Intellectual Property

Shahid Law Firm is also among the few law firms in Egypt with a wide range scope of services in TMT, including but not limited to:

• Trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property matters
• Consumer protection
• Privacy and data protection laws
• Regulatory compliance
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex agreements
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Litigation and arbitration cases

• Successfully defended the Confederation Africaine de Football (“CAF”) against Lagardère Sports (“Lagardère” now “Sportfive”) in ICC Emergency Arbitration proceedings initiated by Lagardère in connection with the termination of a 28-year USD 1 Billion contract for the commercial exploitation of CAF Competitions. Such exploitation included the entry by Sportfive into several downstream contracts for the exploitation of broadcasting rights and marketing agreements with leading regional and continental broadcasting agencies and tournament sponsors, totaling USD 1 Billion, all of which were impacted by the termination of the agreement with Sportfive.
• Representing CAF before the COMESA Competition Commission (the “CCC”) following the latter’s investigation of a USD 1 Billion contract with Sportfive and all downstream broadcasting/licensing and marketing/sponsorship contracts arising therefrom (including with beIN Sports, Canal+, Supersport, Total, Orange, and others totaling approximately US$ 1 Billion) following the CCC’s issuance of a preliminary report recommending the imposition of financial penalties on CAF (approximately 10% of turnover from impugned contracts) for reportedly breaching COMESA Competition Rules and Regulations.
• Representing Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC) in various multi-million-dollar civil, commercial, & criminal cases involving their work in Egypt in a major case before Egypt’s administrative court related to the blocking of multiple attempts of staying the airing of one of the most widely-viewed television shows during the month of Ramadan Namely “Ramez Magnoon Rasmy” which means “Ramez Is Officially Crazy”.
• Representing Unilever in connection with advising a multinational consumer goods company on technology-related laws (electronic commerce, website licensing, and cybercrimes) and the newly promulgated Egyptian Personal Data Protection Law, while highlighting the significant differences between the Egyptian Personal Data Protection Law and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation.
• Successfully representing Highways International SAL Offshore in a CRCICA arbitration claim filed against Sigma Company for Media and Egypt Media for Media Production Company arising out of the breach of a Production, Broadcasting and Exploitation of one of Egypt’s most famous TV programs. The Client was awarded
  USD 430,000 (claimed amounts) in addition to arbitration costs and legal fees, approximately amounting to USD 40,000.
• Representing Highways Arabia FZ LLC (UAE) in a CRCICA arbitration claim arising out of a broadcasting agreement concluded with a renowned Egyptian production company owning notorious TV channels. The Firm obtained a final arbitral award in favor of our client, ordering the Respondent to pay the entire amount sought. The matter addressed the issue of the extension of the arbitration clause to
  non-signatory parties as a sanction to the civil fraud committed by the non-signatory party. The Tribunal recognized the application of the principle of extension of arbitration clause as a sanction for civil fraud under Egyptian law.
• Advising Unicharm Corporation, a leading manufacturing company selling baby and health care products across Middle East & Africa against a company named “Uni Sham” for the latter’s violation of the Egyptian Intellectual property law in having a similar trademark and product named “Baby Boy” diapers. The Firm worked closely and heavily with the Prosecution Office and the Trademarks Registry to issue a report on the similarities between Unicharm and Uni Sham similar product and trademark. In addition, the Firm represented Unicharm in the misdemeanor filed against responsible managers in Uni Sham for the violation as well as handling procedures at Trademarks Registry to strike out the “copied” trademark and register the original trademark.
• Advising Coca-Cola on the protection of its trademark from infringement and unlawful use by former bottlers; and representing it in the related court case.
• Advising various internet companies on licensing and operational requirements for the installation of subsea cables in Egyptian territorial waters.
• Advising a leading software and information technology service provider, in connection with providing certain services through its Egyptian subsidiary, hence it requested our assistance. We assisted the client in providing guidance and offering advice, under Egyptian law, for the Egyptian Subsidiary which intends to offer its data center services, end-user tech support and day-to-day IT operational responsibility to customers in Egypt.
• Advising Nokia Networks Systems on Egyptian laws & regulations in relation to erecting and licensing telecom towers on behalf of its telecom customers; the supply of telecommunications equipment, and disputes relating to the supply of telecom equipment.
• Acting as Legal Counsel of Netflix IO Productions, LLC, on various matters and rendered various legal opinions, considering the Egyptian laws and regulations, with regards to force majeure and effects of COVID-19 on Netflix business in Egypt, as well as the regulatory and licensing requirements for Netflix to comply with the Supreme Media Council recent regulations in Egypt.
• Assisting Vitabiotics Egypt with several counterfeit and misrepresentation complaints leading to the shutting down of several counterfeit pages on various social media platforms.
• Advising a leading global provider of road technology solutions on general IP matters and the transfer of technology in the context of negotiations on multi-million-dollar agreements with the Egyptian Ministry of Transportation.
• Advising Servier/Biofarma of the legal actions to be followed upon discovering the existence of counterfeit products in the market, and also on the steps that can be followed to enhance the fight against counterfeit products.
• Advising Facebook on all matters relating to the regulation of online activities in Egypt, including defamation complaints and infringement of IP rights.
• Advising Google on matters of immunity, criminal statutes, jurisdiction in the context of internet, libel, intellectual property, and consumer protection under Egyptian law.
• Advising Bupa International on the application of Egyptian laws relating to the marketing and sale of international private medical insurance over the Internet.
• Representing one of the lead US based companies specializing in agricultural bio-stimulants and fertilizers, in relation to several IP disputes before Egyptian courts. The judgement has been rendered in favor of the client in late 2022, and we are currently looking to reach an amicable settlement.