Brad Liu

Brad Liu primarily counsels clients around the globe on patent prosecution, design-around assistance, freedom to operate, patentability and validity opinion. He is a patent attorney with first-hand experiences before both the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the National Intellectual Property Administration of China (CNIPA). He has extensive experience with the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) patent filing and prosecution process, as well as Track One Prioritized Examination under the USPTO.

Brad is actively involved with intellectual property litigation matters, from factual investigation and discovery to trial. He takes an active role in preparing foreign witnesses for U.S. depositions and trials. Experienced in both U.S. and Chinese legal systems, Brad counsels clients to help them fully understand litigation procedures and develop strategies for complex litigation in foreign jurisdictions. He also counsels clients regarding post-grant proceedings under the USPTO.

Beyond his intellectual property practice, Brad provides counseling for the firm's Asian vendor clients, including establishing businesses in the U.S. and other associated legal issues such as business formation, product liability, regulatory, international trade, commercial issues, and governmental investigations. He works closely with Calfee’s Business Restructuring and Insolvency practice group to protect Asian vendors’ interests and to maximize their recoveries in U.S. bankruptcy proceedings.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Brad worked for several years as a patent specialist for a Chinese intellectual property law firm and as a control engineer for a Chinese energy company before joining Calfee as a Law Clerk in 2013. He became an attorney in 2015, and he was elected Partner in 2022.

Honors & Recognitions

• Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Litigation – Patent (2023-2025), Intellectual Property Law, and Litigation - Intellectual Property (2024-2025)
• Ohio Super Lawyers, Ohio Rising Stars, Intellectual Property (2022-2024)

Education

J.D., University of Akron School of Law, 2015

M.B.A., Ashland University, 2011

B.E., Measurement Control Technology & Instruments, Harbin Institute of Technology, 2005

Experience

Intellectual Property Matters

• Handling IP matters for a publicly traded, Fortune 1000 global manufacturer, including drafting and prosecuting dozens of patent applications directed to technology of strategic importance to the client. Calfee also represents the company in significant IP litigation matters when they occur. Calfee routinely manages and assists with matters related to patent prosecution and IP strategy, management and strategy of patent and trademark portfolios, and advice on IP strategy and litigation. Calfee also is handling "take-down" disputes related to infringers of the client's patents on the Amazon.com website.
• Serving as primary IP counsel for a publicly traded, Fortune 500, global manufacturing client and its operating companies with responsibility for the client's worldwide IP portfolio, including 1,000+ patent matters and 2,000+ trademark matters. With regard to clearance, Calfee provides right-to-use and non-infringement analyses and opinions. With regard to procurement, we provide patentability and registrability analyses and opinions. We also prepare, file, and prosecute patent and trademark applications. Calfee assists in all IP litigation the operating companies are involved in.
• Assisting an Asian manufacturing company with its U.S. patent and trademark filings while overseeing its entire global patent and trademark portfolios. Relatedly, Calfee represented the client in two separate International Trade Commission (ITC) investigations. At stake was whether the ITC would block the importation of several of the company’s products. Calfee obtained successful results for the client in both matters. Calfee also successfully defended the company on patent infringement allegations.
• Serving as global Intellectual Property Lead Counsel for an Asia-based manufacturer, representing the client in district court litigation matters and prosecuting patent applications. The patent work for this client includes patent infringement matters filed in district courts in two states and the Federal Circuit as well as in six inter partes reviews before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. These actions are being heard in a variety of forums in four countries.

Non-Intellectual Property Matters

As part of Brad’s practice that involves general legal counseling for Asian companies, Brad has collaborated with the appropriate Calfee attorneys to support clients on a variety of business opportunities and challenges in the U.S. over the past several years, including:

• Business formation
• Immigration
• Product liability litigation and recall
• Regulatory matters involving the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• International customs and trade matters involving the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCPB)
• Commercial contractual agreements
• White-collar investigations or proceedings involving the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Professional & Community

• Cleveland Intellectual Property Law Association, Member
• Kathleen O’Malley American Inn of Court, Associate