Our Team

jesus sanchelima picture

JESUS SANCHELIMA

As a Registered Patent Attorney Mr. Sanchelima co-founded the firm in 1977 as one of the first Hispanic Registered Patent Attorney in the United States. He earned his bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering with honors from the University of Florida and his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law. He is admitted to the Florida Bar, the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the Inter-American Association of Industrial Property (ASIPI), the Cuban-American Bar Association (CABA) and the International Trademark Association (INTA), Author: Mr. Sanchelima has also written articles in the Trademark Reporter regarding Intellectual Property issues in Cuba. Professor: Adjunct Law School Professor at Florida International University Languages: Spanish and English.

CHRISTIAN J. SANCHELIMA

Chris Sanchelima earned his bachelor’s in science degree in Industrial and System Engineering with honors from University of Florida and received his Juris Doctorate degree, from Florida International University School of Law, where he served as President of the Student Body and as Founder and President of the Intellectual Property Student Association. Mr. Sanchelima. Prosecutes numerous patents in mechanical, electrical, computer programs and chemical compositions.

As a Registered Patent Attorney, Mr. Sanchelima concentrates his practice in Patent and Trademark Prosecution and Intellectual Property Litigation. Chris has experience in trademark cancellation and opposition proceedings before the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. He has been involved in domestic and international intellectual property licensing, business lawyer Miami, franchise agreements and related assignment requirements. Mr. Sanchelima advised on intellectual aspects in commercial transactions including acquisitions, merges and joint ventures for US and International entities.

He worked at Rockwell Collins and developed and implemented optimization strategies for the assembly lines of various products for aircraft equipment’s. While working at Coca-Cola Enterprises he designed several environmentally friendly LEED initiatives.

Mr. Sanchelima is admitted to practice in Florida and before the United States Patent & Trademark Office. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Intellectual Property Law Association of South Florida, Asociación Interamericana de la Propiedad Intelectual (ASIPI), Belen Alumni Lawyers Section, INTA (International Trademark Association), and the Cuban American Bar Association (CABA).

He is fluent in English and Spanish and conversational Portuguese.

christian sanchelima
Liany Estevez Attorney

LIANY ESTEVEZ

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Chicago in 2013; earned her Juris Doctorate degree and graduated magna cum laude from Florida International University School of Law in 2020. She was admitted to practice by the Florida Bar and the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida, and is now a member of the American Bar Association (ABA) and International Trademark Association (INTA).

She started working at SAPA in 2014 first as a legal assistant, primarily in the litigation department, she went through law clerk to associate attorney.  In 2019  she volunteered for The Justice Collaborative where conducted legal research relating to criminal justice issues.

Liany Estevez is experienced in prosecuting mark applications with the United States Patent & Trademark Office, trademark cancellation and opposition proceedings before the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, and intellectual property litigation in state and federal court.

She is fluent in English and Spanish.