Mr. Balberman graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Economics in 1978 and was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1983 after attending the University of Detroit School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan, in both state and federal courts

Brad is a partner and member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Team, concentrating in commercial litigation in state and federal courts. He focuses his practice on commercial contract disputes, creditor’s rights and collections, landlord/tenant matters, construction lien litigation and other real estate disputes.

Melvin J. Babi serves as managing partner of Babi Legal Group, P.L.L.C., a respected general practice law firm in Birmingham, Michigan. In his private practice, Melvin advises consumers and small businesses in areas including business law, bankruptcy, debt-resolution, real estate law, corporate law, and criminal and civil litigation. Melvin also consults for various business clients providing expert advice on a broad range of legal, business, and compliance matters. As a business consultant Melvin oversees legal issues and best-practices for all departments, including consulting services, marketing, sales, finance, human resources, corporate governance, and business policy. Melvin's business consulting practice involves navigating through the complex legal landscape to achieve highly favorable outcomes. A trusted advisor and skillful advocate, he is known for impeccable ethics and astute handling of time-sensitive, business-critical, and confidential Information.

Kevin Heinl is an experienced patent attorney who is diligent in advising his clients in all aspects of the patent prosecution process. With 30 years of experience in patent enforcement and protection, Kevin prosecutes and litigates intellectual property cases in the mechanical arts. He counsels clients on a full range of patent and intellectual property matters, including trademark, prosecution, and enforcement as well as licensing and copyright issues. Kevin believes the best way to represent a client is to develop an in-depth understanding of how an invention works and how it impacts the business to which it pertains. To that end he tries, whenever possible, to visit clients at their plants, observing manufacturing processes and learning the intricacies of mechanical devices. This helps him develop a detailed understanding of an invention and the problem the invention has solved, which in turn allows him to more fully meet the client`s needs. The desired outcome is a clear, understandable description of an invention, which streamlines the examination process and makes the issued patent more easily understood by a judge or jury. Kevin also encourages his clients to actively participate in the patent prosecution process, which helps to assure enforceability of the patents eventually obtained. Kevin's prior industry work experience as a supervisor in a metal fabrication plant allows real-world insight into manufacturing operations. This background has proven especially helpful to clients in the automotive industry for whom Kevin has prosecuted patents involving manufacturing processes, vehicle interior components, transmissions, and convertible tops. He has also secured patent protection for clients in other industries, including for mechanical components in computer systems. Kevin's litigation clients benefit from his broad range of experience, as well. As in his patent practice, Kevin strives to take whatever reasonable measures are necessary to thoroughly understand the impact of an infringement or invalidity claim on its business. He advises clients to fully consider all possible dispute resolution options available, so they do not rush into litigation. Kevin has successfully represented a variety of clients in both asserting patent infringement claims and defending against such claims made by others, at both the trial court and appellate court level.

An experienced trial lawyer, Brian Keck, represents clients in high-stake cases. He specializes in personal injury cases involving catastrophic injuries and accidental deaths throughout the State of Michigan. His hard work and legal skill results in substantial settlements for his injured clients and their families.

Honored as one of The Best Lawyers in America by the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, Gerald Thurswell is a highly regarded expert in medical malpractice, birth injury, auto accident litigation, and police misconduct. Mr. Thurswell has obtained numerous multi-million dollar jury verdicts and settlements for injured people in courts throughout Michigan and other states. He is a past president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America – Metropolitan Detroit as well as a member of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group of the American Association of Justice. He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, a designation showing that he has reached the highest degree in legal ability and ethics. The founder of Thurswell Law, Mr. Thurswell, is recognized as a Super Lawyer by Law & Politics magazine, a listing of the top 5 percent of attorneys in Michigan. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Wayne State University, where he was on the Dean’s List as an undergraduate. He received his Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Wayne State University Law School, at age 23. He is admitted to the State Bar of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to Michigan, Mr. Thurswell is also licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia, Illinois, New York, and Colorado. Mr. Thurswell is recognized in Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in American Law and Who’s Who in the Midwest. He is recognized by the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States that have achieved several multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. He is an investigator and arbitrator for the State Bar of Michigan and has been the Hearing Panel Chairman for the Attorney Discipline Board. Mr. Thurswell is a member of the Brain Injury Association of Michigan. He has also been featured in Michigan Lawyers Weekly and the Detroit Legal News. Mr. Thurswell currently serves on the Wayne County Circuit Court – Case Evaluation Tribunal and has served as an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association. He has also served as a facilitator for the Oakland County Circuit Court and has lectured at law schools.

Michael Bonvolanta earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2011 from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. He earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2015 from the University of Detroit – Mercy School of Law where he graduated magna cum laude. He was admitted to the Frank Murphy Honor Society and served as a member of UDM’s Moot Court Board of Advocates. Bonvolanta is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan, the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, and the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. Bonvolanta joined the firm in January 2020, and focuses primarily on medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, birth injury, civil rights and governmental claims. Prior to joining Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C., Bonvolanta served as an associate at a full-service litigation firm in metro Detroit with a focus on municipal law, land use and zoning, medical malpractice defense and legal malpractice defense. He represented various national clients throughout the state of Michigan. Call (888) 797-8787 for a free case review and speak to Michael J. Bonvolanta about your case today.

