Find Lawyers in Michigan, United States for Patent Law
Select a city from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
Cities
Patent Law - Michigan
About this Practice AreaMr. Amburn concentrates his practice on intellectual property protection and litigation. He prepares and prosecutes patent and trademark applications, drafts intellectual property opinions and agreements, and counsels clients in obtaining and enforcing intellectual property rights. He works on a wide variety of technologies including mechanical, software, and business methods. Mr. Amburn has over fourteen years of litigation experience including first chair jury trial, mediation, arbitration,...
Frank’s practice focuses on intellectual property litigation. Frank has successfully tried patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright cases in Federal Courts nationwide, the Courts of Appeals for the Sixth and Federal Circuits, and the International Trade Commission. As a registered patent attorney, Frank is authorized to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Frank has been lead counsel for a wide variety of clients, from individuals to major corporations, in intellec...
John S. Artz, a partner with Dickinson Wright PLLC has more than twenty-five years of experience and practices in all areas of intellectual property litigation. He also has extensive experience with the acquisition, management, and prosecution of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret assets. He serves and has served as lead counsel for many companies in federal courts across the country, including the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. John also has served as lead counsel in 25+ IPRs ...
Cary has extensive experience in both prosecution and litigation of intellectual property (IP) matters. He worked for 16 years as a patent attorney for General Motors Corporation, where his responsibilities included patent preparation and prosecution, infringement opinions, licensing, acquisitions and divestitures, and major litigation. Cary was also Patent Counsel at BASF Corporation. He has substantial experience in the chemical, mechanical, and software/electrical arts. Cary served as an i...
The Business Services Practice Group at Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes, PLC focuses its practice on assisting clients grow their businesses. We assist clients to create a method of distributing the client's products or services to achieve the client's business goals. We assist clients in developing a corporate growth strategy, designing a distribution system, designing and documenting licensing relationships, or franchising the client's concept. We are experts in the regulatory requirements of ...
Mark is one of the founders of Brooks Kushman and has served as the President since 2007. Under his stewardship, the firm has grown from 50 to over 80 lawyers, patent agents, and technical specialists. He was instrumental in opening our Los Angeles office and in expanding our practice nationally and internationally. In his intellectual property litigation practice, Mark has handled major litigation in all technology areas and tried cases relating to patents, trademarks, trade secrets and copy...
Tim Eagle focuses his practice in intellectual property, e-commerce and litigation, including commercial/business, technology, and product liability. Tim is admitted to practice in all federal and state courts in Michigan and Ohio, the United States Courts of Appeals sitting in Cincinnati, Ohio and Washington, D.C., as well as the United States Supreme Court. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Patent & Trademark Office. Tim is a frequent speaker on issues such as e-c...
Mr. Fishman has over 25 years of experience in trademark law, related licensing and litigation and other disciplines of Intellectual Property law. He has substantial experience in a wide range of industries, including banking, insurance, automotive, packaged foods, contract furniture, publishing, sports, entertainment, building products, certification programs, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, restaurant, medical products, and scientific and laboratory products. He manages ...
Paul R. Fransway concentrates his practice on franchise, distribution, trademark and unfair competition law. He serves as primary franchise counsel for a number of national franchisors, and he helps them comply with disclosure and registration requirements under the Federal Trade Commission and various state laws. Mr. Fransway is also an expert in all aspects of franchise contract enforcement, including covenants not to compete, trademark infringement, and post-termination remedies, both in c...
Julie Greenberg is a partner at Fishman Stewart PLLC. She has more than 25 years of experience in trademark and copyright prosecution and protection. Much of her career has involved federal court litigation with particular emphasis on obtaining preliminary injunctive relief. She has had extensive experience counseling clients in infringement matters involving trademarks and copyrights. Julie handles all levels of domestic and international trademark protection and prosecution, including at th...
John’s practice encompasses all aspects of intellectual property law, including domestic and international patent acquisition and maintenance, trademark and copyright registration; intellectual property enforcement and litigation; trade secret protection; high-profile product and trademark clearances; large scale due diligence efforts; joint venture and commercial agreements; and licensing. In his practice, he counsels and represents a number of Fortune 500 companies, as well as a numbe...
Jennifer Hetu’s practice focuses on trademark law and brand protection. She advises businesses of all sizes on a wide range of trademark matters in the U.S. and international markets, collaborates with foreign law firms on worldwide trademark protection, and provides counseling regarding U.S. use and registration. She also counsels businesses in the rapidly growing cannabis industry on how to navigate trademark protection strategies in the current landscape. She is a former trademark at...
