SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Brooks Kushman attorneys Erin Bowles, Anna Robinson, and Alena Marconi are excited to be attending the ChIPs NextGen Summit in Santa Clara in March and participating in their exclusive 2020 Mock Program. Brooks Kushman Chief Inclusion Officer Linda Mettes will be serving as a mentor for the participating attorneys.
The 2020 NextGen Summit is an engaging one-day summit hosted by ChIPs which provides content that is curated specifically for junior to mid-level female attorneys who work in technology, policy, private practice, corporations, or government. The day consists of an interactive workshop focusing on communication and presentation skills, a judge’s panel, and a keynote from two new ChIPs Board Members. This will be the third consecutive year that Brooks Kushman has attended and participated in the Mock Program.
The Mock Program is an exclusive, invite-only activity that is extended to the top 10 scoring firms in the ChIPs 2019 Honor Roll & Inclusion Blueprint Survey. Associates and junior partners from these firms have the opportunity participate in this exercise. Brooks Kushman attorneys Bowles, Robinson, and Marconi will be participating.
Bowles is a registered patent attorney with multiple years of experience counseling domestic and international clients. She counsels organizations from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies on their intellectual property issues including obtaining domestic and foreign patent portfolios, freedom to operate issues, as well as handling post-grant proceedings. Bowles is passionate about introducing girls to opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and works with the Girl Scouts of Southeast Michigan to help them earn their Intellectual Property (IP) Patch.
Robinson’s practice focuses on trademark and copyright protection and enforcement, as well as entertainment law. Robinson has diverse experience managing clients’ trademark and copyright portfolios, negotiating agreements, and protecting and defending intellectual property rights. A former chair of the State Bar of Michigan, Arts Communications Entertainment & Sports (“ACES”) Section, Robinson remains dedicated to the Section, currently serving on the Board as Ex-Officio. She is committed to helping artists and those in the creative sector protect and promote their intellectual property, and was recognized by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as a “2016 Up & Coming Lawyer” for her professional success and commitment to pro bono work.
Marconi focuses her practice on patent drafting, patent prosecution, and patent portfolio management in the U.S. and worldwide. Her background is in chemistry and materials science, which allows Marconi to counsel clients of all sizes in a wide range of industries including the automotive, chemical, industrial processes, medical devices, coatings, fuel cells, batteries, catalytic converters, horticultural applications, environmental remediation, and packaging. Marconi values giving girls the opportunity to learn about and participate in STEM initiatives, and she works with the Girl Scouts of Southeast Michigan to help them earn their IP Patch.
Mettes is a registered patent attorney who specializes in intellectual property litigation. With nearly 25 years of experience, she has litigated trademark and copyright cases nationwide. As a devoted mentor to many throughout her career, Mettes is an ardent proponent of diversity and inclusion and serves as the firm’s Chief Inclusion Officer. Mettes also serves as the Detroit City Lead for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). She has been integral in STEM for Girls scholarships and programming in association with the American Heart Association and was honored in 2018 as a Women in the Law by Michigan Lawyers weekly in recognition of her work in this area.
Brooks Kushman is a long-time supporter of ChIPs and regularly partners with the organization to help move the needle on diversity and inclusion within the legal community. Brooks Kushman was also one of three firms this year that was awarded the ChIPs Honor Roll award, a related diversity award given to firms with the highest scores in female representation and inclusion activities at both the leadership and IP practice group levels.
To learn more about this great conference or to register, click here.
About Brooks Kushman P.C.
Brooks Kushman P.C. is a premier intellectual property (IP) and technology law firm dedicated to the advancement and protection of innovations and brands that propel businesses around the world. With offices in Michigan and California, we work alongside corporations, small to medium sized businesses, and leading universities to protect their intellectual property assets. Our attorneys have a broad range of experience in industries and technologies, including consumer electronics, manufacturing, medical device, computer technology, aerospace, chemicals, biotechnology, and retail.
Brooks Kushman counts a number of Fortune 100 companies across a variety of industries among its clients. The firm is also recognized by leading legal publications and rankings, including Corporate Counsel magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Law360, Intellectual Asset Management, Managing Intellectual Property, and Intellectual Property Today. For more information, please visit www.BrooksKushman.com.
