MENU
Home » 2016 » September » 5 » World Cup offers South African lawyers chance to shine | Law | The Guardian
2:20 AM
World Cup offers South African lawyers chance to shine | Law | The Guardian





Law firms have been busy preparing for this year's World Cup since 2004, when Fifa announced that South Africa would be the host. The tournament represents a big opportunity, giving local lawyers a chance to build their expertise on high-profile cases. The expected 0.5% GDP growth and doubling of foreign tourism will create a steady increase in their workload.

One of South Africa's biggest law firms, ENS, has been advising the World Cup organising committee. Lawyers have been dealing with contracts in the telecommunications, construction and energy sectors, and issues ranging from travel agents to players' permits.

In intellectual property – one of the fastest moving areas of law – South African lawyers have been inundated, as most of the economic value linked to the tournament relies on its trademarks. Fifa has registered a number of trademarks in South Africa. giving its officially authorised partners a monopoly over the use of the words World Cup and related symbols to protect the brand.

Many of those who sold merchandise without complying with the legislation are accused of ambush marketing , and are forced to seek advice from an intellectual property specialist or a criminal lawyer. There were a number of guerrilla marketing cases during the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and more than 50,000 cases have already been reported by South African authorities, many involving micro-entrepreneurs who have sought to make a quick buck through the on-sale of a batch of counterfeit merchandise.

IP issues will provide a chance for South African outfits to gain the international visibility they still lack, particularly in the growing African market where many English-speaking international law firms are planning heavy investment.

Allegations that airlines planned to raise fares during the World Cup have generated work in competition law. In January, at the request of the president, Jacob Zuma, the competition commission announced an investigation of six airlines – SA Airlink, BA/Comair, Mango, SA Express, South African Airways (SAA) and 1Time – for allegedly colluding on ticket prices and discussing pricing strategies for scheduled flights during the event. SAA has been co-operating with the inquiry, which is ongoing, and the other companies have denied any involvement in price fixing.

South African lawyers are anticipating a demand for legal advice from businesses affected by exclusion zones surrounding stadiums where the matches will take place. And the arrival of an estimated 3 million people in the country is expected to lead to an increase in crime and a surge in insurance claims.

One law firm has already given advice about potential claims from spectators suffering hearing loss as a result of the noise of vuvuzelas, a kind of trumpet popular among South African football fans.

This is a unique chance of visibility and high-profile work. The World Cup will not only benefit the biggest law firms of the country, but also independent specialists that will be able to offer a unique insight into the local legal system.

Chiara Albanese is a freelance legal journalist



Views: 401 | Added by: mega_tyfuk-1982 | Tags: South, Law, African | Rating: 0.0/0
Total comments: 0
avatar