Specialization
Mr. Mrema is a co-founding Partner of AKIPLAW ADVOCATES. He is massively experienced in legal practice, with emphasis on Intellectual Property (IP), Corporate Governance and Alternative Dispute Resolution. Mr. Mrema has more than fifteen (15) years' experience in advising on IP issues, corporate good governance, commercial law and institutional reforms in intellectual property rights protection. His experience spans the IP areas required as a specialist in intellectual property law with particular expertise in trademarks, patents, copyright, industrial design, trade secrets, domain name disputes, competition and fair trade practices and associated regulatory law issues. Responsible for and has considerable experience in commercial and litigious matters involving intellectual property rights and international disputes.
Mr. Mrema has represented major international clients and is closely involved in providing advice and management counselling for international clients relating to their Eastern Africas IP strategy and for local clients relating to their worldwide IP portfolios and strategy. He represents major international clients and local clients. He has gained extensive knowledge and practical experience with the various IP prosecution and protection systems throughout Africa.
Other main areas of work are company law, corporate finance, commercial litigation, arbitration, commercial property and banking. Mr. Mrema has also developed a particular interest and passion in anti-counterfeiting activities and has represented various multinational corporations on their various anti-counterfeiting campaigns and has also written extensively on the subject. He is also involved in the promotion of domain names protection and domain name disputes.
- Master of Laws (Commercial Law), (University of Cardiff, Wales UK, 2006
- Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (LL.B) (Hons) University of Dar es Salaam, 2001
- Head of the IP Department, Mkono & Co. Advocates, 2008 - 2015
- Senior Associate Mkono & Co., 2006 - 2007
- Associate, Mkono & Co, 2003 - 2006
- Advocate of the High Court of Tanzania, since 2003
- Legal Officer, Mkono & Co., 2002 - 2003
- Associate, Nyange & Co. Advocates, 2001 - 2002
- State Attorney Trainee, Attorney General Chambers, Dar s Salaam, 2001
- Part of the team providing legal advisory services for the privatization of National Microfinance Bank. In particular advising the Government in connection with the privatization of National Microfinance Bank, on the aspects of trademarks law, trade secrets, law of confidence, copyright law and software licenses.
- Part of the team advising the Government of Tanzania through the Bank of Tanzania on the privatization of the Peoples Bank of Zanzibar Bank with the specific task of analyzing the legal and regulatory framework relevant to the Bank's privatization; conducting legal and due diligence on the Bank's corporate and tax position; major contracts, litigation and other disputes and advising on key strategic legal issues.
- Acting for and advising various foreign corporations involved in and with interests in Tanzania on the most appropriate legal structure for starting business, doing business and protecting their intellectual property valuables.
- Representing MTTL in protracted litigations, before the Commercial Court and later in the Court of Appeal, commenced by TCC, a Cigarette Company incorporated in Tanzania arising from a concocted infringement and passing off claims based on various intellectual property rights.
- Representing BADR EAST AFRICAN ENTERPRISES LIMITED in a tender dispute with ASTALDI S.p.A. regarding the construction and rehabilitation of Mwanza Region Transport Project.
- Advising and representing Stafford Miller Ltd and GlaxoSmithKline Ltd before the High Court in a distributorship dispute involving its well known trademark SENSODYNE;
- Advising and representing Glaxo Group Ltd before the registrar of Trademarks and the High Court in a trademark dispute based on the clients well known mark ZANTAC;
- Advised and represented Google Inc. in a domain name dispute and successfully managed to recover the domain name (google.co.tz)
- Advising and representing Kenya Airways Ltd and Precision Air Ltd in a carriage by air dispute before the High Court of Tanzania.
- Advised and successfully represented Marvel Characters, Inc before the Registrar of Trademarks, in a trademark dispute based on the clients unregistered well known mark SPIDER MAN Device which is also protected by copyright.
- Advising and represented Glaxo Group Ltd before the High Court in a trademark infringement and passing off dispute based on the trademark clients well-known mark COFTA;
- Advising and representing Societe BIC before the High Court in a trademark infringement and passing off dispute based on the trademark clients well-known mark "BIC";
- Advising and representing Kiwi European Holdings B.V. before the High Court in a trademark infringement and passing off dispute based on the trademark clients well-known mark KIWI
- Representing N.V PHILIPS GLOEILAMPENFABRIEKEN, the Dutch corporation to fight counterfeit PHILIPS products imitating its well-known trademark PHILLIPS
- Advising FACEBOOK INC on various issues regarding IP infringement regime in Tanzania particularly on copyright and privacy issues vis--vis the Internet.
- Advising and acting for various multinational companies to set up their businesses and the registration and protection of their various brands and business names in Tanzania.
- Co-author, Protection of IP Rights in Tanzania, World IP Contacts Handbook 2005, (12th Ed) Managing Intellectual Property at 368-371.
- Author, Protection of Well-known Marks and the Problem of Definition: A Comparative Study between the Trademark Law of Tanzania, UK and South Africa, Cardiff University, 2006.
- Co-author, Tanzania IP protections meet global standards, World IP Contacts Handbook 2007, (14th Ed) Managing Intellectual Property, at pp. 414-417.
- Co-author, Turning the tables on counterfeiters, Handbook 2008, (15th Edn.), Managing Intellectual Property, at pp. 396 - 400.
- Co-author, Tanzania IP Changes are Good for Business Special Focus: Africa and Internet & Domain Names, Managing Intellectual Property 2009 at pp. 96 - 98.
- Author, Recent Legislative Changes in Trademark Law in Tanzania: A critique. A paper presented at INTAs 131 st Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Washington on May 16 - 20, 2009.
