawfirms.
Ourclientsincludeleadingmultinationals
fromaroundtheworldwithinthefinancial
services,manufacturing,pharmaceutical
andhealthcare,andtechnology,media
andtelecommunicationssectors.
Our East Africa Intellectual Property Practice
BOWMANS
CONTENTS PAGE6
Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE7
Ourrecentexperienceincludesacting
for/advising:
Commercial IP transactions
• KansaiPlasconAfricaLtdinrelationtotheir
IPrightsasaresultoftheacquisitionofa
100%ofSadolinPaints.(KenyaandUganda).
• ABInBevinthedisposalofcertain
brandsinBotswana,Malawi,
MozambiqueandSwaziland.
• Variousbrandownersandlicensees
inrespecttofranchising,distribution
andlicensingarrangements,bothwithin
KenyaandwithinEastAfrica.
Filing, prosecution and strategy transactions
• AGRAontrademarkstrategyand
processesrelatingtoEthiopia,Ghana,
Kenya,Mozambique,TanzaniaandUganda.
• Cowbellonthefilingof20trademarks
undertheinternationalregistrationsystem
knownasMadrid.Thedesignatedcountries
include:Botswana,theEuropeanUnion,
Ghana,IndiaandMadagascar.Wecontinue
tomaintaintheportfolioofsomeofthe
outstandingtrademarks.
• DiageoBrandsB.V.inoppositiontothe
registrationoftheBLUELABELtrademark.
• EquityBankLtdonthestrategyanddesign
portfolioof21brandsinsevencountries
(withapossibilityofupto17countries)
acrossAfrica.
• EquityBankLtdonthestrategytobe
followedandfilingofover35trademarks
insevencountriesinAfrica,including:
Burundi,DemocraticRepublicofCongo
(DRC),Rwanda,SouthSudan,Tanzania,
UgandaandZanzibar.Wecontinueto
maintaintheportfolio.
• Javainthefilingoffourtrademarksin
16countriesincluding:Botswana,Egypt,
Ethiopia,Ghana,Kenya,Malawi,Morocco,
Namibia,Nigeria,OAPI,SouthAfrica,
Tanzania,Tunisia,ZambiaandZimbabwe.
• PhilipMorrisonthestrategytobefollowed
andfilingofseventrademarksinSouth
Sudan.Wecontinuetomaintaintheportfolio.
IP litigation
• BudweiserBudvarNationalCorporation
inatrademarkdisputeoverthe
BUDWEISERtrademark.(Tanzania)
• CIPLAbeforethePharmacy&Poisons
BoardandtheAnti-CounterfeitAgencyfor
breachesofitsintellectualproperty.(Kenya)
• DisneyEnterprisesInc.inaninfringement
oftheMICKEYMOUSElogomarkand
theULTIMATESPIDERMANanddevice
mark.(Kenya)
• GoogleInc.inoppositionproceedings
relatingtoitsBEBAPAYtrademark.(Kenya)
• KansaiPlascon(U)Ltdinanongoing
suitbroughtagainstRegalPaints(U)Ltd
fortrademarkinfringementandpassing
off.(Uganda)
• KCBBankinacopyrightandtrademark
infringementandpassingoffsuitfiledby
NewtonOirereNyambariga.(Kenya)
• MarriottHotelsinatrademarkinfringement
matterinvolvingtheMARRIOTT
trademark.(Kenya)
• NairobiJavaHouseLtdinaHigh
CourtCivilAppealfollowingthedecision
oftheRegistrarfollowingtrademark
oppositionproceedingsinKampala.
