[Question] Great patent attorney

[duncan drennan]

Does anyone have a referral for a great patent attorney who has experience with international patents? They should preferably have an office in Johannesburg/Pretoria.

Thanks

[desA]

Adams & Adams (Pretoria). One of the 'established' IP houses.

You could also try Hahn & Hahn.

[AndyD]

I used Adams & Adams (Cape Town) a few years ago for a temporary patent and a PCT. They were not the cheapest by a long shot but they were efficient.

[duncan drennan]

I used Adams & Adams (Cape Town) a few years ago for a temporary patent and a PCT. They were not the cheapest by a long shot but they were efficient.

It is good to know that they are efficient. I sometimes worry that with big firms and small clients you just end up getting some intern handling the process. Thanks for that.

Any references other than the big guns?

[Mark Atkinson]

You might want to look into Spoor and Fisher. I hear they are really top notch. Haven't actually used them yet though.

[AndyD]

I sometimes worry that with big firms and small clients you just end up getting some intern handling the process.

This is always a risk. I think the only way you can avoid that is to get personal recommendations for a specific lawyer within a company and insist that he/she alone is responsible for your business with them. They are obviously going to have minions doing the donkey work but as long as they are overseeing the work from start to finish then you should be a for away.

Have you weighed up carefully if it will be worth going beyond a provisional patent with your invention? With hindsight I think there was no advantage to obtaining patents. I think one big question is can you afford to defend your property in court if it comes down to theft by a foreign producer? Nine times out of ten, unless you're packaging a novel product to make it enticing to a large established producer for wholemeal sale your patent may not be worth the cost.

I really would carefully consider if there will be real value in patenting but I wish you all the best whatever you decide.

[duncan drennan]

Have you weighed up carefully if it will be worth going beyond a provisional patent with your invention? With hindsight I think there was no advantage to obtaining patents. I think one big question is can you afford to defend your property in court if it comes down to theft by a foreign producer? Nine times out of ten, unless you're packaging a novel product to make it enticing to a large established producer for wholemeal sale your patent may not be worth the cost.

These are important points, ones which I am always telling clients and prospective clients. In this case my client has a niche product which he plans to market to a large established supplier. He already has an SA provisional patent, and wants to make sure it is protected internationally (which would be necessary in this case).

Defending a patent...that is always a big issue. No funds to do that and you might as well not waste your time...

[AnthonyVZ]

Before spending money on a patent attorney, try using some of the tools on www.ideanav.co.za - it is a website with free tools to assist South African inventors.