Adams & Adams

Adams & Adams is a leading African law firm that provides intellectual property (IP), commercial law, real estate and dispute resolution advice and support, tailored to clients’ specific needs.
The firm is locally and internationally recognised for its work in South Africa and across the African continent and prides itself on its valuable client relationships and expertise of more than 100 skilled attorneys.

As the largest IP law firm in Africa, Adams & Adams works with clients across industries to protect, enforce and commercialise all forms of IP on the continent. With offices in four major cities in South Africa and another 23 associate offices in the rest of Africa, the firm serves as a gateway into Africa for IP clients, providing support in all jurisdictions on the continent and surrounding islands. Its IP service offering is complemented by a full spectrum of transactional and dispute resolution services offered by its multi-disciplinary commercial law, real estate and dispute resolution practice.

Through the firm’s extensive African network, it can assist its clients to expand into Africa by facilitating the establishment of effective business structures. Adams & Adams leverages its geographic footprint and depth of expertise in a unique manner. Through its strong network of associate offices, it reduces complexity, creates efficiencies, and provides economies of scale that enable it to offer expert services cost effectively.

This, in conjunction with its strong commitment to professionalism, driven by service excellence and partner accessibility, sets it apart from any other law firm on the continent.

Key IP Areas

Copyright & related rights, Designs, Intellectual property (contentious), Intellectual property (prosecution), IP transactions, Life sciences IP, Patent, Patent contentious, Patent prosecution, Trade mark, Trade mark contentious, Trade mark prosecution

Key Sector Expertise

Advertising, Agriculture, Arts, Automotive, Biotechnology, Chemical, Computer technology & services, Construction & materials, E-commerce, Electrical, Electronics, Fashion & luxury goods, Film, Financial services, FMCG, Food & beverage, Gaming, ICT & software, Industrials, Life sciences, Logistics, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Media, Medical device, Pharmaceutical, Real estate, Renewable energy, Universities & research, Tobacco, Telecommunication, Technology hardware

Adams & Adams is committed to being a responsible business both in the way that it is managed internally and in how we deliver client service; delivering a positive impact for our colleagues, clients, the profession, the environment and our local community.

This is underpinned by the firm’s culture and values of teamwork and respect, integrity and fairness, understanding and commitment, which is held core to everything that we do.

We take our corporate responsibility seriously and strongly believe in behaving in a socially responsible manner and giving something back to our people and our local communities where possible, and by helping to reduce the environmental impact of the firm’s operations.

We are proud to be a platinum sponsor of the King IV Report, a corporate governance code that sets out the philosophy, principles, practices and outcomes which serve as the benchmark for good corporate governance in South Africa – a lodestar to improving the impact that business can have in society.

The firm’s social responsibility programme is driven by its people and overseen by the Socio-Economic Development committee which meets regularly, putting issues of corporate social responsibility at the heart of the discussion internally.

Our responsible business programme broadly covers the following areas:

• Career Advancement & Pro Bono
• Children & Youth Welfare
• Skills transfer and Development
• Environment & Procurement
• Adams & Adams is the 2018 winner of the ManagingIP Global Award for Corporate Social
• Responsibility and Innovation in Africa.