....ABOUT US

 

The firm, established in 1970, utilises modern computerized systems and concentrates on intellectual property matters. It has contacts with professional colleagues all over the world and has built up a network of links throughout Africa.

The firm focuses on the filing and prosecution of applications, as well as litigation in the Republic of South Africa, but also files and prosecutes applications in Africa and the rest of the world.

Languages used are English, German, Afrikaans, Dutch and Flemish (translation services in particular for technical documents being provided for in these languages).

The following intellectual property matters are covered:

* Patents
* Designs
* Trade marks
* Copyright
* Unfair competition
* Plant breeders' rights
* Computer law
* Domain name registrations
* Licensing
* IP contracts
* Annuity payment service

 

The Directors

Dr Richard GERNTHOLTZ

* Registered Patent Attorney
* Professional Engineer
* Notary Public
* Attorney admitted to appear in the High Court
* Academic Qualifications
...- B.Sc.(Mechanical Engineering)(University of the Witwatersrand, ZA)
...- LL.B.(University of South Africa, ZA)
...- LL.D.(University of Pretoria, ZA)
* Industrial experience
...- Mechanical Research Department, South African Railways, Pretoria, ZA
...- Hauni Maschinenbau AG, Hamburg, DE
* Sworn translator of the High Court of South Africa (English-German-Afrikaans)
* First South African Patent Attorney to be awarded doctorate in law for a thesis based on Patent Law ("A comparison of South African and German Patent Law')
* Author of textbook "South African Patent Law" based on the Patents Acts of 1952.
* Author of various introductory books on Intellectual Property Law:
...- A Basic Guide to the Law of Patents
...- A Basic Guide to the Law of Designs
...- A Basic Guide to the Law of Trade Marks
...- A Basic Guide to the Copyright Law
...- How John Smith went about protecting his ideas
...- The Wine Producer's Guide to the Law of Trade Marks
* Part-time lecturer in "Intellectual Property Law" for final year law students at the University of Cape Town, ZA

Anke GERNTHOLTZ-HUGO

* Attorney admitted to appear in the High Court
* Academic Qualifications
...- B.Eng.(Chemical Engineering)(University of Stellenbosch, ZA)
...- B.Proc.(University of South Africa, ZA)
...- Dipl.-Wirtschaftsingenieurswesen(Industrial Engineering)(Fachhochschule, Mannheim, DE)
* Industrial experience
...- Atomic Energy Board, Pretoria,ZA
...- BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, DE
* Sworn translator of the High Court of South Africa (English-German-Afrikaans)

John L. SPICER

* Registered Patent Attorney
* Attorney of the High Court
* Academic Qualifications
...- B.Eng.(Chemical Engineering)(University of Stellenbosch, ZA)
...- M.Eng.(Chemical Engineering)("Sintering of Aluminium Nitride")(University of Stellenbosch, ZA)
...- LL.B.(University of Cape Town, ZA)
* Co-author of introductory books on Intellectual Property Law:
...- A Basic Guide to the Law of Patents

Dipl.-Ing. Otto C. GERNTHOLTZ

* Registered Patent Attorney
* Attorney of the High Court
* Academic Qualifications
...- B.Eng.(Chemical Engineering)(University of Stellenbosch, ZA)
...- Dipl.-Ing.(Energiesystemtechnik)(Energy system technology)(Technische Universität Clausthal, DE)
* Industrial experience
...- Röhm GmbH (Degussa-Hüls Gruppe), Worms, DE
* Co-author of introductory books on Intellectual Property Law:
...- A Basic Guide to the Law of Trade Marks
...- The Wine Producer's Guide to the Law of Trade Marks
* Sworn translator of the High Court of South Africa (English-German-Afrikaans)