Professional Experience
Hazel Okoth’s desire to be a chef was put on hold when her penchant for being outspoken was noticed in High School. She was encouraged to do law. Hazel is inspired by creativity. She loathes the mundane. She is always looking for a better way to do things, seen in the way she uses software like Prezi to make her presentations come to life. This has made her a natural fit for her practice where she specializes in trademark, patent and design protection as well as anti-counterfeit actions.
Hazel is the lead counsel in the Intellectual property law and Anti-counterfeiting Department of GVA. She loves to work with people who have something creative that is both good for the bottom-line and has macro-economic benefits. She understands the technical intricacies required when negotiating the intellectual property facets of commercial transactions.
Highlights
- Advised on the protection of trademarks, patents, designs and copyrights in various jurisdictions.
- Drafted numerous licenses and franchise agreements
- Represented international brands in opposing proceedings and other intellectual property disputes.
- Advised a leading manufacturer in Kenya on industrial designs
- Currently involved in combating counterfeit goods on E-commerce platforms
- Training of judges of the High courts of Kenya on a wide range of issues relating to the application of the Intellectual property law.
- Recognized in the Kenya Trade Week for best practices to combat counterfeiting.
Education & Memberships
She holds an LLB from the University of Nairobi and a diploma from the Kenya School of Law. She is a member of the Law Society of Kenya and the International Trademark Association where she sits on the Middle East and Africa Sub-committee on Anti-counterfeiting and the Global Project Team on Online Counterfeiting.
Hobbies
Hazel is an avid reader with a bias towards women development. Cara Alwill Leyba is a favourite author. She loves eating out and is always thinking of ways to improve on the restaurant experience.