Trademark protection, business registration and CIPC


A smart business is one that not only stands out, but is compliant in respect of legal and industry standards and requirements. In order to operate legally in South Africa your company must be registered with CIPC, or the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission. This is formalized in terms of company name, operational activities, ownership … Continue reading Trademark protection, business registration and CIPC

Amendments to your trademark after registration


Amendments After Registration The requests for amendments after registration must be applied for on form TM2, unless it is otherwise specified in the Regulations* and a fee of R19.00 is payable. * For example, an assignment (change of ownership of a trade mark) of a trade mark has to be requested on Form TM6 and … Continue reading Amendments to your trademark after registration

The lighter side of…attorney / client interaction…


So, I'm just a-sittin' here, waiting for South Africa's trademark database to come back online so I can do what I do best...search. The whole sad set-up was shut down Monday due to 'updating the system', but eyewitness accounts have it that the doors are closed to the public, no-one can search, file or do … Continue reading The lighter side of…attorney / client interaction…

Be careful if you love your counterfeit buys!


Trademark counterfeiting.   (A) No person shall knowingly do any of the following: (1) Attach, affix, or otherwise use a counterfeit mark in connection with the manufacture of goods or services, whether or not the goods or services are intended for sale or resale; (2) Possess, sell, or offer for sale tools, machines, instruments, materials, … Continue reading Be careful if you love your counterfeit buys!

The 10 most valuable trademarks in the world


According to Forbes, the ten most valuable trademarks in the world are: The Trademark: Google Trademark value: $44.3 billion Company market capitalization (number of shares times share price): $164 billion Still the most popular search engine, Google, with its mobile operating system Android, has now surpassed Blackberry and Apple’s systems in terms of market share. … Continue reading The 10 most valuable trademarks in the world