Erin Bowles is an experienced patent attorney with a well-rounded background in counseling domestic and international clients. She applies her industry experience and expansive understanding of mechanical, material and electrical technologies to her practice. Erin's practice involves counseling domestic and international clients from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies on their intellectual property portfolios, with a focus on obtaining domestic and foreign patents and handling patent prosecution procedures. Her practice also includes patentability investigations, infringement and right-to-use analysis, and intellectual property transactions and licensing agreements, trademark, trade dress, and copyright issues. Erin has an expansive understanding of various mechanical and electromechanical technologies. In particular, she has experience representing clients and protecting intellectual property rights in the alternative energy, medical device, automotive technology, optics and lighting, aviation technology, and personal care product industries, among others. Erin brings nearly a decade of engineering experience to her law practice. During this time, Erin gained technical experience in a broad range of positions including product design, manufacturing, program management and technical sales. These experiences provide Erin with an expansive understanding of broad range of technologies such as solar power, plastic injection molding, and complex automotive sensors and control systems. While working for major international companies, Erin's involvement extended beyond daily engineering activities and crossed international boundaries. For example, Erin managed the development of advanced components from a network of global facilities and coordinated with foreign subsidiaries to design and manufacture products for international programs. Prior to joining Brooks Kushman, Erin worked at an intellectual property firm, as well as in the legal department of an automotive original equipment manufacturer. She also studied international patent law at the Max Plank Institute in Munich. While in Munich, Erin learned about the patent process at the European Patent Office and met with the intellectual property departments of several international companies. This combination of diverse experiences provides Erin with an excellent understanding of the many aspects of intellectual property. Moreover, Erin's experience gives her insight into the intellectual property management challenges for both domestic and international companies in today`s global marketplace. When she is not at the office, you are most likely to find Erin on the water paddle boarding, waterskiing, wake surfing, kiteboarding, or pretty much any water sport. She also enjoys travelling, and her goal is to visit a new country every year.

William Abbatt is a skilled patent attorney with experience in foreign and domestic patent prosecution matters. He has a background in varying disciplines including manufacturing, chemistry, and medical devices. With 35+ years of experience as a patent attorney, Bill’s practice involves all aspects of domestic and foreign patent preparation, prosecution, and assertion, including dispute resolution. He regularly advises clients on the development and management of patent portfolios. Bill’s practice includes counseling on how to protect various aspects of inventions and monetize them by sale and licensing. Bill has managed intellectual property matters in many technical disciplines including manufacturing, metallurgy, chemistry, medical devices, and aeronautics. His background in industry plus his diverse experience in writing and prosecuting hundreds of patents enable Bill to spot the strengths and weaknesses in a patent when a dispute or enforcement issue arises. He has an affinity for working with emerging entities whose value can be enhanced by effective intellectual property portfolio creation and management to help his clients’ businesses succeed. In one case, he introduced two separate clients – a physician and an entrepreneur – and brought them together to develop and protect medical devices to treat patients and enhance the quality of their lives. Bill is a member of the Federal Bar Association – Eastern District of Michigan Chapter and currently serves as a co-chair of the Intellectual Property Law Section. He is a former council member of the Aviation Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. Bill is a Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation and a Master of the Bench (American Inns of Court). He was an adjunct professor of patent law at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Bill received Super Lawyers designation for 2006 - 2012, 2024. He was selected for this honor subsequent to undergoing an evaluation of many different factors including peer recognition and professional achievement. Bill also served on the steering committee that formed the Michigan Intellectual Property American Inns of Court Chapter and was its President (2017-18). The Michigan Intellectual Property Inn of Court is a philanthropic organization of judges, lawyers and legal educators that seeks to promote fair and ethical practice amongst junior lawyers and law students. Bill helped to found the Inn and was enthusiastic about moving into a leadership role. Bill was able to take the organization forward, while staying true to its initial goal of promoting excellence in advocacy amongst those it mentors. Bill holds a Juris Doctor from Detroit College of Law. Before that, Bill graduated with an M.S. in Operations Research & Production Engineering and a B.S. in Metallurgy & Material Sciences at the University of London, England. He has been appointed an Expert Adviser and Facilitative Mediator in the Federal District Court, Eastern District of Michigan. Outside the office, Bill enjoys flying his Beechcraft Debonair airplane, skiing, playing golf and tennis, working out, and traveling to England, his birthplace. He and his wife Candyce count Vail Colorado and Ft Lauderdale as favorite haunts. Bill holds an Airline Transport Pilot rating, a Commercial pilot’s license, and is a Certified Flight Instructor.

