Susie S. Cheng, Ph.D.

Partner

Dr. Susie Cheng is a Partner at Leason Ellis and a member of the pharma/biotech group.  She also chairs the China Practice Group of the firm.  Susie focuses on all aspects of U.S. and global strategic patent procurement, licensing and monetization of intellectual property.  Her services include due diligence investigation of patent portfolios and products, and involvement in legal proceedings for investment and acquisition opportunities.  She also provides inventorship investigation, freedom-to-operate, infringement and patentability opinions.  In addition, she provides advice on various agreements, intellectual property disputes and litigation. Her clients operate in a wide range of technologies including biologics, pharmaceuticals, enzyme replacement therapies, cryopreservation, cannabis, biofuels, cosmetics, medical devices, small molecules, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence algorithms in healthcare and biometric authentication.  Susie’s clients include academic institutions, start-ups and multinational companies.

Susie loves scientific endeavors and is a strong advocate for individuals and companies in protecting innovative ideas.  After finishing her Ph.D. in molecular genetics and post-doc in neuroscience, she attended law school specializing in patent law.  For clients doing business in China and those based in China, her fluency in Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese makes her a highly effective advocate.  Susie identifies and avoids potential issues that may be raised by the patent office and routinely conducts interviews with Examiners aimed at establishing good rapport, minimizing cost and expediting prosecution.  Susie graduated summa cum laude from Hunter College, City University of New York, she obtained her Ph.D. from Columbia University, she was a Post-Doctoral fellow at Rockefeller University, and she received her JD from Brooklyn Law School.

  • Brooklyn Law School, J.D., Student law clerk for Honorable Jack B. Weinstein of Eastern District of New York, 1998
  • Post-Doctoral fellow, Rockefeller University, 1993-1995
  • Ph.D., Genetics, Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, 1993
  • B.A., Summa Cum Laude, Biological Sciences, Hunter College, City University of New York, 1987
  • New York
  • Registered Patent Attorney: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • Registered Notary in New York State
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Jones Day, 2004-2011
  • Pennie & Edmonds, 1997-2003
  • New York State Bar Association, Member
  • Biotech Investment Group, Member
  • Chemical Marketing & Economic Group, Member
  • Women in Licensing, Member
  • American Chemical Society Chemistry and the Law, Member
  • Chinese Association for Science and Technology, USA, Member
  • Cantonese
  • Mandarin Chinese
  • “China’s NMPA and CNIPA Propose Draft Measures on Patent Linkage for Public Comments: and Implications for the Future of Innovative and Generic Drugs,” IP Watchdog, October 2020
  • “5 Tips to Prevent IP Missteps When Hiring,” Corporate Counsel, October 2015
  • “Alert: 337 Investigation at the United States International Trade Commission,” Medicine Economic News, December 2014
  • “How to Respond to FDA Warning Letters,” Medicine Economic News, August 2014
  • “U.S. Patent Eligibility Guideline Challenges Patent Applicants,” Medicine Economic News, June 2014
  • “Patent Troll and Stifling Innovation,” Medicine Economic News, March 2014
  • “A Review of U.S. Patent Law Events in 2013,” Medicine Economic News, February 2014
  • “Best Practice to Obtain Patent Rights in Multiple Countries,” Medicine Economic News, January 2013
  • “An Overview of the New Provisions in the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA V),” Medicine Economic News, June 2013
  • “Understanding GDUFA 2012,” Medicine Economic News, June 2013
  • “Development of Patent Eligibility of Genes after Myriad,” China Intellectual Property News, July 2013
  • “How to Cope with Patent Cliff,” China Intellectual Property News, August 2013
  • “Expanded FDA Authority over Global Supply Chain,” Medicine Economic News, September 2013
  • “GAIN Act: Development and Approval of Certain Categories of Drugs,” Medicine Economic News, October 2013
  • “BPCA, PREA, Adjusting Timeframe, and Acceptance of Trial Data Overseas,” Medicine Economic News, December 2013
  • “US Courts Grapple with Patent-Eligible Subject Matter,” WIPO Magazine, 2012
  • “What Chinese Pharma Companies Should Know about Mayo v. Prometheus and Biotech Patents in the United States,” Medicine Economic News, May 2012
  • “Biotech and Pharmaceutical Patent Due Diligence in the United States,” Medicine Economic News, August 2012
  • “Continuing Application as a Patent Strategy for Protection of Pharmaceutical Inventions in the United States,” Medicine Economic News, September 2012
  • “Dual Patent Examination System in Brazil,” Medicine Economic News, November 2012
  • The 15th Optics Valley of China Intellectual Property International Forum & the 2nd Yangtze Intellectual Property Forum, “Cross-Border Trade and Intellectual Property Protection in the Eyes of foreign Investors—Intellectual Property Rights and Trade Secrets,” 2017
  • Huazhong University of Science and Technology, “Cross-Border Trade and Intellectual Property Protection in the Eyes of Foreign Investors—Intellectual Property Rights and Trade Secrets,” 2017
  • China Hubei Provincial IP Bureau Delegation Visits Leason Ellis, “The Risks in Intellectual Property Financing and How to Minimize Such Risks through Due Diligence Investigations,” 2017
  • Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) “How to Prepare Your Clients for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Protection in China,” 2016
  • Shenzhen International Biotech Summit 2015, “Patent Trends and Strategies for Protecting Biotech/Pharma Inventions in the United States,” 2015
  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong, “How Innovative Enterprises Get the Attention of Investors-How to Evaluate an Investment Opportunity from an Intellectual Property Perspective,” 2015
  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong, “Recent U.S. case law development in Biotechnology and Pharma Patents,” 2015
  • Chinese Association for Science and Technology-USA (“SAPA-USA”) and Chinese-American Professors Association in Connecticut (“CAPA-Connecticut”), “What you Can and Cannot Take and the Road to a Win-Win Solution,” 2015
  • Connecticut Sino-American Pharmaceutical Professionals Association (“Connecticut SAPA”), 2nd Annual Meeting, “Cooperation between U.S. and China in Today’s Pharmaceutical World-Challenges and Opportunities,” 2015
  • Shenzhen High Tech Bio Incubator Symposium, “How Innovative Enterprises get the Attention of Investors-How to Evaluate an Investment Opportunity from an Intellectual Property Perspective,” 2014
  • Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Biotechnology IP Seminar, 2014
  • Chinese Association for Science and Technology’s (“CAST-USA”), 21st Annual Meeting, “How Patents Can Help Grow Research and Business,” 2014
  • CSSPENA, Annual Forum, “Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Panel,” 2014
  • Women in Licensing Group, “America Invents Act Boot Camp – How to Apply the New Law,” 2013
  • Westchester County Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education, “What You Need to Know to Help Your Clients Compete and Create More Value,” 2013