(KenyaandUganda)
• Proctor&Gamble(PG)inanadverti
singdisputeagainstUnileverwhoargue
thatPG’stelevisionandbillboarddetergent
advertisingcampaigncontravenedthe
Our Signature Matters
BOWMANS
CONTENTS PAGE8
CodeofAdvertisingPracticeandDirect
MarketingpublishedbytheAdvertising
StandardsBodyofKenya.Unilever
arguesthatthecampaignamountsto
comparativeadvertisingandiswithout
substantiation.(Kenya)
• ScotchWhiskyAssociationina
trademarkdisputeoverMcKenzie
RoyalWhisky.(Tanzania)
• SonyCorporationinaHighCourtappeal
againstarulingoftheAssistantRegistrar
thatallowedtheApplicant’smarkto
proceedforregistration.(Kenya)
• Tiffany&Company,apremiumluxuryjewellery
brand,incross-borderIPlitigation.(Tanzania)
• UBERB.V.inHighCourtCivilCase356
of2016KanuriLtdvUberB.V.Thiscase
seekstoestablishcontractualrightsofparties
inaserviceagreementandtheabilityofa
partytochangetermsatitsowndiscretion
whereprovidedforbycontract.(Kenya)
• ViacomInternationalInc.inopposition
proceedingsagainstGlitzEntertainmentLtd
inatrademarkdisputeoverthe
markUNPLUGGED.(Tanzania)
Anti-counterfeit
• ADIDASGmbHinfilingacounterfeit
actionbeforetheKenyanAnti-Counterfeit
Agencyresultinginthesuccessfulraid,
seizureanddestructionofaconsignment
ofcounterfeitproductsatthePortof
Mombasathatwereinfringingonthe
protectedtrademarkrightsofADIDAS.
• CaterpillarInc.inasuccessfulanti-
counterfeitenforcementcovering
MombasaandNairobi.
• DiageoBrandsB.V.andEastAfrica
BreweriesLtdinacounterfeit
complaintonJohnnieWalkerBlack
andRedLabelinRwanda
• GlaxoSmithKline(GSK)infilinga
counterfeitactionbeforetheKenyan
Anti-CounterfeitAgencyandthe
CommissionerforCustomsresulting
inthesuccessfulraid,seizureand
destructionofaconsignmentof
counterfeitproductsinfringingonthe
protectedtrademarkrightsofGSK.
• WahlClipperinacountrywidecounterfeit
enforcementagainsttradersdealingin
counterfeitproductsbearingthe
Wahltrademark
Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE9
Gaming, fintech and related transactions
• AirbnbPaymentsUKLtdontheviability
of,andregulatorylandscapeapplicable
to,improvedfunctionalityontheir
paymentsplatform.
• BacardiandLewisSilkinLLPonthe
MARTINIonlinecompetitionandthe
termsandconditionsfortheMARTINI150
momentspromotion.
• AleadingbanklistedontheNairobi
StockExchangeindevelopingnovel
e-commerceagreementsaimedat
incorporatingcomplextechnology
systemsintotheirdailybanking,payment
andtransactionfunctions.
• Fish&RichardsonP.C.onbehalfof
theirclientIntelCorporationonbetting
andgaminglawsandregulation,data
protectionandprivacylawsinKenya.
• InventureMobileLtd(Tala)onthe
viabilityandregulatorylandscape
applicabletoaconsumercreditproduct,
includingdraftingproductterms
andconditions.
• ReedSmithonbehalfoftheirclient
E-PrizeandIntelCorporationonbetting
andgaminglawsandregulation,data
protectionandprivacylawsinKenya.
• SegoviaTechnologyontheviabilityand
regulatorylandscapeapplicabletoan
advancedmoneyremittanceservice.
• SimpliceBileAnohonthesettingupofa
digitalbettingcompany.
• Visaonbettingandgaminglawsand
regulation,dataprotectionandprivacy
lawsinKenya.
BOWMANS
CONTENTS PAGE10
CONTENTS PAGE11
Intellectual Property
Accolades
AFRICAN LEGAL AWARDS 2018
WewerenamedAfricanLawFirmoftheYear(LargePractice).
Wewerealsooneofonlytwofirmsthattookhomethree
practiceawards-forPropertyandConstructionTeamofthe
Year,EnergyandNaturalResourcesTeamoftheYearand
TMTTeamoftheYear.
