At Blackfriars LLP, we understand that our clients’ most valuable assets are often their intellectual property. Our Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) Practice group is arguably Nigeria’s most experienced and cosmopolitan. Two of our partners in the Intellectual Property Practice Group are celebrated IPRs law professors in Canada and Nigeria. Our lawyers command the intellectual sophistication and practical experience to address issues that impact intellectual property rights protection in Nigeria. Our experienced lawyers offer our clients the complete range of skills and knowledge needed to acquire, commercialize, defend, and enforce all types of intellectual property. We possess unrivalled depth and experience in the full array of intellectual property rights, including patents, copyrights, trade secrets and trademarks. International clients in financial services, telecommunications, information technology, computer hardware and software, consumer products, media & entertainment, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and other industries frequently seek our expertise in addressing their most important IPRs needs in Nigeria. When we are instructed by global firms to register a TRADEMARK or a PATENT, we cat with utmost despatch and skill.

Our intellectual property rights practice group is experienced in structuring, drafting and negotiating transactions that include licenses; strategic collaborations and corporate partnerships; joint ventures; research & development agreements; manufacturing agreements; supply & distribution agreements; marketing & promotion agreements; outsourcing; and consulting and services agreements.

We help our clients evaluate and manage intellectual property risks; provide strategic advice on intellectual property protection and enforcement programs; work with clients in the restructuring of intellectual property assets; and help guide companies through branding and licensing strategies. Together with our complementary expertise in corporate, finance, tax, and restructuring matters, our intellectual property practice group offers a seamless, integrated approach to anticipate and meet our clients’ diverse needs. Our areas of core expertise in IPRs include:

Clearance and Registration of Trademarks, Patents, and Industrial Designs

Blackfriars LLP has relationships with a worldwide network of law firms in Europe, Asia, South and Central America, and Australia. Many boutique IP law firms across the world rely on Blackfriars to register foreign trademarks, patents, and industrial designs for their clients. We search, register and protect trademarks in Nigeria. Before applying to register a trademark mark, we can secure reliable search results concerning the availability of the trademark in Nigeria. Our experience enables us to recognize when a mark may be difficult to register, and we can carefully counsel clients on the selection and adoption of marks to avoid future problems in registration and use.

Our trademark lawyers have many years of professional experience and handle hundreds of trademark applications and registrations in Nigeria. Because protecting trademark rights is an ongoing process, we also provide the following services for our clients:

Monitoring and researching third-party applications, uses and infringements;
Pursuing favourable conflict resolution against infringers and, if necessary, enforcing legal rights and equitable remedies in the courts;
Licensing trademarks;
Preparing internal company guidelines to ensure proper and consistent trademark use in order to preserve rights;
Recording trademarks with Nigeria Customs and Excise Board
Due diligence research regarding rights in trademarks to be acquired;

Our trademark lawyers also have experience in prosecuting and defending opposition and cancellation actions before the Trademark Registry in Abuja. We also have experience in trademark litigation in the Federal High Court of Nigeria, the appellate courts, and occasionally, before the International Trade Commission.

Blackfriars LLP undertakes copyright work as part of our full range of intellectual property services. Our clients include authors, “Nollywood” movie producers, web designers, software developers, architects and artists. Our lawyers have many years of experience with copyright matters, including teaching copyright law at prestigious universities in Canada, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom. We draft filings for registration of copyright, undertake copyright and title clearance searches and draft letters of agreement and licenses. Because protecting copyrights does not end with the act of registration, our lawyers have extensive experience in copyright litigation in Nigerian courts. We also coordinate international enforcement of copyrights through our associated law firms in the United States and Western Europe. In addition, we provide the following services for our clients: Monitoring third-party copyright registrations worldwide;
Monitoring and investigating third-party uses and infringements;
Drafting demand letters to infringers and negotiating settlement agreements;
Preparing internal company guidelines to ensure proper and consistent copyright use in order to maintain strong rights.

Trade secrets and Confidential Information

Blackfriars LLP regularly advises clients on how to protect trade secrets and confidential information in a variety of situations, including with respect to contracting out of services, departing employees and joint ventures. We also handle litigations involving trade secrets and confidential information.

IPRs Public Policy and Advocacy

Clients including international organizations such as WIPO and IUCN frequently consult our lawyers on matters pertaining to monitoring, understanding and influencing intellectual property rights policy in sub-Saharan Africa. Two of our partners are very active in negotiations concerning the protection of indigenous peoples’ intellectual and cultural property. Drawing largely on our partners’ experience as scholars in intellectual property rights, our clients regularly benefit from our experience and understanding of emerging global issues in intellectual property rights protection.

IPRs Litigation

We help clients protect and assert their intellectual property rights in Nigeria by litigation, arbitration, and mediation. Infringement and ownership of patents and trademarks frequently are contested by various parties. These conflicts may pit corporation against corporation, inventor against corporation or employer against employee. Representing both plaintiffs and defendants, in diverse venues, the firm's lawyers are broadly experienced in the litigation of IPRs-related issues. Our clients rely on the firm's intensely practical, thoroughly prepared approach to matters of IPRs infringement. Our tenacious and skilful litigation abilities are effectively deployed to serve the best interests of our clients.

Team Leads

• Prof. Dr. Ikechi Mgbeoji
• Mrs Omotayo Okere
• Mrs Oluomachi Kingsley