Adams & Adams has been engaged for some time with the University of Pretoria in the planning and establishment of a Centre and Chair in IP Law. Both will be located within the Faculty of Law of the University and Adams & Adams will be closely involved in both these IP-related initiatives. The professorship will be known as the Adams & Adams Chair in Intellectual Property Law.

The establishment of the Adams & Adams IP Chair and the IP Centre creates a structure for cooperation between an academic institution of international repute, with teaching and training proficiency based on a century of academic excellence, and a law firm likewise of international repute, with practical experience and expertise similarly based on a century of practice excellence.

Some further objectives are –

• to establish an educational facility where specialised training in areas of IP law and practice can take place on a continuous basis and at an advanced level;
• to set up a training centre through which tailor-made training courses can be offered in selected areas of IP law and practice, to instruct officials and entrepreneurs who have to deal with IP issues as part of their official functions or as part of their business;
• to provide a vehicle for the practical training of potential users of IP (not only students and practitioners but also other users of the IP system, such as scientists, inventors, creative and performing artists, government officials, persons in industry and business IP managers, entrepreneurs etc);
• to create a cluster of knowledge and expertise through which international developments in the area of IP can be monitored and appropriate strategies formulated.

The Adams & Adams Chair will be appointed in 2009 and the incumbent will also be the Director of the IP Centre, with A&A providing additional capacity from the ranks of its partners and professional staff.

The photos show Chris Job, Chairman of Adams & Adams, and Prof Christof Heyns, Dean of the Faculty of Law, signing the collaboration agreement on 2 December 2008. The event was also attended by Prof Esmé du Plessis and Stuart Boyd of Adams & Adams, and by Profs Chris de Beer, André Boraine, Stefan van Eck, Christo Botha and Trynie Davel of the University.

           

Acknowledgment: Adams & Adams website (www.adamsadams.co.za)