Simi Oyelude

Similoluwa Oyelude is a partner of G Elias. Her practice focuses on intellectual property, with a specialisattion in IP prosecution and enforcement. Ms Oyelude advises on the registration of IP rights and IP contentious issues, on IP infringement cases and unfair competition cases.

Ms Oyelude’s clients come from a wide variety of industries they include leading finance institutions, multinational corporations, regulators and corporates (domestic and foreign) in the telecommunications, technology, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, commodities services, retail and fast-moving consumer goods industries.

Ms Oyelude has advised on some innovative and expansive transactions in the Nigerian commercial and IP space. She led the firm’s IP team in:

• advising a multinational beverage company on IP matters relating to the possible use of images on the get-up of a bottle;
• advising a New York-based venture capital firm that invests in high-margin, fast-growing technology companies on the IP portfolio of a London-based digital bank;
• advising a UK operator on the appropriate IP agenda for its gaming business in Southeast Asia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, North America, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, South America, the Middle East and Ukraine;
• advising one of Nigeria’s leading manufacturers and distributors of consumer goods products with over 70 years of business experience and the owner of Nigeria’s largest and best-known food products brand on the licensing of the leading cleaning and home care product brand in Nigeria;
• advising a leading foreign research, medical technology and experimental development company based in Singapore;
• managing the trademark portfolio of Nigeria’s leading telecommunications company in registering, monitoring and enforcing the trademark rights;
• representing a leading Japanese company with over $5 billion turnover on obtaining regulatory approvals for its products; and
• managing the IP portfolio of a leading quick-service restaurant company with over 70 outlets in Nigeria.

She is a member of the International Trademarks Association, the European Communities Trademark Association, the Pharmaceutical Trademarks Group and the Nigerian Bar Association.

G Elias is one of Nigeria’s leading business law firms. Established in 1994, the firm is known for the originality of its members' thinking, the thoroughness of its work, its speed of response, and its integrity and resolve to execute its clients’ work to the highest standards. The firm has invested in the technology, facilities and support personnel that it needs to excel at what it does. Its range of work is unusually broad. It has been consistently ranked in global directories of lawyers as a top-tier law firm. Its IP practice has also been consistently highly rated. Its ISO certification further distinguishes it from other law firms.

The paramount aim in our IP practice has always been to offer our clients services of the very highest quality. We emphasise technical proficiency, attention to detail and creativity in developing practical solutions to clients’ problems. We are known for our sensitivity to clients’ business needs and concerns, and our promptness in responding to and executing their requests.

The World Trademark Review 2019 ranked us as a top IP firm in Nigeria, saying of our IP team:

The IP practitioners here are quick to respond, practical of mind and detail-oriented; they demonstrate equal dexterity procuring, defending, enforcing and commercialising trademarks and other IP rights. The firm makes light work of regional and pan-African mandates thanks to its membership of the Africa Legal Network.

In the fields of intellectual property, infringement prosecution, defence and enforcement of trademarks, patents, utility models and design models, as well as preparing and concluding licence agreements, G Elias is your go-to firm.

Trademarks

We assist in searching, filing, opposing, registering, prosecuting and enforcing trademark and service marks. We also advise on post-registration matters such as recording of assignments, mergers, renewals, change of name and address, coexistence agreements and licence agreements. We have assisted major clients in exploiting valuable IP assets through franchising, licensing and the assignment of those assets, and with IP issues arising from mergers, acquisitions and corporate re-organisations. We conduct due diligence inquiries on the title and registration of IP rights and prosecute applications for the registration of transfer-of-technology contracts. We also have IP audits and portfolio management capabilities.

Patents

We aid in preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications. Our work covers patent searches, assignments and renewals, and providing advice and litigation services relating to patent infringements.

Industrial designs

We prepare, file and prosecute industrial design applications, as well as conduct industrial design searches, assignments and renewals, and provide advice and litigation services relating to industrial design infringements.

Copyright

In the field of copyright, our expertise includes full-service copyright registration of works, assignments and licences, and copyright portfolio management. We also handle copyright litigation and enforcement work, including anti-counterfeiting measures.

Litigation

Our lawyers have represented and defended multinational business organisations and other clients in the media, entertainment and other sectors before the Nigerian courts. Our primary goal is to assist our clients in reaping the benefits of their IP assets.

New economy practice

Our IP practice is central to our vibrant new economy practice. (By ‘new economy’, we mean telecommunications, technology, media and entertainment – subsectors that today represent 15% of Nigeria’s gross domestic product.) We represent writers, actors, directors, producers, production companies, media companies, distributors, sales agents, authors, musicians, composers, management companies and journalists across media platforms. Our work cuts across the film, music, television, theatre, print and publishing, radio and gaming sectors and other areas of established and emerging media. We have industry experience in drafting, negotiating and recording talent and executive employment agreements, and advising creative media and entertainment and new media companies.

Team

Most of our lawyers have extensive experience in IP practice. The team is made up of a senior advocate with years of experience in IP practice, litigators and lawyers who have worked on international IP transactions. Our IP practitioners are quick to respond, practical of mind and detail-oriented; they demonstrate equal dexterity procuring, defending, enforcing and commercialising trademarks and other IP rights. The partners are directly accountable for and handle matters in person, with full support from the team members.