Christopher Alan Suarez

Christopher Alan Suarez is a seasoned patent litigation attorney and a Partner in Steptoe's Intellectual Property practice, where he also co-leads the firm's interdisciplinary AI, Data, and Digital working group. His practice encompasses patent, copyright, and trade secret disputes across all levels of the US court system, including federal district courts, courts of appeals, and the US Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Suarez focuses on high-technology matters, particularly in computer software, hardware, and semiconductor fields, and has experience with patent and software licensing, including standards-essential patents (SEPs) in wireless technologies like Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, and 5G. He also advises on open-source software licenses and AI models.

Throughout his career at Steptoe, Suarez has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes intellectual property litigation, allowing him to approach cases from multiple perspectives. While the provided case data indicates his role as counsel for the defendant in Express Mobile, Inc. v. Adobe Inc. et al., he was also a key member of the Steptoe team that secured a substantial $170 million jury verdict for plaintiff Express Mobile, Inc. against GoDaddy.com, LLC in a case involving foundational web-design patents. This victory, obtained in November 2025, was preceded by a successful appeal to the Federal Circuit and later reinforced by a significant PTAB decision in June 2026, which upheld the patentability of Express Mobile's claims following the jury's validity finding. He has also represented clients such as Corrigent Corporation and American Axle in complex patent matters.

Suarez is active in PTAB proceedings, with experience cross-examining witnesses and arguing at oral hearings. His involvement in numerous Inter Partes Reviews (IPRs) for Corrigent Corporation and the intricate PTAB challenges related to the Express Mobile patents against a coalition of major technology companies, including Facebook and Google, highlight his proficiency in post-grant review.

Admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Illinois, and Virginia, Suarez is also registered with the US Patent & Trademark Office. He earned his law degree from Yale Law School in 2011. Prior to joining Steptoe, he was an associate at Williams & Connolly LLP and held judicial clerkships at the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.