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STEYN IP

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TRADE MARKS | PATENTS | COPYRIGHT | DESIGNS

Specialist Intellectual Property Attorneys. DREAMERS WELCOME®
CREATE | PROTECT®
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STEYN IP® is dedicated to uplift and support business owners and creatives who require specialist partners to guide and support them through their individual journeys and careers. Combining knowledge from intellectual property law practices, creative and manufacturing industries and regulatory offices, the team at STEYN IP has been involved in the creative and legal industries for over a decade. Our clients, large and small, in the South African commercial, corporate and creative fraternities remain our firm's core focus. We specialise in all aspects of intellectual property law, including trade marks, copyright, domains & domain disputes, anti-counterfeiting, internet & cyber law, entertainment & media law, plant breeders rights, patents and designs. We also have expertise in legal compliance relating to environmental impact, occupational health & safety, privacy laws, access to information, cannabis & cultivation and general legislative & regulatory compliance. We can further assist in commercial law and contracts, as well as civil matters and litigation.

19/10/2026

Counterfeiters are getting smarter. Fortunately, so is the technology used to stop them 🔍

Luxury brands have long battled counterfeit products, but the rise of so-called “superfakes”, replicas so convincing that even experienced buyers struggle to distinguish them from genuine products, is making brand protection increasingly difficult.

Enter , a startup developing tiny authentication chips that can be embedded directly into products, including clothing, jewellery, trophies and even perfume bottles.

Unlike traditional QR codes or basic NFC tags, which can be copied, Veritas’ technology generates a unique, secure response with each scan and incorporates tamper detection. Customers can simply tap their phones against a product to verify its authenticity and access its digital ownership record.

The applications go well beyond fighting counterfeits. Brands can use the technology to track provenance, authenticate limited editions, facilitate resale and create exclusive experiences for verified product owners.

You can probably see why we find this particularly interesting, from an intellectual property perspective. Trade marks protect brand identity, registered designs protect product appearance, and patents can protect technological innovations. But enforcing those rights against increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters remains a challenge. Technology like this adds another layer of protection by helping consumers and brand owners distinguish genuine products from counterfeits in the real world.

At STEYN IP®, we believe the future of brand protection lies not only in securing intellectual property rights, but also in finding innovative ways to protect and commercialise them. Because protecting a brand is about more than registering a trade mark. It’s about protecting everything that makes it authentic.

17/10/2026

Tesla’s Roadster is breaking the internet. And it can fly! 🚀

Tesla’s next-generation Roadster sounds more like science fiction than automotive engineering. With extraordinary acceleration, -inspired technology and even the possibility of flying, Elon Musk has once again captured the world’s attention!

The latest demonstration has sent the internet into overdrive, with memes, AI-generated flying Roadsters and brands jumping on the trend with their own creative adaptations.

A vehicle like this is potentially an IP powerhouse. Patents could protect innovative propulsion systems, battery technology and engineering solutions. Registered designs could protect the vehicle’s distinctive appearance and visual features. Trade marks protect the TESLA and ROADSTER brands, while copyright can protect original software, technical drawings and other creative works.

And those AI-generated memes and brand adaptations flooding the internet? They raise interesting IP questions too. Just because something is AI-generated does not mean existing IP rights disappear.

Whether the Roadster eventually flies, hovers or simply becomes one of the fastest electric cars ever built, protecting the innovation behind it is just as important as developing it.

At STEYN IP®, we protect the dreams behind tomorrow’s innovations. And we can’t think of a better example of a true dreamer than Elon Musk.

16/10/2026

We are incredibly proud to congratulate Lianca Müller on obtaining her LLB degree and officially stepping into her new role as a Candidate Attorney at STEYN IP®

Lianca has been part of the core STEYN IP team since shortly after the firm was founded. Over the years, she has played an integral role in our growth and development, establishing herself as a highly capable Senior IP Paralegal with extensive practical experience in trade mark prosecution, as well as in patent and design administration.

What makes this milestone particularly special is that Lianca has been building her career in intellectual property while pursuing her legal qualifications. Her journey is a testament to hard work, dedication and a genuine passion for the profession.

Her appointment as a Candidate Attorney marks the next chapter in that journey, bringing her another step closer to becoming a fully fledged trade mark practitioner.

At STEYN IP, we believe in growing our own talent, investing in our people and creating opportunities for those who share our passion for intellectual property. Lianca’s journey is a perfect example of that commitment.

