Spoor & Fisher

Patent Chemical

Mark Kemp is a Patent Attorney and has BSc (Hons) (Chem) and BProc degrees. He is an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa.

Mark’s almost three decades of experience have covered domestic and international patent matters, including the preparation and prosecution of patent applications in the chemical, metallurgical, nanotechnology and biochemical fields, and related litigation. He files and prosecutes patent applications internationally for a wide range of local and foreign clients, most notably from the US and UK – from start-up to blue-chip companies, as well as universities and other parastatals

Consequently, Mark has taken over and successfully prosecuted a number of large patent portfolios for local and international clients. He also has extensive experience in advising pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies on launching new products to the market.

Professional activities

Co-author of the South African chapter on International Intellectual Property Law published by the Centre for International Studies.

Author of Chapter 91 laws of SA with commentary – Patents, World Intellectual Property Rights and Remedies (Centre for International Legal Studies), 2001-present.

Author of IP legislation for start-ups in the health sciences field in ZA, Euromoney Expert Guide: Patents, 2015.

Lecturer on IP Law: University of Cape Town, 2012-2013.

Market Recognition

Listed as one of the World’s Leading Practitioners in Euromoney's Expert Guides – Patents 2015, 2017 - 2020.

Listed in the Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars 2014 - 2021.

Listed in IAM's World's Leading Patent Professionals 2016 - 2020.

Best Lawyers – Intellectual Property Law: South Africa, 2022 and 2023

English, Afrikaans  

Fellow of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL). CET Group 5 Reporter of the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI).

Member of the Congress of Fellows of the Centre of International Studies (CIS).

Member of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI).

Past President of the South African Association of FICPI.

Former member of the Communication Commission of FICPI.

Former ZA Delegate of the FICPI Exco.

Associate Member of The South African Chemical Institute (SACI). Member of the Legal Practice Council (LPC).

Ranked- IP Stars 2024

Bsc (Hons) (Chem), BProc. SA Patent Attorney, Attorney of the High Court of SA.

Mark is a family man and enjoys a happy work life balance.  He is also an enthusiastic endurance athlete, having participated in numerous ultra - distance running events including South Africa’s iconic Comrades and Two Oceans Ultra Marathons. More recently he has turned to ultra-distance triathlons, having participated in a number of 70.3 Ironman events, and is currently in training for his first “full” Ironman.  Mark is an avid reader, suspense thrillers and biographies being his favourite escapes.