Atty. Charles P. Schmal

Chuck helps businesses develop, protect, and manage their intellectual property portfolios both domestically and internationally. For nearly 20 years, Chuck has obtained patent protection for his clients’ inventions in a wide range of technologies including those related to automotive, hybrid vehicle, lubricant filtration, control systems, electronic, computer/software, material handling, diagnostic, and medical device technologies. He knows that a client’s intellectual property portfolio must complement their overall business strategy and recognizes that intellectual property rarely has value unless a business makes money from what it protects. Chuck counsels clients on identifying, protecting, licensing, and reviewing the value of their technologies. His experience includes patent application drafting and prosecution, intellectual property portfolio management, patent opinion and clearance, licensing, and trademark prosecution. Chuck has been a guest speaker on intellectual property matters at a number of national universities as well as internationally on behalf of the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation. An adjunct professor at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis, Chuck teaches the school’s International Intellectual Property Law class. Prior to joining the firm, Chuck worked as an engineer as well as in numerous other positions in the television industry for Thomson Consumer Electronics and was selected for Thomson’s Technical Leadership Program (TTLP). From this experience, Chuck understands the need to provide clients with consistent, predictable estimates for projects, and more importantly, meeting clients’ deadlines and budgetary needs.