Piercing the corporate veil
Have you ever heard the phrase “piercing the corporate veil” and wondered what it means? This is a legal doctrine wherein the owner of a corporation loses the limited liability that having a corporation affords them. When the corporate veil is pierced, the assets owned by the business owner can be used to pay the debts and liabilities of...
Rihanna’s Instagram post results in Puma® losing a case to protect a sneaker design
On 6 March 2024, Puma faced a setback in the European Court of Justice when it failed to reverse a prior ruling by the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The legal dispute centered around Puma’s endeavor to secure a EU design registration for its ‘Puma Creeper Shoe’ and the impact of the earlier public disclosure of the ‘new’ sneaker...
Social Media and Copyright
As social media continues to take the world by storm, TikTok has emerged as a powerhouse, engrossing users with its creative short-form videos and becoming a popular platform for viral content creation. Part of what captivates users and makes the videos interesting, is the music or sounds paired with the videos.1 For this reason, it is not uncommon for...
Is Moonlighting Legal?
Moonlighting is the act and/or practice of holding a second job or engaging in additional work outside of your regular employment, without informing your employer. With the prevailing cost of living crisis in South Africa attributed to, inter alia, inflation, it is common practice for individuals to have more than one source of income to survive. However, as an employee...
New Year’s Resolutions for IP
New Year’s resolutions are common practice as we embrace the new year, and as such, many businesses set goals and make resolutions. An aspect that is often overlooked but is important to consider is intellectual property (IP). Properly managing and protecting your business’ IP can assist in maintaining a competitive edge, safeguarding your brand and reputation, and maximising the...
Taylor Swift’s IP Strategy
Oh, it's so sad to think about the good times. You and I…'Cause, baby, now we got bad blood. You know it used to be mad love. So take a look what you've done. 'Cause, baby, now we got bad blood, hey! Without having to even wonder where the words from the above paragraph come from, you already know that...
Know your rights as a consumer this Black Friday
Black Friday deals are upon us, and the festive shopping season is around the corner, therefore it is important that all businesses which market, distribute, manufacture, or sell goods and services in South Africa, comply with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA). Below are a few noteworthy regulations that one should be aware of when buying or...
Parallel Imports
Parallel importation can be defined as the act of importing and trading in genuine goods that are sold without the original manufacturer’s knowledge or consent. These goods are also referred to as “grey goods”. An example of how parallel importation typically takes place is when an individual travels to a foreign country, and purchases an item in said country at...