ENSafrica‘s intellectual property practice ’provides a world-class service‘ and ’an unparalleled level of efficiency in navigating through the complex and ever-evolving world of intellectual property‘, and the team garners praise for its ’in-depth knowledge of patent laws and regulations‘. Practice head Gaelyn Scott has a strong reputation for her expertise in advising on strategic portfolio and brand management, the enforcement of intellectual property rights and IP disputes. Waldo Steyn leads the commercial IP group, and counts licensing and franchising as core strengths. Joanne van Harmelen specialises in pharmaceutical, life sciences and biotechnology patents matters. Rowan Forster focuses on assisting agrochemical sector clients with trade mark and patent issues; he co-leads the trade mark prosecution team with the ’detail-oriented and extremely professional‘ Ilse du Plessis. Liézal Mostert and Tevin Jones are also singled out for their contributions.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘Approachable and friendly team with an impressive reach across Africa.’
‘Ilse du Plessis is a pleasure to deal with.'
'The team's level of professionalism and dedication surpasses all expectations. From the very beginning of the patent application process, they demonstrated an exceptional understanding of my needs and a keen attention to detail.'
'What truly sets them apart is their commitment to delivering a thorough and comprehensive service. The team's ability to think creatively and strategically proved invaluable. Their proactive approach and insightful suggestions truly showcased their expertise in the field.'
'The team was an absolute delight to work with. Their friendly demeanor, combined with their prompt and clear communication, fostered a positive and collaborative environment.'
'Their professionalism, combined with their creative thinking and friendly approach, has made them an unrivaled force in the field of intellectual property law.'
'Waldo Steyn shows an exceptional level of efficiency and professionalism. His attention to detail and commitment to excellence were evident in every aspect of our collaboration. His ability to simplify complex legal matters was truly remarkable. Whenever we encountered obstacles or challenges, he approached them with a fresh perspective and provided innovative solutions. His resourcefulness and adaptability truly set him apart. His exceptional qualities as a legal professional, combined with his friendly and approachable nature, make him a true asset to the firm.'
‘The practice has leading experts handling our matters in a professional manner with confidence.’
‘They are always available to help regardless of timelines we provide them with. Their passion for this field of law is displayed whilst engaging with our business. The partner is always involved in all matters. ’
‘ENS has great resources across the African continent to resolve any IP issue that may arise for our clients. Their team is skilled at communicating the issues from those jurisdictions to allow the clients to make informed decisions.’
‘The ENS team is very responsive and forthright with billing expectations to provide excellent service. When a billing issue arose, they professionally handled the issue and enabled us to continue with addressing client needs.’
‘The IP team provides world class service to us. Their advice is on point and there is never a time where you need to follow up. The team is always available and they are extremely professional and friendly.’
‘ENS Africa provides an excellent service in all facets of IP including trade mark prosecution.'
‘Ilse Du Plessis is detail-oriented and extremely professional in her approach. Her timely, precise and immaculate business advice has been helpful to us. She has a realistic approach. The advice she gives is holistic in nature based on the clients’ business needs. ’

Key clients

Altron TMT Proprietary Limited
ABSA Bank
Adcock Ingram Healthcare (Pty) Ltd
Bidvest
Bloomberg
Central University of Technology (CUT)
Ceva Animal
Christian Laboutin
Cipla
Cirque du Soleil
Conde Nast / Advance Legal
Core Computer Group
Cricket South Africa
Dr Reddy’s
EOH
Eskom
Ferrero Group / Soremartec
Grindrod
Korridor Holdings
Kganya Brands
Hilton Hotels
Hollard
Investec
Italtile
Lactalis
Life Healthcare
MTN Group
Nedbank
Ninety One
Omnia Group Proprietary Limited
Ram Couriers
Sappi
Sanlam
Servest
South African Airways
South African Reserve Bank
Telkom
Teva Pharmaceuticals
Tiger Food Brands Intellectual Property Holding Company
Unilever
UPL group
Weir Minerals

Work highlights

Advised Altron TMT SA Group Proprietary Limited on the IP aspects of a sale of business and a related “safety-net” licence to a counter party.
Assisting Omnia Group with multinational patent filing and portfolio management.
Assisted the UPL group of companies with filing over 1100 trade marks in multiple jurisdictions as well as maintaining the UPL in-house trade mark database.