Zhenlan Hu

New York

Zhenlan Hu is an associate at F. Chau & Associates, an award-winning boutique intellectual property (IP) law firm in New York. Zhenlan has many years of experience in preparing and prosecuting complex patent applications involving advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, image and video processing systems, machine-learning-driven software architecture and methods. His clients involve some of the Fortune Global 50 Corporations. His work reflects a high level of technical sophistication, strategic foresight, and the ability to translate complex innovations into patent claims that withstand legal scrutiny. He has advised inventors and organizations on patent filing, IP protection strategy, positioning US companies for successful commercialization. His professional track record shows sustained success and a clear trajectory of continued contributions to nationally important fields, i.e., AI, machine learning (ML), semiconductor, display technologies.

Zhenlan has a strong interdisciplinary academic background that bridges law, engineering, and software technology. He earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2018, followed by a Master of Science (M.S.) in Electrical Engineering from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering in 2019. Earlier, he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto at Scarborough, where he graduated with distinction in Management and Information Technology in 2013.

Zhenlan is licensed to practice law in New York and Wisconsin. He is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), allowing him to handle patent matters at the national level. This combination of advanced technical education and comprehensive legal training equips Zhenlan with a rare ability to bridge the gap between complex AI/ML innovations and intellectual property protection strategy. Zhenlan made Super Lawyers® List for three consecutive years (2023, 2024, 2025). He is also a capable Chinese/English translator, having passed the China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters (CATTI).

Chau & Associates is a leading boutique intellectual property law firm established in 1998 to provide legal services exclusively in the areas of patents – preparing and prosecuting patent applications – to clients in New York and beyond. These patents are concentrated in the technical fields of semiconductors, software, AI/ML, display, multimedia, and mechanical technologies. F. Chau & Associates received recognition from Intellectual Asset Management and Ocean Tomo in 2013 as the No. 1 New York law firm in securing the highest quality and competitive patent portfolio in consumer electronics for its clients. Clients include Fortune Global 50 Corporations such as Samsung, Adobe, IBM, and Siemens Corp., universities, mid and small sized established and emerging companies, and individual entrepreneurs.