Trade Marks

Kelly Thompson is a senior partner in the trade mark litigation group and the current chairperson of Adams & Adams. She is an experienced, top-tier ranked attorney and trade mark practitioner. Thompson advises some of the world’s top multi-national organisations on the protection and enforcement of their brands and other intellectual property in Africa. She also specialises in advertising law and disputes. She graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a Bachelor of Arts in 1996, and acquired her LLB in 1998 from the same institution. Thompson is a member of the Legal Practice Council, and a fellow of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL). She has served as chairperson of the trade mark litigation section of Adams & Adams and has contributed to numerous publications on various aspects of trade mark law.

Memberships: ADVOC Network – Member Global Advertising Lawyer Alliance (GALA) – Member International Trademark Association (INTA) – Member INTA: Famous and Well-known Marks Committee MEASA Sub-Committee Chair Legal Practice Council (LPC) – Member Pretoria Attorneys Association (PAA) – Member South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) – Fellow SAIIPL: Copyright Law Committee Member SAIIPL: Copyright Lecturer SAIIPL: Senior Domain Name Dispute Adjudicator

Accolades:

Best Lawyers® – Intellectual Property Law: South Africa | 2018 – 2023 Best Lawyers® – Litigation: South Africa | 2022 – 2023 Chambers Global - Ranked Lawyer | 2016 – 2023 Global IP Stars – Top 250 Women in IP | 2018 Legal 500 – Recommended Lawyer: Intellectual Property | 2019; 2022 – 2023 MIP – IP Stars: Trademarks | 2017 – 2023 Who’s Who Legal – Trade Marks| 2021 – 2022 WTR 1000 – Individuals: Enforcement and Litigation (Silver) | 2018 – 2023 WTR 1000 – Trademark Litigation | 2018 – 2019 (Silver) WIPR – WIPR Leaders: Trademarks | 2018; 2021 – 2022

Partner: Firm Chairperson

Admitted Attorney | 2001 Trade Mark Practitioner | 2001 LLB – University of Stellenbosch |1998 BA – University of Stellenbosch | 1996