Congratulations, Lianca. We are proud of everything you have accomplished and look forward to seeing you continue to grow in the profession and in our firm 🎓🎸

12/10/2026

Imagine playing a video game where the enemy learns how YOU play 🎮

You dodge left every time a boss attacks. It remembers. You always hide in the same spot. It adapts. You rely on the same fighting strategy. Well, good luck with that…

Sony has filed a rather interesting patent titled “AI-adapted non-player character for video game system”, which describes technology that could allow artificial intelligence (AI) to adapt non-player characters (NPCs) based on actual player behaviour.

Traditionally, NPCs follow predetermined scripts and programmed behaviours. Sony’s proposed technology takes a different approach by using player-generated data to train and modify NPCs, potentially changing everything from their appearance to how they interact, react and fight.

The result is that video game characters could learn from your decisions and become increasingly unpredictable, without developers having to manually programme every possible interaction.

This technology also has an interesting intellectual property implication. While AI-generated content continues to raise difficult questions around copyright ownership and protection, Sony’s patent demonstrates another side of AI and IP; protecting the underlying technological innovations that make AI applications possible.

Rather than attempting to patent AI itself, companies can seek patent protection for specific technical inventions involving AI, provided they satisfy the applicable patentability requirements. And with the gaming industry investing heavily in AI, patents like these could become increasingly valuable commercial assets.

Of course, a patent application does not mean the technology will necessarily make its way into the next PlayStation. But it does give us a glimpse into where gaming technology might be heading. The next time a video game boss defeats you, it might not be because the game is too difficult. It might simply be because the game knows you too well.

At STEYN IP®, we believe that some of the most exciting innovations deserve more than just a place in the game. They deserve protection.

Do you have your own AI-driven technology? We can help with the IP👾

08/10/2026

Avatar: Water, Fire and…. Copyright 🔥 🌊

Just because two stories share similar ideas does not mean one infringes the copyright of the other. That is exactly what a US federal court has reinforced in a copyright dispute involving James Cameron, Disney and the blockbuster Avatar sequels, The Way of Water and Fire and Ash.

3D animator Eric Ryder alleged that the films copied elements of his earlier science fiction story, KRZ, which he claimed to have developed in collaboration with Cameron’s production company, Lightstorm Entertainment, in the early 2000s.

He argued that both stories feature humanoid beings, vast ocean environments, environmentally destructive corporations and the exploitation of resources on distant worlds. Surely those similarities must amount to copyright infringement?

Not quite…

US District Judge George Wu dismissed the copyright claim, finding that although the works shared certain general features, they were not substantially similar in their protected expression.

The decision highlights one of copyright law’s most important principles: copyright protects the original expression of an idea, not the idea itself.

You cannot monopolise the concept of an underwater science fiction world, an evil corporation or even an environmental storyline simply because you created something featuring those elements first. What matters is how those ideas are originally expressed, including the particular development of characters, dialogue, plot and other creative elements.

The same fundamental distinction applies under South African copyright law, although the legal tests and statutory framework differ.

For writers, filmmakers, game developers and other creatives, the lesson is important. Protect your original creative work, document its development and understand exactly where copyright protection begins and ends.

At STEYN IP®, we help creators and businesses understand, protect and enforce the intellectual property behind their ideas.

05/10/2026

SIP Annual IP Workshop 2026 applications now open 🎓

If you are a law student or candidate attorney with interest in intellectual property law, this is one date you should not miss.

The Students of Intellectual Property (aka SIP) Annual Workshop, hosted by STEYN IP®, is an opportunity to step beyond lectures, textbooks and case law and experience IP as it is actually practised.

Spend time inside our specialist intellectual property firm. Engage directly with IP professionals. Explore the law behind the brands you recognise, the technology that changes industries, the creative works people produce and the innovations that shape the future.

From trade marks, copyright, patents and designs to domain names, enforcement and the commercial strategy behind protecting valuable intellectual property, SIP® is designed to give aspiring lawyers a practical introduction to a field that sits at the intersection of law, business, creativity, technology and innovation… and, importantly, to show you what a career in IP can actually look like.

📅 15 or 22 October 2026
📍 STEYN IP® Head Office | Kempton Park
⏳ Applications close 10 October 2026

This is not simply another law student event. It is a chance to get inside the world of specialist IP practice, ask questions of people working in the field and gain exposure that could help shape where you take your legal career next.

Spaces are limited, and attendance is by application and selection. Successful applicants will be notified if they have been selected to attend.

Want a seat at the table? Email [email protected] with:

• Your full name
• What and where you are currently studying, or where and in which area you are completing your articles
• Your preferred workshop date: 15 or 22 October 2026

Applications close 10 October 2026.

If IP is where you think your future might be, SIP is where you should start exploring it.

01/10/2026

Happy International Coffee Day ☕️

Coffee itself has its own IP story. From coffee brands and distinctive packaging to patented brewing technology, machine designs and geographical indications associated with particular origins, there can be a surprising amount of intellectual property behind your morning cup. But for brands, these “something days” (like coffee day) can be much more than another date on the social media calendar.

