Ashley A. Smith joined Vandervoort, Christ & Fisher, P.C. as an associate attorney, in April 2023. Ashley was born and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan and attended the Battle Creek public schools. Ashley received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in Peace and Social Justice, from Valparaiso University in 2009, and a Juris Doctorate from Valparaiso University Law school in 2016. While in law school Ashley was a member of the Sports Law Clinic, aiding in resolving amateur athletes’ grievances with the United States Olympic Committee and with the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Ashley is an adjunct professor at Kellogg Community College, where she teaches Business Law online. Ashley is client-focused, and her previous legal experience and time as a solo practitioner prior to joining Vandervoort, Christ & Fisher has given her the insight, knowledge, and skills to aid clients in a variety of legal issues and matters.

Ronald French is a practicing lawyer in the state of Michigan.

Linda Kim worked as an immigration lawyer and as in-house counsel for a consulting firm before joining FGI’s office in Fremont, California. Working as an in-house counsel gave her important insights into how corporations develop and pursue their talent mobility objectives, and how they balance corporate responsibility with the law. “You need both,” she says, “to be successful in your application of immigration law to achieve in business.” For Linda, immigration law is “a great opportunity to help people and make a difference in their lives.” She specializes in H-1B and PERM cases for many of FGI’s high-tech and IT clients. She takes pride in her ability to help clients navigate the petitioning process and achieve their immigration goals. “I believe an attorney should provide an honest and knowledgeable assessment of the law,” she avers, “to best meet their clients’ business needs.” A member of AILA, Linda completed a B.A. degree from the University of California, Davis, and her J.D. from the School of Law at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts. She also enjoys travel (China, Japan, Singapore, Mexico), running, cooking, and fine cuisine.

David Adgate earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2013 from the University of Michigan. He earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2017 from Wayne State University Law School. He then completed a Post-Baccalaureate Medprep Program at the University of Michigan in 2019 where he served as the president of the Medprep Engage Student Organization. He is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan, and the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. David joined the firm in January 2024 and focuses primarily on first-party automobile claims, third-party auto negligence, and motorcycle and bicycle accidents. He also handles other personal injury claims, including slip and falls, dog bites, and wrongful death lawsuits. Before joining Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C., David served as an associate at a personal injury law firm in metro Detroit. He also previously worked as a fellow for the Federal Defender Office in Detroit.

Brett J. Smith has a decade of experience securing domestic and foreign patents for clients ranging from small startups to large U.S. and global corporations. In addition to patent preparation and prosecution, he regularly conducts patentability investigations and infringement and freedom-to-operate analyses. He also negotiates and prepares intellectual property agreements, including licenses, joint development agreements, confidentiality agreements, and other types of commercial agreements involving IP. Brett counsels clients on privacy matters, advising on GDPR requirements and various state consumer privacy laws. His diverse practice includes IP litigation and patent post-issuance proceedings, providing clients with a full range of patent portfolio management tools. He has assisted in representing clients through all phases of litigation, from discovery to trial. Brett works with clients across a variety of technical fields, including automotive technologies, commercial vehicles, aviation technologies, robotics manufacturing, medical devices, garage door systems, irrigation products, packaging, consumer products, electronic products, acoustic devices, industrial systems, information technology, and agricultural machinery. Brett is committed to understanding each client’s business, allowing him to tailor his approach to their specific needs and help them achieve their business goals.

Isaac’s practice focuses on the preparation and prosecuting of patent applications, primarily in the computer science and electrical arts. Isaac provides counseling to clients of all sizes, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small start-ups. Isaac has a deep understanding of various technologies in computer science and electrical systems. He has worked with clients in a broad range of industries including computer software, consumer electronics, telecommunications, automotive, and medical devices. In addition to counseling clients on patent prosecution, Isaac advises clients on complying with open source license terms and obligations. He has an in-depth understanding of various license agreements and works alongside clients to create compliance strategies. Prior to becoming a patent attorney, Isaac was a software developer at a leading computer technology corporation, where he worked closely with customers and sales to analyze customer requirements and design and implement software product features. Isaac also worked as an engineering assistant for a non-profit traffic safety organization operating in combination with local government, where he collected and studied traffic data to provide solutions to traffic problems. At Wayne State University Law School, Isaac was a Dean’s Scholar, and received scholarships including the Ira J. Spoon Endowed Scholarship and a bronze key award. Isaac was on the Wayne Law Review for two years, the second year of which he served as a senior articles editor.

Rebecca Filiatraut graduated in 1991 from Oakland University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. In 1994 she received her Juris Doctor from the Detroit College of Law. While attending law school she worked at the Public Defenders Office, representing individuals charged with misdemeanors at the 36th District Court in Detroit. After her graduation, she spent several years working for a large and nationally recognized personal injury law firm. It was here that she began her career of handling federal civil rights cases which has spanned over the course of her more than twenty years in practice. Rebecca focused on §1983 civil rights actions involving police and jail misconduct, as well as other complex matters such as trucking and medical malpractice cases. Seeking to further broaden her experience, she also practiced on the defense side for a number of years, successfully defending a multitude of cases, primarily on behalf of a number of different municipalities and police departments, as well as other businesses and insurance carriers across the State of Michigan. After gaining experience on the defense side, Rebecca returned to the work she loved, representing individuals against large corporations and insurance companies in order to help these people obtain rightful compensation for their injuries. Rebecca has extensive trial experience in both state and federal courts on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants, having been involved in some very high-profile and notable jury trials during the course of her career. She is licensed to practice in the State of Michigan, as well as the United States District Courts of both the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Rebecca is an active supporter of the legal community and a member of several associations, including the State Bar of Michigan Negligence Section and the Michigan Association for Justice.