Shan Liao brings business acumen and a background in multiple science and technology fields to help clients manage and grow their patent portfolios in the U.S. and abroad.

With in-house startup experience and a broad technical background, Shan has the ideal combination of tech know-how and business savvy. Shan holds legal degrees in the U.S. and China, where she studied at the country’s top law school. Shan has technical degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology, software design and development, and a recently completed master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering, in addition to her full-time work as a patent attorney.

Giving Concise but Thorough Advice

Shan gives strategic advice to a wide range of companies, from startups to established businesses, in areas including medical devices, artificial intelligence, embedded systems, and digital signal processing. Given her experience as patent counsel at an audio startup, Shan mastered the art of the 3-sentence legal opinion. She prides herself on considering all the factors that are important to her clients—such as budgeting, technical impact, company goals, and legal considerations—and providing concise yet thorough recommendations tailored to each client’s situation and style. 

Advising on the Chinese Market

Shan’s education in science, engineering and IP law spans the U.S. and her native China. To many of her clients, the Chinese market is crucial to incoming or outgoing business. Shan not only understands and guides clients through legal issues associated with doing business in China, but also potential cultural and communication challenges.

Shan also brings her collaborative communication style and network building to her volunteer work on the executive committee of the Seattle Chinese Bar Association. She enjoys connecting with attorneys across diverse practice areas and mentoring students and junior attorneys as they navigate challenges that are both universal to young lawyers and unique to the Chinese-American legal community.

Shan enjoys bringing her background to her work as a patent attorney. She likes learning about technology advances, seeing how innovation helps people’s lives, and helping companies use patents to benefit from their innovation.