CHAMBERS AFRICA AWARDS 2018
WewerenamedSouthAfricanLawFirmoftheYear.
DEALMAKERS SOUTH AFRICA AWARDS 2018
Wewereplacedfirstfordealflowandthirdfordealvaluein
theGeneralCorporateFinancecategory,andthirdfordeal
valueandfourthfordealflowintheM&Acategory.
DEALMAKERS EAST AFRICA AWARDS 2018
Wereceivedawardsinfiveoutofsixcategories:top
legaladviserinM&Aforbothdealflowandvalue,top
legaladviserinGeneralCorporateFinanceforboth
transactionflowandvalue,andadvisedontheDealof
theYear(theRubisEnergietakeoverofKenolKobil).
MERGERMARKET LEAGUE TABLES 2018
Wewererankedfirstbydealvalueandsecondbydealcount
intheAfricaleaguetablesforlegaladvisors,andthirdbydeal
countintheMiddleEast&Africaleaguetableforlegaladvisors.
BOWMANS
CONTENTS PAGE12
71 37 66Recognised Lawyers
Recognised Lawyers
Recognised Lawyers
BAND 1
KENYA
Banking&Finance
Corporate/M&A
Employment
IntellectualProperty
RealEstate
SOUTH AFRICA
CapitalMarkets:Debt
CapitalMarkets:Equity
Competition/Antitrust
CorporateInvestigations
Corporate/M&A
Employment
Environment
IT&Telecommunications
Projects&Energy
PublicLaw
Shipping
Tax
TANZANIA
GeneralBusinessLaw
UGANDA
GeneralBusinessLaw
BAND 2
SOUTH AFRICA
Banking&Finance
DisputeResolution
Fintech
Media&Broadcasting
Restructuring/Insolvency
KENYA
Fintech
Projects&Energy
CHAMBERS & PARTNERS 2019 RANKED US IN
THE FOLLOWING AREAS
TIER 1
KENYA
Financial&Corporate
Mining
SOUTH AFRICA
CapitalMarkets
Power
M&A
UGANDA
Financial&Corporate
ProjectDevelopment
TIER 2
KENYA
Power
Infrastructure
SOUTH AFRICA
Banking
Infrastructure
Mining
Oil&Gas
ProjectFinance
TIER 3
TANZANIA
Financial&Corporate
ProjectDevelopment
IFLR1000 2019 RANKED US IN THE
FOLLOWING AREAS
TIER 1
KENYA
Banking&Finance
Commercial,Corporate&M&A
Employment
RealEstate&Construction
SOUTH AFRICA
Commercial,Corporate&M&A
Competition
Employment
Projects&Infrastructure
Shipping
TANZANIA
LeadingFirm
UGANDA
LeadingFirm
TIER 2
KENYA
DisputeResolution
Privitisation&Projects
SOUTH AFRICA
Banking&Finance
Construction
DisputeResolution
InvestmentFunds
Tax
THE LEGAL 500 EMEA 2019 RANKED US IN
THE FOLLOWING AREAS
Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE13
Key Contacts
AUDAX KAMEJA
Partner
DaresSalaam,Tanzania
T:+255768988643
ANTHONY NJOGU
Partner
Nairobi,Kenya
T: +254202899000
JOHN SYEKEI
HeadofIntellectualPropertyEastAfrica
Nairobi,Kenya
T:+254202899000
BOWMANS
CONTENTS PAGE14
TERRY MWANGO
Partner
Nairobi,Kenya
T:+254202899000
To view profiles of our lawyers,
please visit www.bowmanslaw.com
FREDERICK MPANGA Partner
Kampala,Uganda T:+256414254540
Intellectual Property
CONTENTS PAGE15
Cape Town
T: +27214807800
Dar es Salaam
T: +255768988640
Durban
T: +27312650651
Johannesburg
T: +27116699000
Kampala
T: +256414254540
Nairobi
T: +254202899000
Follow us on Twitter:
@Bowmans_Law
www.bowmanslaw.com
CONTENTS PAGE