Matt Mietzel’s comprehensive experience provides him with an intuitive ability to advise his clients on the management and protection of their intellectual property through even the trickiest of legal situations. Matt has extensive experience in preparing and prosecuting domestic and international patent applications, primarily in the mechanical and electromechanical arts. Beyond patent prosecution, Matt also has experience in the preparation of validity and infringement opinions, trademark prosecution, licensing, IP due diligence, and litigation matters. “In my practice, I find that compared to other patent attorneys, I have more of a genuine understanding of my clients’ problems and struggles, enabling me to advise them authentically and work with them on a deeper level.” – Matt Mietzel Prior to joining Brooks Kushman, Matt was an engineer in the automotive industry for over seven years. Whereas some engineers work solely in manufacturing or design, Matt gained experience in manufacturing, design, and research and development. Matt also has a deep understanding of the business needs of his clients, having earned a master’s degree in business administration. These experiences provide Matt with a strong foundation for advising clients on the management and protection of intellectual property. Matt was also a patent agent at a technology corporation where he learned first-hand about client expectations and how best to service clients. During his three years in that role, he prepared and prosecuted patent applications, led innovation workshops and patent design-around efforts, developed patent portfolio management strategies, and was involved in technology licensing matters. Matt has also served as acting in-house patent counsel for a Fortune 500 company managing a range of intellectual property matters. The combination of these diverse experiences provides Matt with an excellent understanding of the many aspects of intellectual property prosecution and intellectual property management. Outside of the office, Matt enjoys time with his family, hiking, and travelling.

Matt Jakubowski is a multi-faceted patent attorney with extensive experience in IP portfolio management, patent preparation and prosecution, IP agreement drafting and negotiation, and patent litigation. Matt is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and serves as the firm’s treasurer and CFO. He counsels clients in a wide range of intellectual property matters, including, IP portfolio management, freedom-to-operate opinions, cybersecurity, litigation, agreement drafting and negotiations, and due diligence projects. Matt has broad experience in patent preparation and prosecution in various technologies, including alternative fuel systems, polymer composites, medical products, consumer products, and alarm monitoring software. Matt has extensive experience with IP-related disputes and litigation, including patent litigation. His representative patent litigation cases have involved technologies from a variety of fields, including automotive telematics, display systems, data processing systems, computer software, monitoring systems, textile chemical treatments, automotive glass, encryption technology, online and mobile financial service apps and computer systems, and health and wellness consumer products. Matt has experience assessing a client’s current cybersecurity and data privacy protocols and developing a comprehensive incident response plan to ensure compliance with applicable laws. In addition to his deep experience with IP enforcement, litigation and portfolio management matters, he has an active practice counseling clients on patent freedom-to-operate projects and the negotiation and preparation of different types of agreements, including license agreements, joint venture agreements, and development and supply agreements. Matt received a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School. He graduated with honors from the University of Michigan with a degree in chemical engineering. He also holds an MBA from Wayne State University. In his spare time, Matt has coached his three children in Destination Imagination and Grosse Pointe Park Little League Baseball for several years. He describes coaching as a very rewarding and fun experience. Matt also enjoys boating on Lake St. Clair during the summer months with his wife and children. They have even boated to Cedar Pointe on several occasions!

Tiffany's practice involves counseling clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to start-ups on intellectual property matters. Her practice centers on procuring domestic and foreign patents in mechanical and electromechanical matters, and coordinating international patent portfolios. In particular, she has experience representing clients and protecting intellectual property rights in automotive technologies (including engine, drivetrain, powertrain, hybrid vehicle, and vehicle controls), aviation technologies, alternative energy, optics, and consumer products including personal care products, among others. Tiffany additionally has extensive experience in design patent prosecution. Tiffany’s practice also focuses on counseling clients regarding patentability investigations, infringement and freedom to operate analyses, and the negotiation and preparation of various intellectual property agreements, including licensing agreements and joint development agreements. She received her doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan with a focus in the thermal fluid sciences and an interdisciplinary thesis in combustion and materials science. She was a recipient of the prestigious National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship funded by the Department of Defense. After graduating, Tiffany was an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Drexel University for three years where she established a laboratory conducting federally funded research and taught courses in the thermal fluid sciences and engineering design sequences. At Michigan and Drexel, Tiffany's research involvement included: flame synthesis and materials analysis of nanomaterials for bio- and sensor applications, catalytic ignition of oxygenated fuels for microcombustors, in situ diode laser diagnostics in a flame environment, and chemical kinetic modeling of silane combustion. Tiffany has presented at numerous technical conferences, published twelve refereed articles, actively mentored students through both university and federally sponsored programs, and served on federal grant funding panels. She was awarded $850,000 as primary/senior investigator and an additional $1,300,000 as senior personnel on government funded research. Tiffany’s interdisciplinary background, as well as her experiences and successes in the scientific and academic communities, enable her to build relationships and connect with inventors to understand and protect advanced and emerging technologies. Tiffany is a registered patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, a member of the Michigan State Bar, and admitted to the Federal District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan. Tiffany is an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan in the College of Engineering where she currently teaches patent law in the Center for Entrepreneurship. Tiffany believes that teaching results in a deeper understanding of the subject matter, and also allows for her continued involvement in STEM education. Tiffany serves on the executive board for the Women in IP Committee for the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) and also chairs their Presence and Branding Sub-Committee. In her personal time, Tiffany enjoys sailboat racing, travel, and photography, and is a licensed sailplane pilot.