PRACTICE AREA
IP lawyers in Kenya handling trademark registration, copyright, patents, licensing and enforcement through KIPI. Protect your brand with OLM Law.
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IP protection, enforcement and commercialisation advice across all classes of intellectual property.
Trade mark registration and portfolio management before the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), patent prosecution, copyright registration with KECOBO, industrial designs, geographical indications, IP licensing and franchising, brand-protection enforcement, anti-counterfeiting actions and IP-related litigation.
What we advise on. We advise on the creation, protection, commercialisation and enforcement of intellectual property: trade mark clearance, registration and portfolio management; patent and utility-model prosecution; copyright and related rights; industrial designs; geographical indications; trade secrets and confidential information; IP licensing, assignment and franchising; and IP due diligence on transactions. On the contentious side we handle infringement, passing-off and anti-counterfeiting actions.
Governing law and regulators. Our work is grounded in the Trade Marks Act, the Industrial Property Act 2001, the Copyright Act 2001 and the Anti-Counterfeit Act, with filings before the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) for regional protection. We also engage the Anti-Counterfeit Authority on enforcement.
Who we act for. We act for brand owners, technology and creative businesses, manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, franchisors and franchisees, and individual creators. Whether you are registering a first trade mark or managing a pan-African portfolio, we protect the assets that carry your value.
Why OLM for intellectual property. IP is only as strong as its registration and its enforcement. We file cleanly, we manage renewals so rights don’t lapse, and we combine registration work with the litigation capability to enforce against infringers and counterfeiters in the Kenyan courts.
Registering a brand? Our step-by-step guide to trademark registration in Kenya covers the KIPI search, filing, examination and opposition timelines in detail. The answers below address broader intellectual-property strategy, enforcement and disputes.
How do I register a trade mark in Kenya? Through an application to the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), preceded by a clearance search. Registration typically takes 8 to 14 months absent opposition and lasts ten years, renewable. We handle the search, filing and prosecution.
Does a Kenyan trade mark protect me across Africa? No — a KIPI registration covers Kenya only. For multi-country protection we file through ARIPO or via national filings in each target country, and we manage the portfolio centrally.
What can I do about counterfeit goods in Kenya? Remedies include civil infringement and passing-off suits, anti-counterfeit seizures through the Anti-Counterfeit Authority, and criminal complaints. We combine registration evidence with enforcement action to take infringing goods off the market.
What types of intellectual property can be protected in Kenya? Trade marks, patents, utility models, copyright, industrial designs, geographical indications and trade secrets all have legal protection. We advise on which rights apply to your product or business and the best registration strategy.
How do I protect my intellectual property in Kenya? The right route depends on the asset. Brands are protected through trade mark registration at KIPI; inventions through patents or utility models; creative works through copyright, which arises automatically but can be recorded at KECOBO for evidence; and product appearance through industrial design registration. We advise on which combination of rights gives a business the strongest, most cost-effective protection.
How do I register a copyright in Kenya? Copyright arises automatically on creation of an original literary, musical, artistic or audiovisual work under the Copyright Act, so registration is not a precondition of protection. The Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) nonetheless maintains a voluntary register, and recording a work with KECOBO creates useful evidence of authorship and the date of creation if the work is ever challenged or infringed.
How do I register a patent in Kenya? Patent protection is granted by KIPI for inventions that are new, involve an inventive step and are capable of industrial application. The process runs from a patent application, with a specification and claims, through formal and substantive examination to grant, and a granted patent lasts 20 years from filing, subject to annual renewal fees. We prepare specifications, manage examination and can advise on the faster utility-model route for incremental innovations.
How do I register an industrial design in Kenya? Industrial design registration protects the visual appearance, shape, pattern or ornamentation of a product, rather than how it functions. An application is filed with KIPI, examined for novelty, and if accepted is registered for an initial five years, renewable for two further five-year terms. It is a fast, cost-effective way to stop competitors copying a product’s look.
Industry sectors we advise in this area: Technology & Telecoms · Consumer Goods & Retail · Health & Pharmaceuticals
Related practice areas: Corporate & Commercial · Data Protection & Privacy
Guides & FAQs: Trademark Registration in Kenya: Process, Timelines & Common Pitfalls · Intellectual Property in Kenya: FAQ
See also: Representative Matters · Our Lawyers · All Practice Areas
