Seminar

To be held on Monday, 2 November 2026. Our speakers are Jen Colantoni and Duncan Maguire of Spoor & Fisher (Channel Islands), who are specialists in African IP practice with extensive international experience. Africa offers significant business opportunities for international brand owners. However, its trademark systems are complex, and making the most of them requires a strategic, region-specific approach. The seminar compares the three routes to protection: direct national filings, regional filings through ARIPO and OAPI, and international registrations under the Madrid Protocol. The speakers will also cover recent legal developments, key pitfalls, enforcement trends and anti-counterfeiting measures. The seminar is free of charge (including the networking reception) and held in hybrid format. It will be conducted in English. Full details below.

Recommended for:
・Businesses that see potential in Africa and want to protect their IP, but are unsure about the systems and procedures
・Anyone who wants to know whether the filing route affects how robust the resulting rights are, especially how international registrations work in practice
・Anyone who wants to connect with IP practitioners based in Africa

【Fee】 Free of charge (including the networking reception)
【Language】 English (a text with Japanese translation will be provided in advance)
【Date & Time】 Monday, 2 November 2026 (JST)
16:00–17:30 Seminar
17:30–18:00 Q&A
18:00–20:00 Networking reception (at a venue near our office)
【In person】 Konishi & Nakamura, 5th Floor Seminar Room
Marunouchi Estate Building, 2-17-12 Marunouchi,
Naka-ku, Nagoya 460-0002
【Online】 Zoom (the meeting URL will be sent to registrants in advance)
【Registration】 Please register via the link below.
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/cEhuwvXFBE
【Registration deadline】 Friday, 30 October
【Enquiries】 Nakamura (nakamura@ipworld.jp) / Okubi (okubi@ipworld.jp)