Charles Bieneman specializes in patent prosecution, counseling, and opinions for clients across industries such as automotive, telecommunications, and aerospace. Charles Bieneman is a seasoned intellectual property attorney specializing in patent prosecution, counseling, and opinions for clients in industries such as automotive, telecommunications, and aerospace. With a career spanning technical, legal, and managerial roles, Charles brings a multifaceted approach to providing comprehensive intellectual property strategies. Charles spent the early part of his career as a patent examiner with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where he examined claim inventions in the areas of computer software, databases, and the World Wide Web. This foundational experience gave him an in-depth understanding of the patent examination process and the inner workings of the USPTO. Building on this, Charles held management positions with two computer software companies where he developed extensive expertise in software development, project management, and consulting, equipping him with a strong technical acumen and practical insights into product development and innovation. In addition, Charles also gained experience as an attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Washington, D.C. office of a national law firm. Charles graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School where he was a Note Editor on the Michigan Law Review. He is also a graduate of the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Computer Science as well as a B.A. from St. John’s College in Sante Fe. In his free time, Charles likes hiking, cooking, and reading.

Cameron Anstess is committed to helping clients protect and enforce their intellectual property. Cameron Anstess is a skilled attorney specializing in patent prosecution and litigation, with expertise in battery chemistry patents. His background in chemical engineering enables him to navigate complex technical matters with precision, making him a valuable asset to his clients. Cameron has worked on a variety of patent matters, leveraging his strong understanding of both the legal and technical aspects of intellectual property. Before joining Brooks Kushman, Cameron gained valuable experience in the healthcare industry as a Quality Manager for a Healthcare Software Development company. In this role, he developed a keen attention to detail and a deep understanding of regulatory processes, which now informs his approach to intellectual property law. Cameron earned his Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School, where he honed his legal skills, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Michigan State University, which laid the foundation for his expertise in patent law related to chemical and material sciences. Outside of the office, Cameron can be found staying active by going to the gym, biking, or running a weekly community 5K.

Zeenat Phophalia knows firsthand the challenges immigrants face when moving to a new country. As she says, it is “a life-altering decision that often entails its share of rewards, challenges, and self-discovery.” Through her own experiences, she has developed an empathic approach to helping others to achieve their mobility goals. “Being a part of that process that helps toward realizing someone’s aspirations and dreams,” she says, “has been truly enriching and fulfilling for me.” In her practice, Zeenat advises clients on multiple visa categories including H-1B, L-1, EB-1, E-2, and O visas. Zeenat possesses an in-depth understanding of the legal landscape: She has represented clients in consular matters, naturalization, and waivers of inadmissibility. In addition, she has represented corporate clients including large and medium-sized companies and startups across sectors such as IT, consulting, consumer goods, manufacturing, and telecommunications. Zeenat has worked closely with multi-national companies and their employees to facilitate the transfer of key personnel and their dependents to the U.S. Zeenat earned her Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Georgia, United States, and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Mumbai in India. In her past role, she was an associate partner at a leading immigration law firm in India where, in addition to advising on U.S. immigration law, she also assisted clients on Indian commercial and employment law matters, and spearheaded the firm’s content creation process. Zeenat has also authored immigration-related articles for major Indian newspapers – The Economic Times and the Times of India. In addition, she has also been a frequent contributor of immigration articles to Mondaq – a global platform that curates and publishes legal, regulatory, and financial information for professional services firms. She is also a member of many organizations including the New York State Bar Association, the Law Society of England and Wales, the Bar Council of Goa and Maharashtra (India), and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. In her spare time, Zeenat likes to read and write poetry. Asked to summarize her approach to immigration law, she says, “no matter how good of an immigration counsel I may be, if my services are devoid of empathy, I do not think my clients would be well-served. The human aspect is deep seated in the practice of immigration law.”