Brands increasingly use occasions such as Coffee Day, Burger Day, BoonDay or Heritage Day to launch limited-edition products, collaborations, packaging and promotions. Krispy Kreme is doing exactly that around Coffee Day today, releasing a limited-time coffee-flavoured version of its Original Glazed doughnut 🍩.

This is clever commercialisation by brands. A special occasion creates a reason to launch something new, generate conversation and bring customers through the door, without necessarily changing the brand’s core offering. And…. there is also plenty of IP involved.

A limited-edition product may bring together trade marks in the product name, logos, packaging and collaboration branding. Copyright may protect artwork, advertising material, photographs and packaging designs, while registered designs may sometimes protect distinctive product or packaging appearances. Recipes and manufacturing know-how may also be commercially valuable confidential information or trade secrets.

For brand owners, the opportunity is bigger than joining the conversation. These calendar moments can be used strategically to launch, test and commercialise new brand assets. But the IP should be considered before the campaign goes live. Who owns the name? Is the limited-edition branding protectable? Are collaboration rights properly documented? Can the packaging or product appearance be protected? Are you creating something valuable enough to use again?

If your brand is planning a limited edition, collaboration or campaign around a cultural or commercial moment, make IP part of the planning, not an afterthought.

29/09/2026

The US$5.7 Billion “tap” 🍎

A US jury has found that Apple’s Taptic Engine infringed two patents owned by haptics company Taction Technology. The technology produces the taps and vibrations experienced when using certain iPhones and Apple Watches.

The jury awarded Taction more than US$5.7 billion, reportedly the largest patent infringement verdict in US history. However, this remains a jury verdict rather than the end of the matter, and Apple has confirmed that it will appeal.

Importantly, the jury did not find that Apple’s infringement was wilful. Apple also maintains that its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different from Taction’s technology and disputes both the finding and the damages awarded.

The case is an reminder that even a seemingly small component inside a much larger product may carry extraordinary commercial value. Patents do not merely protect complete products, but can protect the technical innovations that make those products feel, move and function differently.

Protect the innovation inside the product, not only the name printed on the outside. Speak to STEYN IP about protecting your technology before it reaches the market… and how to avoid infringement. ⌚️

24/09/2026

Happy Heritage Day, South Africa! 🇿🇦 Living heritage includes the stories we tell, the languages we speak, the music we make, the knowledge we share and the traditions we practise.

These expressions connect generations, and they deserve respect from anyone who records, adapts or uses them commercially. This year’s theme, “Celebrating Our Living Heritage: Strengthening the Ties That Bind Us”, reminds us that protecting creativity also means recognising the people and communities who keep it alive.

23/09/2026

🤟 Today is International Sign Language Day, and we have something special to share.

Those who have followed us from day one may remember that we offer services to clients in South African Sign Language (SASL). We also participated in the public submissions process that preceded SASL becoming South Africa’s 12th official language.

This recognition has interesting implications for trade mark law and practice. SASL now falls squarely within RSA’s official-language framework, making it important for brand owners to consider protecting marks in the language in which they are actually communicated.

Naturally, we jumped at the opportunity to file STEYN IP using the SASL alphabet. That application was comparatively simple because our name could be fingerspelled through a sequence of handshapes.

SASL, however, is not merely a spoken language spelled with the hands. It is a rich, expressive visual language communicated through handshapes, movement, positioning, facial expressions and body language.

We therefore also filed what, to the best of our knowledge, is South Africa’s first true SASL trade mark, for DREAMERS WELCOME (our slogan). The mark is not fingerspelled using the SASL alphabet, but expressed in conversational SASL as it would actually be communicated.

Filing a mark that exists through gestures and movement is considerably more complex than filing a word or logo. Fortunately, trade marks are not limited to conventional names and logos, and our law makes provision for non-traditional marks through carefully prepared representations and descriptions. These include distinctive shapes, product configurations, patterns, colour combinations, containers, sounds and movement sequences.

An English word mark may not necessarily capture the SASL expression through which a Deaf audience encounters and remembers a brand. As SASL becomes more widely used in commerce, media, education and public communication, brand protection should expand with it.

Today, we celebrate SASL not only as an official language, but as a language of identity, expression, inclusion and commerce. , in every language and every form.

Address

Block 15 Gleneagle Office Park, 105 Koorsboom Avenue, Riverfields Lifestyle Precinct, Glen Erasmia
Kempton Park
1619

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 14:00

Telephone

+27101572308

Website

https://steynip.com/, https://linktr.ee/steynip

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