Dr. W A Hahn established Hahn & Hahn after arriving in South Africa from Europe during 1948. While residing in Europe he was actively involved in the multinational chemical industry as a patent expert for 20 years. While qualifying as a South African patent agent, Dr. Hahn was engaged in conducting international license negotiations for the South African Coal, Oil and Gas Corporation Ltd. (SASOL). Furthermore, he also participated in setting up SASOL’s patent and documentation department, initially under his full-time direction.
In 1951 Dr Hahn founded his own firm, Dr W.A. Hahn, at Pretoria where the South African Patents and Trade Marks Office and Courts are situated. For some years the firm continued to manage SASOL’s patent department on a part-time basis. In building up the firm Dr. Hahn re-established his past (mostly pre-war) contacts with industry and colleagues all over the world.
Dr H H Hahn completed his doctorate in oil and coal chemistry and technology at the University of Karlsruhe, Germany, in 1957. Subsequently, he joined the firm as a full-time assistant, finally qualifying as a patent agent in 1959. During 1961 he became a partner of the firm which was renamed Drs. W A Hahn & H H Hahn. From these beginnings, the firm grew steadily and continues to do so.
Hans Hahn was an international intellectual property adviser to several multinational companies. His technical fields of expertise included chemistry (including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, petrochemistry); chemical engineering; conventional and alternative energy; natural and synthetic oils; bituminous substances; wood and pulp technologies; mining, prospecting, and mineral beneficiation; metallurgy; separation methods and apparatus; ecology; energy saving and most noteworthy industrialised buildings.
In conclusion, Hans was also a leader in the field of technical translations and is fluent in English, German, Afrikaans and Dutch, while having a reading knowledge of French.
During the period in which Hans was active at Hahn & Hahn, the firm expanded into a fully-fledged Africa practice, filing patent and trade mark applications in South Africa, Angola, Nigeria, Egypt in addition to ARIPO, OAPI and other African countries.
In September 1993 Hahn & Hahn merged with South Africa’s largest general law firm Webber Wentzel Bowens. However, during 1996 a decision was taken to reconstitute the specialised intellectual property law firm of Hahn & Hahn so as to enable it to independently pursue those activities it knows best. These include the registration and protection of intellectual and other property rights on behalf of its national and international clients and associates. Furthermore, we provide expert and practical advice regarding intellectual property, international trade and the environment.
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