Kenya

Firm overview

Kaplan & Stratton (K&S) is one of Kenya’s oldest law firms having been established in 1927. The firm is regarded as one of the leading law firms in the region providing a full range of legal services for domestic and international clients. K&S is also one of the founder members of Lex-Africa, a leading network of independent law firms spanning 28 African countries.

The firm has been handling trade mark and intellectual property related work for nearly sixty years. It has one of the largest intellectual property departments in Kenya with a total of 13 personnel. The department is lead by partner Peter Hime and supported by Patrick Ikimire, both leading lawyers in the field. Peter Hime has over 40 years of experience and was a key contributor to drafting legislation governing trade mark law in Kenya in addition to dealing with trade mark work. Patrick Ikimire is also a specialist on patents, industrial designs, copyright, image rights, seeds and plant breeder’s rights, transgenic materials (GMOs), biotechnology and anti-counterfeit work.

The department works with clients in a wide a variety of industries and our specialist knowledge coupled with our intellectual property expertise ensures that we are able to provide high quality and effective service.

Our lawyers are also experienced in both contentious and non-contentious enforcement of intellectual property rights (including trade marks, patents, plant breeder rights, unregistered and registered designs, copyright and database rights and the law of passing off). We also advise on registration of rights through regional and international organisations.

Network Memberships:
International Trademark Association (INTA)
The Chartered Institute of Trademark Attorneys (CITMA)

Last updated 28th of June 2018

Firm overview

With a robust historical economic growth rate and a middle class population of over 35 million, East Africa remains the investment destination of choice for investors seeking to expand operations into Africa. The entry of multiple brands into the region has made the ability to register and protect the rights that investors and clients obtain in their products, services and brands an essential success component in the business environment.

Securing a knowledgeable and experienced legal adviser who understands the local complexities with the appropriate track record in navigating through the legal landscape is pivotal to this success. Working as one team coordinated across three jurisdictional offices, our unparalleled dedicated East Africa replace with Intellectual Property (IP) practice handles:

• IP litigation focuses on trademarks, patents, designs and copyright infringements 
• Multi-jurisdictional anti-counterfeits actions/raids;
• Trademark oppositions and expungement matters in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania;
• Designs and patent revocations;
• Brand migration advice;
• IP due diligence;
• Franchising; and
• Competition and IP opinions.

We act for clients both locally and internationally under the Madrid and ARIPO systems of registration, as well as national protection in other countries worldwide through a network of associate agent law firms.

The IP team is headed by John Syekei, who is regionally and globally renowned for his excellence in the IP space, and has received several recognitions and awards in his field. The 20-strong team consists of seven lawyers – including a lead partner in each of member office jurisdictions – and 13 patent agents and other support staff.

We have been ranked by the World Trademark Review 1000 (WTR) for the past few years. According to WTR, our dynamic and deeply experienced team is among the best in the country; we show great professionalism and know how to get things done. We won the Intellectual Property Team of the Year Award at the 2017 African Legal Awards and also recently named ‘Firm to Watch in African IP’ by Managing IP at a ceremony held in London in March 2018.

Our clients include leading multinationals from around the world within the financial services, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, and technology, media and telecommunications sectors.

Network Memberships: 
INTA, FICPI, GALA

Last updated 29th August 2018