Snyder Clark Lesch Chung LLP — Strategic IP Counsel for Innovators
Snyder Clark Lesch Chung LLP (SCLC) is an engineering-led intellectual property law firm based in Herndon, Virginia. We translate high-tech engineering into robust intellectual property assets, specializing in patent preparation, prosecution, and trademarks for the architects of tomorrow. Our attorneys hold engineering and science degrees and many are former USPTO Patent Examiners, giving the firm rare technical fluency across electrical, computer, mechanical, semiconductor, telecommunications, AI, and medical-device technologies. The firm has secured 2,500+ granted patents and supported 60+ M&A transactions.
Practice Areas
Patent Preparation & Prosecution
Leveraging deep engineering expertise to draft robust specifications and secure high-value global patents. We translate complex engineering breakthroughs into enforceable legal assets, building technical moats around your innovation. Focus areas: technical drafting by professionals who understand the architecture; USPTO advocacy and strategic Office Action responses with expert Examiner interviews; foreign prosecution managing global portfolios through PCT and direct national-stage entries; and appellate practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).
IP Strategy & Due Diligence
Developing strategic portfolios and managing high-stakes audits for billion-dollar exits. In high-tech M&A the IP portfolio is often the most valuable asset, and we provide the technical rigor required to validate, clean, and strategize portfolios. Focus areas: buy-side and sell-side M&A technical due diligence; landscape analysis mapping competitor patents to identify white space and freedom-to-operate (FTO) risks; portfolio optimization to prune non-performers and strengthen core protections; and patent mining within existing R&D pipelines.
Trademark & Brand Protection
Comprehensive portfolio management and precision registration for global brand identities. We provide the legal framework to register, monitor, and enforce brand assets across global markets. Focus areas: global clearance for worldwide registration potential; portfolio management of registration, maintenance, and international renewals; active monitoring to detect and deter infringing uses; and advisory on trade dress, copyright, and digital brand enforcement.
Post-Grant Proceedings
Experienced representation in PTAB, re-examinations, and inter partes reviews. We represent clients in high-stakes administrative proceedings to defend their assets or challenge competitors. Focus areas: inter partes review (IPR); post-grant review (PGR); ex parte re-examination; and derivation proceedings.
IP Opinions & Counseling
Strategic technical analysis to mitigate risk, including freedom-to-operate, validity, and pre-litigation design-around counseling. Focus areas: freedom-to-operate (FTO) clearance analysis before product launch; validity analysis of patent strength; infringement opinions mapping products against competitor claims; and design-around counseling with engineering teams.
Technology Verticals
5G & Wireless — standards-essential patents (SEPs), RAN architecture, and spectrum management. AI & Neural Networks — proprietary algorithms, training models, and AI hardware accelerators. Semiconductors — device physics, wafer fabrication, and advanced packaging. Medical Devices — sensors, implants, biomaterials, and connected health systems.
Our Team
Glenn Snyder — Managing Partner
B.S. Electrical Engineering. Specialty: AI & Wireless Systems. Glenn's practice includes patent preparation and prosecution, opinion work, trademarks, and client counseling across electrical and electro-mechanical technologies such as computer networking, telecommunications, optics, computer hardware and software, semiconductor processing, and Internet technologies. A former USPTO Patent Examiner with over four years of experience examining computer hardware, software, and telecommunications applications, he previously practiced at Lowe, Price, LeBlanc & Becker and McDermott, Will & Emery, and worked as an electrical engineer at Vitro Corporation, Potomac Electric Power Company, and Sverdrup Corporation. Education: Juris Doctorate, The American University; B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland. Admissions: Maryland State Bar; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: Glenn.Snyder@snyderllp.com.
Rob Clark — Partner
B.S. Physics. Specialty: telecommunications, medical devices, cryptography, design patents. Rob's practice includes patent preparation and prosecution, infringement/non-infringement and validity/invalidity opinions, and client counseling across electrical, electromechanical, computer-related, and mechanical technologies including medical devices, telecommunications, semiconductors, and computer networking. He has prepared and prosecuted hundreds of patent applications in the U.S. and abroad and rendered numerous validity and infringement opinions. A former USPTO Patent Examiner (measuring devices and computer encryption), he previously practiced at Harrity Snyder and Hunton & Williams, LLP. Education: Juris Doctorate, University of Pittsburgh; B.S. Physics, Virginia Tech. Admissions: Pennsylvania State Bar; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: rob.clark@snyderllp.com.
Ken Lesch — Partner
B.S./M.S. Electrical Engineering. Specialty: Automotive & Robotics. Ken prepares and prosecutes patent applications and renders infringement and validity opinions, focusing on analog circuits, communications, electro-mechanical dynamics, and software. He draws on litigation experience from Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, where he served on two ITC trial teams, and gained prosecution experience at Finnegan and Harrity Snyder, LLP. He interned for the Honorable Randall R. Rader at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and previously worked as an engineer at Lockheed Martin. Education: Juris Doctorate, George Washington University (with Honors); B.S./M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania. Admissions: District of Columbia, New York, Massachusetts; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: ken.lesch@snyderllp.com.
Ji-Yong (David) Chung — Partner
B.S./M.S. Electrical Engineering. Specialty: Circuit Design & Fabrication. Dave has prepared and prosecuted patents in computer networking, semiconductor manufacturing, and Internet technologies. A former USPTO Patent Examiner (artificial intelligence, computer networks, telecommunications) who also served as a Computer Scientist in the USPTO Office of the Chief Information Officer, he previously worked as an associate at Harrity Snyder, LLP and as a Senior Engineer at Stanford Telecommunications, Inc. Education: Juris Doctorate, George Washington University; M.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Rochester; B.S. Electrical Engineering, MIT. Admissions: Virginia; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: jiyong.chung@snyderllp.com.