Michael Turner is a dynamic patent attorney with wide-ranging legal expertise in patent law and works closely with clients to ensure that patent portfolios align with international protection and enforcement strategies. Michael Turner’s passion for learning led him to a career in patent law. He applies that drive to every project and obtains patents that are relied upon to protect technology, which has resulted in significant licensing and enforcement. Many of these patents have withstood the scrutiny of challenges at various US district courts, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the Patent Trial & Appeal Board of the US Patent & Trademark Office. Michael has the experience and foresight to obtain intellectual property rights to withstand such challenges. Due to Michael’s experience with obtaining patents for enforcement, he is also sought for prosecution of patent applications with an eye towards litigation. Likewise, Michael also has significant experience with prosecution of patents during reexamination and reissue prosecution. A primary focus of Michael Turner's practice is domestic and foreign patent prosecution for mechanical matters, electromechanical matters, systems, methods, and designs. His industry background in robotics and automation provides him with experience in various technologies and manufacturing processes. Michael counsels clients on procedures for filing domestic patent applications that meet the varying requirements for both domestic and international protection and enforcement, particularly addressing the various international nuances associated with design patents. This counseling includes generating procedures for efficient collection of invention and design disclosures to streamline internal processes. Michael’s experience includes preparing, prosecuting, and managing international patent and industrial design portfolios. This experience includes developing strategies for obtaining strong patent protection in many countries. Due to his experience and understanding of the laws and procedures of many commercially significant countries, Michael efficiently seeks broad and consistent international protection. Michael is actively involved in post-grant proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He represents clients in Inter Partes Review proceedings, reexaminations, and reissue patent applications. Such involvement includes coordinating strategies across post-grant proceedings, co-pending litigation, product engineering, licensing, and patent prosecution. Michael is active in appellate practice and oral advocacy before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the US Patent & Trademark Office. One of Michael’s strengths involves analyzing complex legal and technical issues for client counseling to mitigate risks associated with commercialization of technology. This ability enables him to assist clients to bring a product to market by guiding their design through the patent portfolios of competitors. This also enables him to protect the core technologies of a client. He is often assigned to protect such technologies where licensing and/or enforcement are necessary; and the strongest protection is required. Consequently, Michael cooperates with litigation counsel (domestic and international), coordinating efforts between the protection and enforcement of technologies. He also negotiates licenses, to reach agreements between parties to avoid litigation. Michael likes to lead by example in his practice and within Brooks Kushman. He is a co-chair of the Patent Prosecution department. He is also on the Brooks Kushman Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. Michael participates in recruiting and training, as well as chairing monthly and quarterly internal legal education seminars. Michael also has a passion for educating. As a leader of the Patent Prosecution department, he is active with the coordination of the ever-changing laws, procedures, strategies, and technologies. Michael is one of the teachers of the Brooks Kushman claims drafting training class. Michael participates in the Brooks Kushman mentor program. Michael is a former Co-Chair of the mentor program of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, wherein he helped draft the mentor guidelines. He typically mentors the development of new hires, including lawyers, patent agents, clerks, and patent engineers. Michael helps the firm stay current on developments in the law and the practice by coordinating internal legal education seminars. Michael feels this experience helps build the firm, helps build strong teams for clients, and helps him explain complex matters to clients, patent examiners, and others. In his spare time, Michael loves to do outdoor activities with his family and dogs. Michael also enjoys obtaining patents for inventors with the Michigan Pro Bono Patent Project of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.

Bernie is a registered patent attorney with over ten years of experience drafting patents, freedom-to-operate opinions, responses and appeals in variety of technologies. Bernie has drafted hundreds of patents, and he has extensive experience with software patent applications related to video game software, interactive automotive software systems, digital circuits, database systems, advertisement delivery software and systems, web based applications, smart-phone applications, storage device hardware, and digital content delivery systems. Bernie works with several multi-national corporations on the management of large patent portfolios. Understanding the competitive advantage that can be obtained through application of modern computing technology to portfolio management, Bernie has developed expertise with software providing analytical portfolio analysis. These advanced tools leverage big data analysis to help clients: craft effective enforceable claims through competitive landscape analysis better identify enforcement targets better identify candidate patents for enforcement focus filing efforts on desirable technology efficiently manage and prune large portfolios cheaply and quickly identify previously cost-prohibitive targeted litigation evidence from the USPTO file wrapper records

Jeffrey Szuma is a registered patent attorney who specializes in patent prosecution and investigations, as well as post-grant proceedings including reexaminations and Inter Partes reviews. He has also been involved in both trial and appellate level patent litigation. Jeff received his M.S. degree in information systems & technology (computer information systems) and his B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan. He has three decades of experience as a patent attorney with Brooks Kushman, and during that time has helped to build the firm’s nationally recognized practice. Jeff has extensive experience preparing and prosecuting patent applications, investigating patent infringement and validity issues, and handling post-grant proceedings relating to a wide variety of computer and electrical technologies such as data storage and management systems, microprocessors, network services, data encryption, wireless communication, transducers, VoIP, interactive media services, and digital content delivery. He also has extensive experience with automotive related technologies for OEM and Tier I clients, including electrical subsystem control, information and entertainment systems, electrical connectors, battery monitoring, wireless communication systems such as tire pressure monitoring and remote entry systems, electric and hybrid vehicle subsystems, and autonomous vehicle systems. He also served for two years at Lear Corporation, a Tier I automotive supplier, as acting Division Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel for their Electronic Systems Division. In that capacity, he assisted in the operation and management of Lear's IP department and had a diverse array of responsibilities, including counseling management on strategic patent procurement, investigation, litigation, and budget matters. Jeff is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association, the Intellectual Property Law section of the State Bar of Michigan, and the Intellectual Property group of the Federalist Society. He is a past President of the Detroit Catholic Central High School Dads' Club and is active at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth, Michigan.