Smit & Van Wyk would like to congratulations to Jacques and Kim – the candidate patent attorneys at Smit & Van Wyk. We are proud to announce that two of our candidate patent attorneys, Jacques Steyn and Kimberley Conroy (previously Smith), passed the Drafting of Patent Specifications examination set by the South African Patent Examination Board (PEB) on their first attempt! The Drafting of Patent Specifications examination is a Group 2(e) examination and comprises two papers, wherein the novel and inventive features of three inventions must be identified and suitably protected. This year, two of the inventions were gadget-type inventions, whilst the third was a method-type invention – an unexpected twist for most. The PEB sets rigorous standards for all patents examinations but the Drafting of Patent Specifications examination is notoriously difficult. This year, the pass rate for this examination was 17,6%. Passing on first attempt is thus considered a great achievement and we congratulate Jacques and Kim on their success. Jacques and Kim both joined Smit & Van Wyk, Inc. in January of 2017 and specialise in the drafting, prosecution and enforcement of patents and designs in South Africa and abroad.
The Smit & Van Wyk team of experienced patent attorneys are able to provide legal advice regarding your inventions and ideas. We are a specialist legal practice that deals exclusively with patent, trade mark and copyright law in South Africa and across Africa. Our fields of practice encompass all aspects relating to intellectual property, including litigation, as well as commercial rights attached to each of these forms of protection. Once the Intellectual Property of a business has been identified, it is recommended to take steps to protect it, whether by means of registered forms of Intellectual Property protection such as patents, trade marks, designs, or unregistered forms of Intellectual Property protection, such as copyright, contractual agreements or non-statutory forms of protection. At Smit & Van Wyk, it is our mission to provide unparalleled service to our treasured clients by developing dynamic solutions which are tailored to suit individual Intellectual Property needs. The key to achieving this lies with our vibrant people, who are eager to go beyond the call of duty. This can-do attitude is our legacy, setting us apart from the rest. As we continue to grow, we look forward to sharing this legacy with clients and employees alike.