Nthabisheng Phaswana

Nthabisheng Phaswana is a partner and attorney in Adams & Adams’ Africa patent department. She holds an LLB and LLM (Mercantile Law) from the University of Pretoria. With 19 years’ post-admission experience, she has been responsible for patent and design filing and prosecution, and transactional matters in respect of patents and designs throughout African countries outside of South Africa.

Nthabisheng has extensive experience of the intellectual property landscape in Africa. Throughout her years of practice, she has been actively involved in fostering relations between Adams & Adams and the IP Registrars of various African countries; as a result she has travelled regularly throughout the continent.

In addition to her role as a partner at Adams & Adams, Nthabisheng was a member of the firm’s Management Committee in her capacity as the chairperson of the Diversity Committee. She is also involved in committees of various international organisations (American Bar Association and American Intellectual Property Law Association) relating to IP. She co-authored a book chapter in Intellectual Property, Innovation and Management in Emerging Economies, and a book on intellectual property in Africa.

Nthabisheng has extensive experience in the filing and prosecution of patent and design applications in Africa. She provides clients with strategies on how to obtain efficient IP protection in Africa. She has also been involved in updating IP laws in some African jurisdictions. Furthermore, she is an active member of the working group of the African Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) responsible for assessing the laws and procedures of ARIPO. Nthabisheng shared her knowledge and experience on IP in Africa via webinars, presentations, and newsletters.