Western Cape intellectual property law firm expands in Africa
Von Seidels Intellectual Property Attorneys has recently established its presence in Namibia.
One of the attorneys in Von Seidels' patent practice, Gunther Roland, a Namibian citizen, recently qualified as a Namibian attorney and official African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) representative. Roland is also a South African registered attorney. Von Seidels now prepares and files ARIPO patent applications directly through its sister firm Roland Intellectual Property Consultants in Namibia and has just filed its first, direct, ARIPO patent last week.
Roland is on the left of the photograph, accompanied by his brother, a Namibian attorney who appeared for him in his admission, on the right.
An ARIPO patent provides protection in all the countries designated upon filing. ARIPO member countries possible to designate at this time are: Botswana, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. (São Tomé and Príncipe can also be designated for convention applications or national phases of PCT applications filed after 18 August 2014).