Spoor & Fisher

Trade mark Prosecution

Tshepo Shabangu is a Trade Mark Practitioner, with BProc and LLB degrees from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and an LLM (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Bonn, Germany. She is an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa and a Notary Public.

Tshepo has over two decades of experience in the local and international selection, clearance, prosecution and registration of trade marks. She also has expertise in trade mark audits, IP portfolio management and due diligence investigations, as well as drafting IP related agreements and policies. She has extensive knowledge in corporate governance, having sat on boards of various trusts and companies. Tshepo speaks eight languages, including German.

Professional activities

Co-author of Traditional knowledge, cultural expressions and folklore chapter of Dean & Dyer: Introduction to Intellectual Property Law (Oxford University Press), 2014 Addressed the portfolio committee of Trade and Industry in South Africa Parliament, regarding the Traditional Knowledge Bill that was subsequently passed into law Co-authored the History of trade marks in South Africa chapter in A History of Brands and Branding: From Groot Constantia to Google 1685 to 2010 (Affinity Advertising & Publishing), 2011 Invited by Shanghai Intellectual Property Association (SIPA) to attend and address the delegates at the 9th Shanghai IP Forum on the soft power of cities Invited by the International Intellectual Property Institute (IIPI) to attend and present at a seminar on Specialised Intellectual Property Courts in Washington DC Member of the IBA Presidential task force on Cyber Security, contributor to IBA Cyber Security Guidelines, 2018 Member of the Steering Committee of the IBA Presidential task force on the Future of Legal Services Officer of the Bar Issues Commission of the IBA Council representative of the Law Society South Africa on the IBA Council

Market Recognition

Influential Women in IP – World IP Review, 2019 Best Women in Law Award (IP) – Woza Women in Law Awards, 2019 Ranked – Legal 500, 2019 Best Lawyers – Intellectual Property Law: South Africa, 2018-present Law Professional of the Year – The SA Professional Services Awards (SAPSA), 2019-2020 Ranked – WTR 1000, 2021 and 2022 Best IP Practitioners – World IP Review Leaders, 2021 and 2022 Woza Women in Law – Special Recognition Award 2022

English, German

Member – South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL) Member – Corporate Counsel Association of South Africa (CCASA) Member – European Community Trade Marks Association (ECTA) Member – International Bar Association (IBA) Member – National Bar Association (NBA) Member – Black Lawyers Association Member – German Chamber of Commerce Member – Austrian Chamber of Commerce Member – Legal Practice Council (LPC) Member – Institute of Directors

BProc, LLB (University of KwaZulu-Natal) LLM magna cum laude (University of Bonn, Germany). Attorney of the High Court of South Africa and Notary Public.