Latest News and Insights
September 15, 2026
Own-Name Defence: Your Name Is Not a Free Pass
A recent UK High Court dispute between Estée Lauder Companies, luxury fragrance founder Jo Malone and fashion retailer Zara is drawing renewed attention to the limits of the so-called “own-name defence”. Both South African and UK law generally permit individuals to use their own names in good fai...
September 11, 2026
Patent Prosecution Highway: Where Does South Africa Fit In?
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) is an important work-sharing mechanism that can assist patent applicants to reduce prosecution timelines and, in some cases, prosecution costs, across multiple jurisdictions. The PPH network is expanding rapidly, including into African countries, making it inc...
September 4, 2026
After the Final Whistle: What the World Cup Taught Us about Counterfeit Jerseys
As South Africans celebrated Bafana Bafana's return to football's biggest stage, demand for team jerseys and World Cup-related merchandise surged. While the tournament created valuable commercial opportunities for retailers and brand owners, it also provided fertile ground for counterfeiters look...
September 2, 2026
Is the Strat Shape Still Fender's Signature Riff? The IP Battle Over an Iconic Guitar Design
The guitar community has recently been engaged in the age-old tradition of arguing on the internet over whether Fender is right to protect its iconic Stratocaster guitar design, or whether decades of ubiquity have made the shape as much a part of guitar culture as it is a Fender product....
August 28, 2026
Spoor & Fisher Returns as Platinum Sponsor of the 2026 SARIMA Conference
What does it take to turn a good idea into something that creates lasting impact? Often, it takes more than a breakthrough invention or an ambitious research project. It takes the right people, systems, partnerships and expertise to help that idea move from the drawing board into the world.
Th...
August 24, 2026
From Seizures to Strategy: South Africa's Evolving Battle Against Counterfeiting
While World Anti-Counterfeiting Day has come and gone, the challenge it highlights remains ever-present. In South Africa, counterfeiting continues to cost the economy billions of rands in lost revenue while authorities seize hundreds of thousands of illicit goods each year, highlighting that the ...
August 18, 2026
Photographs and Copyright: The Copyright Lessons Behind a Recent Celebrity Dispute
A recent copyright dispute involving media personality Ntando Duma and photographic agency Pixel Kollective has highlighted a common misconception about photographs and copyright. The dispute arose after a photograph, in respect of which Pixel Kollective owned the copyright, was allegedly used in...
August 7, 2026
Is There Such a Thing as a Free Lunch When You Win It? The Law Behind Promotional Competitions
A brand runs an on-pack promotion: buy a product, find the code inside, enter it on an app, and you might win a prize – from a free lunch to an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris. Thousands of people enter, and a winner is drawn. The marketing team would love to announce the winner with a photograph...
July 16, 2026
Dispute of the Showgirls: When Pop Culture Meets Trade Mark Confusion
The world’s most famous and beloved showgirl finds herself in another legal battle at the intersection of her latest album title “THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL”, and a trade mark registration for “CONFESSIONS OF A SHOWGIRL” owned by Las Vegas cabaret artist, writer and podcaster, Maren Flagg (who perfor...
July 15, 2026
The FIFA World Cup's Clean Stadium Rule and the Power of Intellectual Property
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway, bringing its trade mark spectacle to 16 host cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Behind the excitement, however, lies years of planning and a complex web of commercial arrangements designed to protect one of the world's most valuable sporting b...
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