ǼLEX is a full-service law firm and its IP department draws on the experience of members of other practice groups within the firm such as tax, commercial, dispute resolution and regulatory compliance.
Our IP practice is recognised as one of the leading IP practices in Nigeria. The firm handles all matters (both of a contentious and non-contentious nature) relating to trademarks, patents, copyright, franchising, licensing, distributorship agreements and technology transfer. The firm files trademark, patent and design applications in Nigeria, Ghana and in countries in the African Intellectual Property Organisation through an agent.
We have an IP portfolio of at least 4,000 trademarks for registration, renewals and modifications such as assignments, mergers and changes in the particulars of owners. Trademarks make up a significant portion of the IP portfolio that we manage because more trademarks are protected in Nigeria than other IP rights.
We are proactive and peruse every trademark journal released by the Trademarks Registry to ensure that no trademark published for opposition conflicts with any of our clients’ trademarks. If we find a similar trademark, we promptly inform the affected client and take all necessary steps to ensure that an opposition is filed against the registration of the similar trademark within the two-month period allowed for filing oppositions.
Our firm has an office in Abuja, Nigeria which is the state in which the trademarks, patents and designs registries are located. We are therefore able to easily attend to urgent client filings and meet filing deadlines. This is beneficial to clients because the timing of filings for IP rights are highly important.
The firm and members of the IP practice group are active members of INTA, the Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group, the Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria and the Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration.
We understand the issues presented by complex technical and financial innovations and efficiently meet clients’ goals.
Our clients are large multinational corporations engaged in telecommunications, oil and gas, biotechnology, software, pharmaceuticals and banking. We help them with trademarks, patent, copyright, franchising, licensing, distributorship agreements and technology transfer matters. Our firm also offers investigative services to clients whose products are being adulterated and sold locally.