
Bernadette Versfeld
About
Provided by Bernadette Versfeld
Practice Areas
Bernadette has extensive experience advising some of the world’s top multi-national organisations in relation to the protection, management, enforcement and exploitation of Intellectual Property (IP) in Africa. She provides clients with all services associated with trade marks, including prosecution, litigation and commercial transactional work. Bernadette is highly regarded for her litigation expertise in IP (trade marks, copyright, designs, patents, trade secrets, know-how, confidential information, goodwill), dealing with high profile IP litigious matters across Africa and is recognised for her negotiation skills and strategic and commercially focused advice in relation to contentious matters. She has extensive experience advising in relation to: high-profile and complex corporate transactions relating to the exploitation of IP rights; the monetisation and structuring of IP rights (such as through cross-border licensing, assignments, research and development, global joint ventures, technology transfer and collaboration agreements); IP issues flowing from international acquisitions and disposals; public offerings and corporate reorganisations; international structures and exchange control issues and IP due diligence investigations.
Career
Bernadette's qualifications include:
Fellow of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law and qualified trade mark practitioner, 2002
LLB, University of Johannesburg, 1999
BA Law, University of Johannesburg, 1997
Admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa
Professional Memberships
Member of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (2002 to date)
Member of the Anti-Counterfeiting Committee of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (2006 to date)
Member of the International Trademark Association (2006 to date)
Work Highlights
Named by Best Lawyers 2019 - 2023 as a leading individual
Named by Legal 500 2012 - 2022 as a legal expert
Named by Chambers Global 2015 - 2022 as a ranked lawyer
Appointed to the International Trademark Association's Commercialisation of Brands Committee for the 2022 - 2023 term
Named by IAM Patent 1000 2021 as one of the world's leading transaction professionals
Named by World IP Review - 2021 as a Trademark Leader (South Africa)
Named by IAM Patent 1000 2015 - 2020 as one of the world's leading patent professionals
Named by World Trade Mark Review 2012 - 2021 as a leading individual for both enforcement and litigation, prosecution and strategy, and transactions
Named by Managing Intellectual Property 2010 - 2020 as a leading IP expert
Named by Managing Intellectual Property's IP STARS directory 2018 as one of the top 250 women in IP globally
Appointed to the International Trademark Association's Copyright Committee for the 2018 - 2019 term
Member of the INTA Commercialisation of Brands Committee
Chambers Review
Global
Bernadette Versfeld is a respected lawyer in South Africa who runs a practice which covers trade mark prosecution and enforcement, as well as commercial IP. She is based in Johannesburg.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Bernadette Versfeld is efficient, accommodating and an expert in her field."
"Bernadette Versfeld is efficient, accommodating and an expert in her field."
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