Background

Dan Judge Wema is a Partner and Head of the Corporate, Commercial and Intellectual Property Department. His practice is particularly distinguished by deep experience in intellectual property strategy, commercialization and rights protection across multiple sectors.

His experience includes working with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)on international intellectual property policy and business-facing initiatives, contributing to the development of globally applied intellectual property rights clearance guides across industries, including for SMEs in the energy and the creative sector. He has supported capacity building initiatives and advised institutions and national IP offices on strengthening IP strategies to drive innovation, scalability and commercial value across jurisdictions in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Dan has also been involved in assisting institutions to develop and streamline intellectual property appropriation frameworks and IP management systems, enabling more effective protection, utilization and monetization of intangible assets.

He brings a strong commercial dimension to his practice, drawing from a background in financial modelling and technology & startup valuation. He advises both startups and investment funds on investor-facing transactions, facilitates deal structuring and has been instrumental in negotiating IP-backed financing arrangements.

His broader commercial experience spans capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, competition law and data protection. He regularly advises on licensing, assignments and franchising arrangements, as well as brand protection and anti-counterfeiting strategies, delivering solutions that are both legally robust and commercially aligned.

His practice is firmly grounded in commercial advisory, with significant experience across capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance and competition law. He is deeply involved in structuring and negotiating complex commercial arrangements, including licensing, assignments and franchising, and plays a central role in developing brand protection and anti-counterfeiting strategies for clients operating in competitive markets.

Areas of Expertise

• Intellectual Property Law (Trademarks, Copyright, Patents, Industrial Designs, Utility Models)

• Licensing, Assignments and Franchising

• Capital Markets

• M&A

• Banking and Finance 

• Fintech and Financial Services Regulation

• Competition Law

• Data Protection and Privacy Law

• Commercial Litigation
  
  

Credentials

Education & Certifications

• Postgraduate Diploma in Law, Kenya School of Law & Kenyan Bar Admission
• LL.B, Bachelor of Laws , University of Nairobi, Kenya
• Advanced Certification in Intellectual Property Management, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
• Advanced Certification in International Patent Drafting, WIPO
• Advanced Certification in the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs, WIPO
• Advanced Certification in the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks, WIPO
• Advanced Certification in Intellectual Property Audits and Valuation, WIPO
• Advanced Certification in Intellectual Property and Sports Entrepreneurship, WIPO
• Intellectual Property Training Strategies, WIPO
• Financial Modelling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA) ,  Corporate Finance Institute

Memberships 

• Law Society of Kenya

• Young International Council for Commercial Arbitration (Young ICCA)