Ryan W. Smith

Ryan W. Smith is a partner in the firm's Mechanical Patent Prosecution group where he advises clients and facilitates the acquisition of U.S. patents. In addition to his extensive experience drafting and prosecuting utility patent applications, Mr. Smith provides opinions of counsel related to securing and enforcing patent rights from the product development stage through pre-litigation and litigation.  He also counsels clients on patent portfolio management and competitive landscape analysis. 

Mr. Smith also has experience in post grant proceedings at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) such as inter partes review (IPR).  Further, he has appeared at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) in appeal of an IPR.

Due to his years of automotive industry experience, Mr. Smith is particularly knowledgeable of automotive technology, including: autonomous driving, drive by wire, infotainment, combustion, accident avoidance, power transmission, hybrid electric technology, and fuel cells. Further, he is experienced in advising clients in matters relating to surface mount technology, industrial machine tools, medical devices, and robotics.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Smith was an engineer for the Argonne National Laboratory and the General Motors Corporation (GM).  At GM, he was directly responsible for the technical design of power electronics, electric machines, and control strategies of GM’s hybrid vehicles.

Education

• DePaul University College of Law (J.D.)
  • Certificate in Patent Law
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (M.S.)
  • Engineering Science
  • Certificate in Management of Technology
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (B.S.)
  • Mechanical Engineering

Admissions

• Virginia
• Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• Supreme Court of Virginia
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Services

• U.S. Patent Procurement (Application Drafting & Prosecution)
• Trademark & Designs

Technologies

• Heavy Industry
• Electronics & Software
• Energy & Renewables
• Consumer Products