Smit & Van Wyk Patent, Trademark & Registered Designs

Wessel van Wyk

Patent Attorney

Email: w.vanwyk@svw.co.za

Wessel van Wyk is a qualified electronic engineer, an Attorney of the High Court, and a registered patent attorney. He has 18+ years’ experience in patents and Intellectual Property (IP) law and more than 10 years’ industry experience in the aerospace industry, both in a technical and a managerial capacity. He specialises in all matters relating to protection, enforcement, valuation and exploitation of IP. Wessel also advises major research and academic institutions on their IP Policies.

Professional Contributions

Design Rights: Functionality and Scope of Protection
Co-author to South African chapter of “Design Rights: Functionality and Scope of Protection”, Kluwer Law International, Ed. Christopher V. Carani.

Wessel van Wyk

Expertise

Qualifications:

  • BEng (Electronics)
  • BEng (Hons)
  • BProc
  • SAIIPL (Qualified Patent Practitioner)

Areas of Expertise:

  • Patents: Electronic, mechanical, engineering and computer related inventions including AI.
  • Registered Designs: Industrial designs, product designs, patterns and packaging.
  • Litigation: Patent and design disputes.

Awards and Market Recognition

  • Recognised in IAM Global Leaders 2026.
  • Featured in The Best Lawyers in South Africa (2024 & 2025 Editions) – Intellectual Property Law.
  • IAM Patent 1000: Listed as a Recommended Individual for Patent Services – IAM Patent 1000 (2024–2025).
  • Chambers Global: Listed in the Intellectual Property - Patents in South Africa legal rankings in 2022.
  • Who's Who Legal: Listed by Who's Who Legal in the IP category for South Africa in 2022.
  • Managing Intellectual Property (MIP): Listed as an IP Star from 2019 - 2022.
  • IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals – Ranked individual for patent services in South Africa from 2020 - 2022.

    Associations:

    • Fellow of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law (SAIIPL).
    • Past director of the Licensing Executive Society (LES).
    • Member of the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA).
    • Member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA).
    • Member of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI).
    • Member of the International Trade Mark Association (INTA).
    • Member of the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI).