Biography: Trademarks

Eben van Wyk is a director and national practice head of the firm's intellectual property practice. Eben has specialised in intellectual property law for the past 10 years and has assisted many national and international clients with brand clearance searches and protection and enforcement programmes. He also deals with intellectual property litigation; intellectual property aspects relating to commercial matters and due diligence investigations and advises clients on advertising law and matters before the Advertising Standards Authority.

Eben began his career in 1999 at Hofmeyr Herbstein Gihwala (now Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr) and, after joining the intellectual property practice of another law firm, moved to a software development company as their legal advisor and operations director from 2004 to 2005 when he joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr as a senior associate. Eben became a director in 2007. Eben received his BProc from the University of Potchefstroom (now University of the North-West), he is admitted as solicitor of England and Wales, and is a member of The South African Institute for Intellectual Property Law, the International Trademark Association (INTA), The INTA subcommittee on geographical indications, the Licensing Executive Society (LES) of South Africa, and the International Wine Law Association. He was admitted to practice in 2002.

The Legal 500 EMEA 2008 - 2010 ranks Eben as one of South Africa's intellectual property law experts.