Tom Edman — Partner
B.S. Mechanical Engineering. Specialty: Electronics & Communications. Tom prepares and prosecutes patent applications and performs patentability, clearance, infringement, and invalidity opinions, focusing on telecommunications, digital multimedia, network hardware, electronic and mechanical devices, and wireless communications. He previously practiced at Harrity Snyder, LLP and Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells), clerked in NASA's intellectual property department, and worked as an engineer at Marconi Systems Technologies. Education: Juris Doctorate, William and Mary School of Law; B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Messiah College. Admissions: Virginia, District of Columbia; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: tom.edman@snyderllp.com.
David Sumy — Partner
B.S. Music / M.S. Electrical Engineering. Specialty: Circuit Design & Fabrication. David's practice includes patent preparation, prosecution, portfolio management, and counseling across electrical systems, wireless and wired communications, mobile devices, encryption, machine learning, semiconductors, signal processing, and data mining. He previously worked at D.C.- and Virginia-area patent firms and litigation firms in Chicago, and served three years in the United States Marine Corps. Education: Master of Laws and Juris Doctorate, The John Marshall Law School; M.S. Electrical Engineering, George Washington University; B.S. Music, Berklee College of Music (magna cum laude). Admissions: Illinois, District of Columbia, Federal Circuit, Eighth Circuit; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: david.sumy@snyderllp.com.
Tony Cole — Associate
M.S./B.S. Electrical Engineering. Specialty: telecommunications, medical devices, software & systems. Tony prepares and prosecutes patent applications focusing on communications, networks, electro-mechanical devices, and software. A former partner at Harrity Snyder LLP, law clerk at Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis, and USPTO Patent Examiner (electrical test and measurement, computer networks, object-oriented software), he previously served as a U.S. Military technician. Education: Juris Doctorate and M.S. Electrical Engineering, George Washington University; B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Nevada – Las Vegas. Admissions: California; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: tony.cole@snyderllp.com.
Andrew Barger — IP Counsel
B.S. Electrical & Computer Engineering. Specialty: M&A IP Due Diligence. Andrew has substantial IP due-diligence experience, serving on M&A teams for 60+ technology deals, mostly software companies. For 15 years he was Chief IP Attorney for two publicly traded Fortune 1000 companies, including Roper Technologies, Inc. He is well-versed in technology transactions, licensing, open-source licenses, and anti-counterfeiting, has prosecuted hundreds of trademark applications, written numerous patents, and serves on technology company boards. Education: Juris Doctorate, University of Detroit School of Law; B.S. Electrical & Computer Engineering, Oakland University. Admissions: Michigan State Bar, Tennessee State Bar; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: Andrew.Barger@snyderllp.com.
Jake Frank — Of Counsel
B.S. Electrical Engineering. Specialty: contracts, corporate and business counseling. Jake advises small and mid-size technology companies on corporate and business formation, employee and confidentiality agreements, contracts, and the protection and licensing of IP assets. He previously served as Vice President and General Counsel of Data General Corporation for 27 years, patent counsel for Hoffman LaRoche, general counsel for Farrington Electronics, and a USPTO Patent Examiner, and taught IP licensing as an adjunct professor at Suffolk Law School. Education: Juris Doctorate, Washington College of Law of American University; B.S. Electrical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Admissions: Virginia, District of Columbia, Massachusetts; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: jake.frank@snyderllp.com.
Paul Roberts — Of Counsel
B.S. Electrical Engineering. Specialty: IP Portfolio and Business Counseling. Paul founded and chairs the LES Standards Committee on Intangible Assets in the Boardroom and has served on the Licensing Executives Society US-Canada board for 15 years. He has led patent operations at Accenture and MCI/WorldCom, headed IP strategy at British American Tobacco and GE Ventures, co-founded two startups as Chief IP Officer/Chief Patent Counsel, and was a USPTO Patent Examiner. Education: Juris Doctorate, Whittier Law School; B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland. Admissions: Pennsylvania, Federal Circuit; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: paul.roberts@snyderllp.com.
Yukiko Maekawa — Of Counsel
Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering. Specialty: International IP Strategy. Yukiko prepares and prosecutes patent applications and renders opinions across telecommunications, computer networks, software, signal processing, medical imaging, bioinformatics, semiconductor devices, and medical and optical devices. With over 20 years of combined IP law and R&D experience, she previously practiced at ReedSmith LLP and Thelen, Reid & Priest, LLP and conducted research at Hitachi, Ltd. Central Research Laboratory and the University of Minnesota. Bilingual in English and Japanese, she holds five U.S. and seven Japanese patents. Education: Juris Doctorate, Santa Clara University School of Law; Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, University of Tokyo; M.S. Biomedical Engineering and B.S. Electronics Engineering, Hokkaido University. Admissions: District of Columbia, Minnesota; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Contact: yukiko.maekawa@snyderllp.com.
Firm Staff
Jennifer Netsch, Docketing Manager (annuities and maintenance fees). Gosia Ruszkowska-Noon, Patent Specialist with 18 years of experience in U.S. and international patent prosecution, USPTO and PCT filings, and foreign patent coordination. Kristen Dyer, Patent & Trademark Specialist supporting global patent and trademark portfolio maintenance. Susan Dameron-Rafferty, HR & Accounts Specialist with over 30 years of IP law firm experience.
Contact
Snyder Clark Lesch Chung LLP
205 Van Buren St., Suite 420, Herndon, VA
Phone: +1.571.297.0007
Email: info@snyderllp.com