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This is your FIRST STEP if you are looking for legal or professional support. We:

  • Guarantee a response within 1 working hour,
  • Are uncomplicated, friendly and professional,
  • Our fees are sensitive to the South African economy,
  • Have a team of professionals in all major Cities,
  • Function with integrity, attention to detail and are objective driven,
  • Use technology, innovation and internal processes to streamline your experience,
  • Strive to improve the sector we operate in.

 

SERVICES | AMASEVISI

In our ‘team’ we have Legal Practitioners (Lawyers & Attorneys) and other Professionals who offer parallel solutions. Our website menu items LEGAL PRACTITIONERS and OTHER PROFESSIONALS offer a summary of services and will help you decide which type of service provider to use. Please review both pages. Afterwards, if you are still not sure who to use please ask for guidance using the Immediate Action Form on the Contacts Page.

 

FREE OR FEE? SIMAHLA OKANYE UHLAWULE?

For free services you could engage with an organization such as legal-aid.co.za or visit justice.gov.za for free information. Depending on your issue any of the following organizations might be appropriate and mandated to help for free:

  • The National Consumer Commission,
  • CGSO,
  • CCMA,
  • Housing Tribunal,
  • For insurance or banking issues, you should contact the appropriate ombudsman.

If you are looking to hire a Professional we guarantee that the fees quoted will be reasonable and you will not be charged anything until you have accepted a quote or entered into an engagement letter. Payment options will be communicated and might include hourly, per project, fixed rate or retainer. See a Cost Guideline HERE. The use of a Legal Practitioner or Court should be engaged with only once you have exhausted all amicable and free options, or if the matter at hand needs legal guidance and an expert to expedite a solution.

E-CONSULTS

An E-Consult is an effective way to receive expedited support for select, once off or ad hoc matters. Please visit the menu item for more information on this process. CLICK HERE

 

OPERATIONAL DAYS & TIMES

South African Working days. No public holidays.

  • Monday-Thursday from 09h00-13h00 and 14h00-16h00.
  • Friday 09h00-13h00.

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Patents Protect Your Concept

- Featured article by LAWYERS-ONLINE.CO.ZA

The procedure for obtaining patent protection for your concept in South Africa

A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention/idea/concept, which is a product or a process that provides a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem.

The patent provides protection for the owner, which gives him/her the right to exclude others from making, using, exercising, disposing of the invention, offering to dispose, or importing the invention.

The protection is granted for a limited period of 20 years.

There are certain criteria or requirements that have to be met in order for an idea or invention to be eligible for patent protection – it must be new, useful and inventive.

An application for a patent can either be lodged in one of three ways: file a provisional application - this may be undertaken by the applicant with or without the assistance of an attorney; file a complete application - this must be signed by a patent attorney; or file a PCT (Patent Co-operation Treaty) application (if applicable) – this is if you seek patent protection in other countries as well.

If a Provisional Patent Application is submitted, the assistance of a patent attorney is not compulsory. It is important that the description of the invention is comprehensive and clear, and where applicable, drawings must be attached on A4 pages. The fee for a provisional application is R60.

In the case of a Provisional Patent Application, the office of the Patent Registrar will open a file and allocate the provisional patent application a unique number for the purpose of identification. The applicant is notified by the return of one of the copies that was submitted.

Thereafter, a complete patent application must be submitted within 12 months from the date of filing the provisiona l patent application by the applicant or his agent. During this time (i.e. the 12 month period) the inventor is able to work on his invention. During this period the inventor/manufacturer can also "test - the - market" to assess the viability of the invention before incurring the costs involved in a complete patent application.

If a Complete Patent Application is being submitted, the assistance of a patent attorney is compulsory. The fee for a complete application is R590.00. Full detailed descriptions, claims and drawings (if applicable) on A4 pages should be included.

Date: 15th January 2014
Legislation: Patents Act 57 of 1978

Patents Protect Your Concept - Legal Information South Africa