Background
Dan Judge Wema is the Managing Partner of the firm and Head of the Commercial and Intellectual Property Department, advising clients at the intersection of business, innovation and regulation. His practice is distinguished by deep experience in intellectual property strategy, commercialization and rights protection, combined with a strong grounding in corporate and transactional work.
His experience includes working 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.
His commercial practice extends across a wide range of corporate and transactional matters, where he advises businesses, investors and emerging ventures on structuring, governance and strategic growth. He has experience supporting commercial transactions across various sectors, including capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and complex commercial arrangements, while providing regulatory and compliance advisory in increasingly dynamic business environments.
Dan regularly advises on corporate structuring, shareholder arrangements, investment transactions and commercial risk management, combining legal insight with strong commercial awareness. His work also encompasses licensing, assignments, franchising and technology-driven transactions, as well as competition law, data protection and brand protection strategies. Drawing from his background in finance and innovation, he is particularly skilled in helping businesses navigate commercially sensitive transactions involving intellectual property, technology assets and investor interests.
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)