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Intellectual Property and Technology

Our lawyers provide a full range of commercial, intellectual property law, privacy, sourcing and technology law services for leading businesses in Namibia. 

Intellectual property and technology law is at the core of any major business transaction or strategic dispute and has become one of the most critical legal areas as companies continue to expand and protect their technologies, brands, products, data and services around the globe. 

We provide both litigation-related (contentious) and strategic commercial advice to a wide range of industry sectors, helping clients achieve their objectives wherever they do business.

Companies deal on a daily basis with a myriad of relationships and contracts that bind them to their suppliers, customers, licensors, and distribution and other strategic partners. 

Our commercial contracts lawyers advise on all manner of business-critical national and international commercial transactions, among them sales, agency and distribution, e-commerce, joint ventures and collaborations, manufacturing, logistics, and licensing arrangements, and university spinouts, to name a few.

Key contacts

Peter Johns
Peter Johns DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile
Jurie Badenhorst
Jurie Badenhorst DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile

Personal information is an increasingly valuable – and increasingly risky – business asset. 

As businesses struggle to keep up with the critical, fast-changing data protection laws and face an increasing risk of serious data breaches, our lawyers can provide sophisticated data management, data security and privacy law advice in Namibia and beyond.

Key contacts

Peter Johns
Peter Johns DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile
Karin Klazen
Karin Klazen DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile

Our lawyers represent clients across the entire spectrum of businesses that have adopted franchising as a means of distribution and cover a broad scope of size and experience, from entrepreneurs and startup companies that are establishing new programs to franchisors and distributors.

Key contacts

Jurie Badenhorst
Jurie Badenhorst DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile

Our technology transactions and strategic sourcing lawyers focus on the development, protection, exploitation and use of intellectual property and technology-related assets through the stages of a company's growth, as well as the sourcing of strategic assets and services for use in a company's operations. 

We advise clients in core areas such as IP development, licensing, open source, outsourcing, procurement, joint ventures, technology transactions and telecommunications, among others.

Key contacts

Peter Johns
Peter Johns DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile
Jurie Badenhorst
Jurie Badenhorst DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile

Communications plays a critical role in the economies of all countries around the world, and its importance is only increasing with the rapid development of new technologies and products that revolutionize how people – and devices – communicate. 

Our lawyers have in-depth knowledge of the commercial, transactional, legal and regulatory issues associated with providing telecommunications services.

Key contacts

Peter Johns
Peter Johns DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile
Jurie Badenhorst
Jurie Badenhorst DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile

With increasing globalization it is difficult for companies to know where their next IP issue may arise. 

Our lawyers can help you manage your trademarks, designs and copyright in Namibia. We work on notable matters in Namibia and beyond and pride ourselves on giving practical and commercial advice to our clients.

Key contacts

Peter Johns
Peter Johns DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile
Jurie Badenhorst
Jurie Badenhorst DirectorEllis Shilengudwa Inc. Full profile

Experience has included advising: 

  • Regarding the settling of the sale of the Trademark Agreements between a commercial bank and a financial services company.
  • As general counsel to one of the largest internet service providers in Namibia, providing all aspects of legal services including, but not limited to, regulatory, licensing and general commercial aspects.
  • A communication service provider in the preparation of their licensing application with the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) and the Minister of Information and Technology.
  • On behalf of national and international communication services providers in relation to action instituted by Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) for the alleged infringement of the Communication Act.
  • Various local and international clients in respect of trademark protection and applications in Namibia.

Smart contracts and trust in Africa’s e-commerce revolution

The coming into effect and promulgation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has ushered in a new and exciting era for the continent. AfCFTA aims to enhance intra-African trade by providing a complete and mutually beneficial trade agreement among Member States. It covers goods and services, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy. On December 5, 2020, the African Union Assembly approved the start of trading under AfCFTA as of January 1, 2021.

The development of the digital economy: Competition regulation in Africa

Digital transformation is a driving force for innovative, inclusive and sustainable growth. The digital economy encompasses the economic and social activities that are boosted by platforms such as mobile and sensor networks, including e-commerce. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents an opportunity to boost growth, reduce poverty and expand economic inclusion in Africa.

Digitization: Facilitating the implementation of AfCFTA

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is an agreement among African Union (AU) Member States who have signed and ratified the agreement, to create a single liberalized African market. The combined African market (GDP) of the 55 Member States is valued at USD3.4 trillion with a population of 1.3 billion people, the majority of which are youths and women.