Magdalien van der Westhuizen  holds a Master’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Pretoria (2013) and qualified as a registered patent attorney in 2016. She is Head of the Africa Patents Section within the firm’s Patent Department. 
  
With over 13 years’ experience in intellectual property, she specialises in advising global life sciences clients on navigating Africa’s complex patent landscape. Her expertise spans regional systems, including ARIPO and OAPI, as well as national filings, with a strong command of both substantive law and procedural requirements across multiple jurisdictions. Her practice focuses on the filing and prosecution of patents, utility models, and industrial designs, with particular emphasis on pharmaceutical and biotechnology innovations. She regularly advises leading multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as international law firms, on securing and enforcing high-value life sciences portfolios across Africa. 
 
Magdalien has been recognised in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in South Africa™ for Intellectual Property Law and was named a Rising Star by Managing IP for three consecutive years (2023–2025).