Following the exponential growth of the firm as a whole and the Durban practice in particular, Adams and Adams – one of the largest Intellectual Property law firms in SA – has moved to new offices in the commercial hub of Ridgeside Umhlanga.
Founded in 1908, this prestigious firm boasts a database of more than 12 000 active clients, many of whom are in the Fortune 500 and Top 500 local companies. And with offices in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Angola, Mozambique (ARIPO), Cameroon (OAPI), Burundi and Tanzania, Adams and Adams is the largest intellectual property (IP) firm in the Southern Hemisphere, with the most extensive physical presence throughout Africa.
The recent merger of the intellectual property practice of Bowman Gilfillan into that of its own, saw Adams and Adams take on six new partners, and over 60 professionals and staff, bringing together joint experience and capabilities that have a multi-faceted benefit for its clients.
“This merger will provide a launch pad for the training and mentorship of legal practitioners and law graduates in this specialised field and will further transform the legal profession in this niche area of practice,” says Nishi Chetty, managing partner of the Durban office, and the first person of colour to qualify as a Trade Mark Attorney in South Africa in terms of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law.
Chetty has also this year been nominated as a finalist in the TopCo-Oliver Empowerment Awards in the Category of Top Black Businessperson of the Year, as well as the Regional BWA Awards in the Professional Category and has recently been nominated as a finalist in the TopCo-African Access Awards in the category of Top Performing Businesswoman of the Year.
Joining Chetty in the Durban office to head up the firm’s Patents and Design law department in KZN is Vishen Pillay, a Registered Patent Attorney, with a degree in engineering. Supporting the Patents and Design law department, as a consultant, is Martin Rotteveel, who has over 30 years of experience practicing as a patent attorney.
Adams and Adams has received over 85 independent awards since 2010 – a first for any South African law firm. The most recent of these, and for the second year running, was for South African Intellectual Property Firm of the Year awarded at the Managing Intellectual Property Global Awards 2012 held in London.
The award was received by Dario Tanziani, Chairman of the firm, and Russell Bagnall, a partner in the Patent Department and Head of Patent Litigation. “These awards are continual recognition of the firm’s focus on our clients’ needs, as well as the changing legal landscape,” said Tanziani.
Adams and Adams prides itself on client care and accessibility, and Chetty believes the partners based in the Durban office are an exemplary example of these values.
For more on Adams and Adams, visit www.adamsadams.com or call the Durban office on 031 536 8240.