Lawyers

Nishi Chetty

Adams & Adams, South Africa

Work Department

Trade Marks

Career

Nishi Chetty is a partner at Adams & Adams since the year 2005. She holds BA LLB degrees from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.  Nishi qualified as a trade mark practitioner in 2002 and was the first person of colour to qualify as a trade mark practitioner in South Africa.  From 2006 to 2013 Nishi sat on the firm’s Management Committee as branch office Chairperson.

She has also been a finalist for various awards including Oliver Empowerment Awards (Impumelelo) 2012 - Top Black Business Leader of the Year, Top Woman Awards 2012 - Top Woman Executive; African Access National Business Awards 2012 - Top Performing Businesswoman of the Year and Business Woman Association (BWA) – 2012 - Regional Business Achiever Awards, Professional Category.  Nishi has represented a number of top 100 South African companies and US Fortune 500 companies. Nishi has most recently i.e., January 2021 been recognised as an industry leader in the World IP Review (WIPR) which is based in the UK and is regarded as on one of the leading IP Journals worldwide.

Nishi also focuses on assisting Universities and Innovation Offices throughout South Africa with their trade mark and copyright portfolios. She has also assisted young students by being a part time lecturer for IP with Universities organised by the Black Lawyers Association.

Her practice areas include inter alia trade mark filings, searches, and prosecution, recordals of trade marks, assignments and registered users and litigation relating to trade marks; copyright, passing-off, unlawful competition, counterfeit goods, domain name disputes, close corporation and company name objections and related issues.

Memberships

Memberships

Legal Practice Council (LPC) – Member

Accolades

WIPR – WIPR Leaders: Trade marks | 2021 1st person of colour in South Africa to qualify as a trade mark practitioner African Access National Business Awards – Top Performing Business Woman of the Year: Finalist| 2012 Business Woman Association (BWA) Regional Business Achiever Awards – Professional Category: Finalist | 2012 Oliver Empowerment Awards (Impumelelo) – Top Black Business Leader of the Year: Finalist | 2012 Top Woman Awards - Top Woman Executive: Finalist | 2012 WIPR – Leaders: Trade Marks | 2021 – 2022 WIPR – Influential Women in IP: Diversity Champion | 2021 Best Lawyers® – Intellectual Property Law: South Africa | 2023

Position

Partner | Trade Mark Attorney

Education

Admitted Attorney | 2002 Qualified Trade Mark Practitioner (SAIIPL) | 2002 LLB – University of Natal | 1999 BA – University of Natal| 1997