Africa offers real opportunity for international brand owners, but protecting trade marks across the continent demands a strategic, jurisdiction-specific approach. With over 50 countries and two regional systems operating alongside national regimes, attorneys must navigate genuine complexity to secure and enforce client rights effectively.
This webinar equips you with the skills to advise confidently on Africa. We'll compare national, regional (ARIPO and OAPI) and international filing routes, unpack recent legal developments, flag common pitfalls, and examine enforcement trends and anti-counterfeiting strategies across key jurisdictions.
Using real-world case studies, we'll explore recent changes affecting ARIPO membership and procedure, the practical realities and limits of Madrid Protocol designations in African markets, and how customs enforcement is evolving to tackle counterfeit goods at the border.
You will leave with clear, practical guidance for building robust filing and enforcement strategies for clients entering or expanding across Africa's key markets.
Learning outcomes
- Weigh up national, ARIPO, OAPI and Madrid Protocol routes to build the right filing strategy for each client
- Understand how recent ARIPO changes and other legal developments affect existing and future filings
- Spot the jurisdiction-specific pitfalls that most often catch out foreign filers in Africa
- Apply customs enforcement and anti-counterfeiting tools to protect clients' marks on the ground
Meet your speakers
Megan Dinnie, Spoor and Fisher
Megan specialises in trade mark litigation, enforcement and portfolio management across Africa and the Caribbean. Her experience spans oppositions, infringement disputes, anti-counterfeiting, copyright matters, domain name disputes, filing strategies, prosecution and portfolio maintenance for a broad range of international brand owners, including clients in the food & beverage, pharmaceutical, retail, fashion and automotive sectors.
She advises on both contentious and non-contentious trade mark matters across multiple jurisdictions and has particular experience navigating the complexities of brand protection throughout Africa.
In addition to her trade mark litigation and portfolio practice, Megan works closely with international brand owners on developing and implementing effective enforcement and protection strategies across diverse African markets. Her practical insight into regional trade mark systems, anti-counterfeiting measures and cross-border brand protection enables her to provide commercially focused advice tailored to clients operating across multiple jurisdictions.
Megan has been recognised by Managing IP IP Stars as a Rising Star, reflecting her growing reputation and expertise in the intellectual property field.
Chris Smith, Spoor and Fisher
Chris specialises in all aspects of trade mark formalities, prosecution, and portfolio management across Africa and also the Caribbean. His experience spans clearance searches, filing strategies, prosecution, maintenance and contentious matters for a broad range of international brand owners, including clients in the food & beverage, pharmaceutical and telecommunications sectors.
In addition to his trade mark client portfolio practice, Chris also leads our trade mark administration team at Spoor & Fisher Jersey, overseeing quality assurance, compliance and best practice across all post-filing formalities processes. His role gives him both strategic and practical insight into the operational challenges faced by in-house teams and practitioners managing international trade mark portfolios across multiple jurisdictions.
Cost
- Member £0 (VAT exempt)
- Standard £35 (VAT exempt)
To note
- Payment online via debit or credit card only; proforma invoices are not available.
- Full terms and conditions apply.
- Closing date: 12.30pm, Wednesday 14th October