Amanda Hill represents inventors, entrepreneurs, and businesses at every stage of the patent process to help her clients protect assets. She has experience preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications in fields related to chemical, mechanical, and electrical engineering. She has also prepared patentability, infringement, and invalidity opinions on behalf of her clients. She has particular experience representing manufacturing clients in the automotive and medical device industries i...
Bill helps businesses protect their brands, inventions and copyrights to build business and avoid being sued. With more than 30 years experience, Bill has extensive knowledge and expertise in all aspects of patent, trademark, trade secret, and copyright matters including litigation in a broad range of industries. He evaluates patents, trademarks, and copyrights along with advising clients on the protection of inventions, trademarks, and copyrightable subject matter. Bill is a highly sought-af...
Libby is the Chair of Brooks Kushman’s Trademark practice. With over 30 years of experience, she has been instrumental in developing and leading the firm’s trademark practice. Libby manages substantial trademark portfolios both domestically and internationally, and works closely with a network of vetted international contacts developed over the past decades. She manages trademark matters in a variety of industries, including automotive, retail, restaurant and food, advertising and...
Richard Jones is Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Licensing Practice Group and handles a wide range of intellectual property matters. Over the last few years, he has led on the following issues: representation of OEM in connection with divestiture of Military related IP assets; representation of OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in connection with Global Vehicle Design and Assembly Agreement; representation of a Tier 1 Automotive Supplier in Divestiture of IP Assets; prepar...
Ms. Kornfield assists clients in intellectual property matters, including information systems acquisition, copyrights, trademarks, e-commerce, noncompete agreements and other post employment restrictions, and protection against economic espionage. She handles transactional and litigation matters and has been lead counsel in national intellectual property litigation. She has been selected as an expert witness, mediator, and arbitrator in intellectual property disputes. She serves on an Advisor...
Doug LaLone is a partner at the firm. He serves as chair of the firm’s Strategic IP Practice Group which counsels start-up companies, PE, VC and IB firms on intellectual property strategies, due diligence and portfolio management concerns. Doug works on both the buy and sell side of M&A transactions. Doug has also successfully prosecuted and defended over 100 different Intellectual Property suits in numerous federal and state courts, and appeals before the Sixth Circuit Court of App...
John joined Brooks Kushman in 1999. His focus is federal patent litigation and appeals in the software, electrical, and mechanical arts. He holds an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering, a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. He litigates patent cases nationwide. He is admitted to practice before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and U.S. District Courts in Delaware, California, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Wisconsin. John i...
Marc is the Co-Chair of Brooks Kushman’s intellectual property litigation practice. He has been instrumental in building, developing, and growing the team. Throughout his career, Marc has successfully tried patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright cases in Federal Courts nationwide, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, and the International Trade Commission. Marc has extensive litigation experience from jury selection; presenting opening statements; examining (direct and cross) fa...
Barbara has over 30 years’ experience in complex litigation, with the exception of two years spent as general counsel. Her practice is focused on litigating, arbitrating and counseling her clients on patent, trademark and licensing matters as well as antitrust law.Barbara’s experience includes litigation of intellectual property disputes involving patent, trademark, computer and Internet law; theft of trade secrets; breach of license and franchise agreements; trade dress and copyr...
Scott McBain is a member of Dickinson Wright’s Intellectual Property practice group. He concentrates his practice on domestic and international IP procurement and IP counseling, transactions and strategies for the protection and enforcement of IP assets. Scott has been an IP attorney for over 25 years, doing significant licensing work alongside other complex technology transfers, including IP due diligence and merger, acquisition, divestiture and IP support. As a former attorney at Delp...
Jeffrey A. Michael is a partner in the firm's Grand Rapids, Michigan, office, and a member of the Intellectual Property and Technology Departments, as well as the Nanotechnology Practice Group. Jeffrey serves corporate and individual clients by obtaining intellectual property protection in the United States and foreign countries and concentrates this portion of his practice primarily in the areas of electrical, electro-mechanical, mechanical, and computer-related inventions. He also counsels ...
Mikhail Murshak is an experienced intellectual property attorney specializing in patent and trademark strategy and acquisition. Working with start-ups is his primary area of interest, especially helping in making a cost-effective strategic plan to build a strong IP portfolio and avoid risky pitfalls. This includes assisting his clients with negotiating terms, reviewing agreements, and due diligence. His background includes preparation and prosecution of patents in the area of medical devices,...
John Nishi assists clients with domestic and foreign trademarks, focusing on strategic counseling in brand selection, protection and risk management strategies, trademark prosecution, and portfolio management. In addition, he has extensive expertise and experience in the licensing of trademarks, copyrights and publicity rights, as well as counselling on intellectual property aspects of transactions. His clients have included many of America’s and the world’s most prominent brand o...
