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Home | Merchant & Gould P.C.

Samuel (Sam) Scholz is an associate IP attorney with Merchant &amp; Gould’s Minneapolis, Minnesota office. Sam focuses his practice on patent prosecution (where he specializes in electrical, medical and mechanical industries) and patent litigation.&nbsp;

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With experience as an engineer and now as an attorney, he has the knowledge necessary to help you protect your critical intellectual property.

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Registered Attorney Dedicated to Protecting Your IP

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Sam understands the complexities of obtaining a patent. While some clients may simply need information about the patentability of their invention, others require assistance through the patent application process.

As a dedicated patent prosecution attorney, Sam meets you right where you are to draft, file and defend your patent before the USPTO. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Sam is here to support you.

Building Relationships to Reach Business Goals

Sam understands the importance of patents and how they affect the growth of your business. That’s why he gets to know your business goals, so he can develop legal strategies that fit. He listens to you first and foremost, fostering a relationship that you can trust.

Sam places emphasis on solving problems through patent law. Whether your goal is to protect a new product or protect an idea for the lifespan of your business, Sam can deliver.

Serving With a Background in Biomedical Engineering

Before becoming an attorney, Sam worked for 3M as a Corporate R&amp;D Technical Aide after obtaining his Bachelor’s degree. During this time, he drafted new test methods, created new formulations, performed extensive testing, and gained an in-depth understanding of various chemical and mechanical processes.

At 3M, Sam worked with both small groups and large divisions, which now enables him to adapt his legal strategies to best fit each client. Plus, his background in engineering enables him to understand the technical aspects of inventions and assets.

Sam received his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. He also received his J.D. with an Intellectual Property Law Certification from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. During this time, he received two CALI Awards for Contract Law and Administrative Law.

While studying in his Bachelor’s program, Sam specialized in medical device design and created an autonomous patient-turning device using Arduino and solenoid valves. A provisional patent was filed for the device.

In his spare time, Sam enjoys running, doing automotive work with his father, and bowling. He’s also a huge Minnesota sports fan.

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Sam Scholz, Intellectual Property Attorney

Minneapolis

Merchant &amp; Gould is pleased to have welcomed four new associates to its Minneapolis legal team:  <a href="/people/john-p-olson/">John P. Olson</a>, <a href="/people/samuel-m-scholz/">Samuel M. Scholz</a>, <a href="/people/taylor-r-stemler/">Taylor R. Stemler</a> and Ivan Wang.



“These attorneys add depth and experience to the firm, bringing greater perspective to our clients and knowledge to our practice groups,” said Christopher J. Leonard, Managing Director and CEO of Merchant &amp; Gould.  “We are excited to welcome them.”



<a href="/people/john-p-olson/">John Olson</a> focuses his legal practice on protecting businesses from trademark infringement. With previous experience as a strategic partner for Fortune 500 companies, he now serves businesses as a trusted legal advisor, helping them protect their brands and assets from infringement and other unfair practices. John has supported businesses in a wide range of unique industries, including consumer products, automotive and powersports, internet products, and media and entertainment. He received his Bachelor of Arts in international business and management from Dickinson College, and his J.D. cum laude from Roger Williams University School of Law. During law school, Olson worked as a law clerk for Merchant &amp; Gould.



<a href="/people/samuel-m-scholz/">Samuel Scholz</a> focuses his practice on patent prosecution, specializing in electrical, medical and mechanical industries, and patent litigation. Before becoming an attorney, he worked for 3M as a Corporate R&amp;D Technical Aide after obtaining his bachelor’s degree. During this time, Sam drafted new test methods, created new formulations, performed extensive testing, and gained an in-depth understanding of various chemical and mechanical processes.  He received his Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Minnesota. Sam also received his J.D. with an Intellectual Property Law Certification from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law where he served as the co-editor-in-chief of the Cybaris Intellectual Property Law Review and graduated magna cum laude.



<a href="/people/taylor-r-stemler/">Taylor Stemler</a> focuses his practice on both patent prosecution and intellectual property litigation. From inventors to businesses, he helps his clients secure patent protection and assert their intellectual property rights,  primarily serving the mechanical and electrical industries. Before becoming an attorney, Taylor worked as a Biomedical Engineer for a Minnesota-based medical device company, collaborating with the company’s patent counsel to file for patent protection on these ideas. Taylor is a summa cum laude graduate of Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where he served as Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Mitchell Hamline Law Review, and he received his Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Minnesota.



Ivan Wang focuses on patent prosecution in the electrical and software industries and advises clients on IP strategies. &nbsp;His near decade-long engineering experience has honed his ability to quickly understand technical issues and has helped him develop unique industry perspectives on IP strategies. &nbsp;Ivan understands that patents, trade secrets and designs are critical components to a client’s IP strategy; and sees the bigger picture through a technical lens. &nbsp;He earned his Master of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and his J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Ivan graduated from Huazhong University of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Science in electronics and information engineering.

Merchant & Gould Welcomes Four Associates in Minneapolis Office

Merchant &amp; Gould’s Pro Bono Committee announced the firm’s 2022 Pro Bono Awards to attorneys who have dedicated their time to helping their communities through pro bono legal services and their deep commitment.



A special congratulations goes to Bill Hughet (D.C.) who performed a total of 97 pro bono hours in 2022, spread out over multiple clients.&nbsp;He is the recipient of Merchant &amp; Gould’s 2022 Pro Bono Award.



In addition, Merchant &amp; Gould recognizes a few other people who went above and beyond in pro bono this year. Tom Johnson (Minneapolis) and Michael Erbele (Minneapolis) both recorded over 80 pro bono hours in 2022; and several other professionals recorded more than 40 pro bono hours, including Joe Gess (D.C.), Samuel Scholz (Minneapolis), Peter Gergely (New York), Rob Lyksett (Minneapolis), and Rachel Scobie (Minneapolis). In total, M&amp;G professionals recorded more than 1,100 pro bono hours last year, making an immense impact in several states around the country.



Congratulations to Bill and all the attorneys who continue to make our communities even better by providing pro bono legal services!