Charles Webster, past chairman of the partnership at Spoor & Fisher, specialises in litigation, in particular trademark and copyright infringement, passing off, unlawful competition, Advertising Standards Authority complaints, company name objections and domain name disputes. He has extensive experience in all aspects of IP matters and consults with and acts for numerous local and international listed blue-chip companies.

Mr Webster holds BSc (computer science) and LLB degrees and has more than 25 years’ experience. He is a past president of the South African Institute of Intellectual Property Law, and a co-author of the fourth edition of Webster and Page, South African Law of Trademarks and Volume 4 of Trademarks in the Law of South Africa. Mr Webster has lectured on both trademark law and copyright law for the Patent Examination Board. Spoor & Fisher has been a specialist IP firm since its formation in 1920. Since then, it has developed into a firm of over 50 lawyers and IP specialists providing solutions across the full spectrum of intellectual property.

The firm assists clients in obtaining and enforcing their IP rights. It has close ties with a number of registries and associates across Africa.

Spoor & Fisher’s focus has always been on building a firm that can rival the best in the world. As with any professional services firm, its capabilities are built around its team of professional advisers. In addition to the strength created by the size of its team and its diversity of skills, its team has:
• a number of partners who have practised with distinction in Europe and North America;
• a proud tradition of being involved in many leading patent, trademark and copyright cases in South Africa;
• authored many of the leading textbooks on IP law in South Africa; and
• maintained its expertise at the leading edge of science and technology while expanding into exciting new areas such as biotechnology and nanotechnology.