Jennifer A. Puplava practices primarily in the areas of intellectual property law and technology law. She helps clients protect their trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property, and she assists clients with the negotiation, drafting and enforcement of, and compliance with, related agreements, policies, terms and conditions and other documents. She counsels clients regarding a wide range of technology law issues, including the acquisition and maintenance of domain na...
Richard Rattner has more than thirty years of experience in real estate law, with specialties in real estate acquisition, sale and loan transactions, land use development, zoning, and corporate law. Mr. Rattner is a member of the Oakland County Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, the American Bar Association and the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. He served on the Governing Council of the Real Property Law Section (RPLS) of the State Bar of Michigan and remains an active parti...
Eric R. Starck is a Member of the Firm and has been practicing law since 2001. His corporate practice focuses on commercial real estate, land use, zoning and environmental law.Mr. Starck advises clients in all areas of real estate law, including the acquisition, construction, financing, leasing and disposition of real property. He also advises clients on zoning, land use, environmental compliance and environmental due diligence issues. Mr. Starck is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and s...
Robert Stearns has over 25 years of experience in the legal industry, particularly in the area of patents. Mr. Stearns maintains a very active patent practice with clients in the automotive industry as well as medical device, pharmaceutical and light rail. He handles all aspects of patent law, including preparing and filing original applications, responses, appeals, reexaminations, foreign filings and actions, patent clearance and freedom-to-practice opinions, intellectual property litigation...
I am a founding and managing member of my law firm, which specializes in intellectual property. Fishman Stewart applies a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary approach to maximize the scope of intellectual property protection and beneficial usage. I have a master's degree in engineering and an English degree. I am a frequent speaker on intellectual property protection and enforcement. My presentations have included audiences associated with many organizations including universities, bar associat...
Patent Law Definition
A patent is a contract between an inventor and the government. The inventor provides a complete description of the invention to the public in an application for patent. This benefits the public by providing knowledge of the invention for use as a foundation for additional innovation. In return, if the invention is new (as compared to everything known to the public prior to the invention), a patent is issued. This patent gives the inventor a right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling the patented invention throughout the United States, and from importing the invention into the United States, for the life of the patent, usually 20 years from filing.
Grant of a patent does NOT itself give an inventor a right to exploit the patented invention – it only gives the inventor a right to exclude others from practicing the invention. For example, if an inventor makes an improvement to a previously patented machine, and gets a patent, the inventor can prevent the owner of the original patent from using the improvement. However, the inventor may not be able to exploit the improvement itself, at least until the original patent expires, because such exploitation might infringe that original patent.
Title 35 of the United States Code (the “Patent Statutes”) set forth the standards and procedures for obtaining patents. Patents are granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), an agency of the Department of Commerce.
The following items are patentable under these statutes:
- Processes: new methods of doing something
- Machines: engines, machinery, instruments, gadgets, etc.
- Articles of manufacture: circuits, tools, structures made of metal, plastics, ceramics, etc.
- Compositions of matter: new pharmaceuticals, chemical compounds, naturally occurring substances when substantially purified, DNA sequences, biological materials, e.g. bacteria, viruses, proteins and protein fragments, monoclonal antibodies, epitopes, and vectors.
- Improvements in any of the above
- Living organisms: genetically altered plants and animals.
- Computer programs: alone and in conjunction with other equipment.
- Business methods: methods for doing business, but not those solely directed to patenting abstract ideas.
- Designs: ornamental aspects of articles of manufacture.
- Non-patentable items include: nebulous concepts or ideas, laws of nature (e.g., gravity), mathematical algorithms alone (but computer-implemented mathematical algorithms producing a concrete, useful, and tangible result are patentable subject matter), and purely mental processes.
A key element to effective patent protection is writing patent claims that define the invention as broadly as possible, but without overlapping prior art that could make the patent invalid. This is generally best done by someone with skill and experience in patent practice, so consulting with a patent attorney is a wise choice.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
In Brief
Georgia Laws Taking Effect in 2022
Three new pieces of Georgia legislation aim to improve medical bill transparency, lower the sales tax on vehicles and enact further safeguards to protect children in foster care.
On Neutral Ground
Years after the American Bar Association resolution on diversifying the pool of neutrals, alternative dispute resolution panels still fall short.
Largest Pain and Suffering Award Affirmed in New York History
Preeminent trial lawyer Benedict Morelli on achieving a precedent shifting result.
New England States With Incoming Legislation
Best Lawyers takes an in depth look at newly proposed bills, litigation and cases coming out of four New England states.
Loaded Arguments
The historic Sandy Hook settlement may set precedent for future liability, while some states loosen their gun laws.
Activism In Action
From action to “Action!,” Jeffery Robinson’s Who We Are project and new documentary chronicle his efforts to expose, confront and put a stop to the country’s long history of anti-Black racism.