About Anton Hopen
Anton Hopen Sr built a career at the intersection of science and law. He began his academic path studying Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering and finished with a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Florida in 1992. He then took his study of law to the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where he earned his J.D. in 1995. The combination of technical and legal training shaped the work he would pursue for the next three decades.
Early in his career he moved into intellectual property practice. By 1999 he had become managing partner at Smith & Hopen, PA, a role that placed him at the center of the firm’s work on patents and trademarks. He has been active in matters that require both technical understanding and courtroom experience. His registrations and admissions reflect that dual track: he is admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and he also holds admission in Florida and before the Eleventh and Federal Circuits.
His peers recognize that he concentrates on intellectual property issues. The Florida Bar has certified him in Intellectual Property Law, a designation that signals a specific credential in that field. That certification sits alongside his practical work representing clients on patent prosecution and appeals. He handles the procedural demands of filing and defending patent applications, and he appears in federal appellate courts when litigation moves beyond the trial level.
At Smith & Hopen, PA he has guided younger lawyers as well as handled substantive client matters. He took the managing partner title in 1999 and has overseen both litigation strategy and patent prosecution practice at the firm. His office has handled a mix of transactional and adversarial work, shifting between drafting applications, arguing at the USPTO, and briefing appellate issues for the federal courts.
Outside of client files he maintains current professional memberships. He participates in the bar and in intellectual property circles where practical and procedural developments are discussed. He has kept his practice aligned with changes at the PTO and in federal appellate jurisprudence.
He remains based at Smith & Hopen, PA and continues to work on intellectual property matters. His current practice centers on intellectual property work, including patent prosecution before the USPTO and representation in federal appellate courts.
