11 April 2025 – Adams & Adams has been recognised as Africa Firm of the Year at the annual Managing Intellectual Property (IP) Awards for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), which took place on 10 April at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. The firm also received the distinction of South Africa Patent Firm of the Year, with Senior Associate Lisa van Zuydam named South Africa Rising Star of the Year for her growing impact on the IP field.
"To be awarded South Africa's top patent firm and Africa's leading IP firm is a powerful endorsement of our continued leadership in the IP landscape. This prestigious award underscores our unwavering commitment to service excellence and innovation, reflecting the core values that drive Adams & Adams forward. Congratulations to Lisa on her achievement, which speaks volumes about the exceptional IP talent at Adams & Adams," says Kelly Thompson, Chairperson at Adams & Adams.
Now in its 20th year, the Managing IP Awards programme is the most comprehensive and widely respected IP law firm awards event in the legal industry. Recipients are selected through a rigorous research methodology based on comprehensive submissions, peer review and independent research.
As Africa Firm of the Year for 2025, Adams & Adams demonstrated its expertise in handling challenging IP cases. The recognition as South Africa Patent Firm of the Year highlights the firm's outstanding results in patent services in the region.
The success of Adams & Adams at the 2025 Managing IP Awards builds on a series of accolades recognising the firm's expertise in IP. In the latest Chambers Global rankings, the firm's IP team once again secured a prestigious Band 1 ranking. Several of our IP attorneys were also recognised by The Legal 500 as leading IP attorneys this year. In the WTR1000 2025, which rates the world's top trade mark lawyers, 21 of the firm's attorneys were recognised and the firm again earned a Gold ranking, re-affirming its leading position in South African IP law
"These prestigious achievements across our firm's practice areas strengthen our reputation in a highly competitive market. As a trusted partner to our clients, we offer strategic solutions to help them navigate the complexities of the legal field and realise their potential on the African continent," concludes Thompson.