Rami D. Fakhoury is the Founder and Managing Director of Fakhoury Global Immigration USA, PC (FGI), one of the largest independently owned business-based immigration law firms in the United States and a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rated firm. Based in Troy, Michigan, FGI has provided comprehensive legal immigration services to leading and innovative companies in such verticals as architecture, automotive, IT, and health care, among others for over twenty-five years. FGI was recently named a Tier 1 Immigration Best Law Firm by Best Lawyers/U.S. News and World Report. Rami has received numerous commendations as an immigration thought leader. These include being named a Fellow of the American Bar Association, a Leading Lawyer and Equity Member of the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers (ABIL), an AV Preeminent Lawyer from Martindale-Hubbell, a Best Lawyer recognition from Best Lawyers, and a member of Leading Lawyers. He has also been recognized as a Global Immigration Thought Leader by Who’s Who Legal – Corporate Immigration, recognitions from Super Lawyers and from Lawyers of Distinction, a Top Business Attorney from Crain’s Detroit Business, and a Top Lawyer from DBusiness and Hour Detroit magazines. He has received a Global Detroit Champion Award (2016), and as Immigration Attorney of the Year from Detroit Lawyer Monthly (2011). Rami is also affiliated with the American Bar Association, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers (ABIL), the State Bar of Michigan (International Law Section), and the Immigration Law Committee of the International Business Association. He has served on the CEO Panel of MICHauto, an affiliate of the Detroit Regional Chamber. Rami is a Steering Committee member for Global Michigan and was a longtime board member for Global Detroit, a southeast Michigan economic development organization focused on immigrant inclusion. He is a VIP Member of the Detroit Economic Club. Rami was an immigration policy advisor to former Michigan governor Rick Snyder and served as one of thirty managers for the Michigan for Biden campaign. Rami’s publications comprise several immigration law books including, as editor, The Consular Posts Book, 2015-2016 ed. (ILW.com: 2016) and USCIS Immigration Procedures and US State Department Consular Processes (ILW.com: 2009); and, as author, The Immigration Practitioner’s Guide to U.S. Export Control Regulations (ILW.com: 2011) and The PERM Book, 3rd ed. (ILW.com, 2018). He has also written a regular column on global IT and US immigration law for the Financial Times of India, authored numerous policy articles and white papers, contributed articles to Lexology, Mondaq, and Crain’s Detroit Business, among others, and is a frequent presenter at immigration and trade group conferences. Rami has organized informational sessions and webinars for businesses, universities, and other stakeholders worldwide, and has presented to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) on several occasions. A Detroit native, Rami earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Wayne State University and his J.D., cum laude, from Michigan State University, with a specialization in international law. In addition, he is a Licensed Foreign Legal Consultant with the Law Society of Ontario, Canada.

From his earliest days of legal practice, Steve Couch’s approach to advocacy has been marked by two consistent qualities: fearlessness and creativity. Within his first six months in private practice, he helped his clients hold a Massachusetts police department accountable in a wrongful death case before a jury that only needed ninety minutes to reach its verdict. While Steve’s litigation practice would evolve over time, this event set the tone for the rest of his career. Born and raised near Detroit, Steve grew up in a family of small business owners, giving him insights into the challenges that entrepreneurs face daily. He internalized these early lessons, which informed his approach to getting to know his clients as well as possible when working with them to address their legal needs. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he attended Boston University School of Law. While at Boston University, he devoted himself to honing his skills in trial and appellate advocacy through the school’s clinical litigation programs and its National First Amendment Moot Court team. Over the years, clients have entrusted Steve with significant matters in that required unconventional strategies and tenacious advocacy to achieve the necessary results. In one case, Steve successfully defended a national insurance carrier against a $45,000,000 claim, guiding the client to a zero-dollar settlement. Steve was also a pioneer of tapping into the wealth of third-party data collections as a litigation tactic for investigating opposing parties’ fraud, perjury and other misconduct. In recent years, Steve worked with a boutique law firm litigating on behalf of clients across the country. He has successfully represented individuals and companies in both trial and appellate courts from coast to coast. He is excited to bring that base of experience to Cronkhite Counsel.

Born into a family with ties to the intelligence community, Greg developed a strong sense of service early in life. This background also shaped Greg’s ability to identify patterns, uncover insights, and notice details that others overlook. Greg pursued his undergraduate studies at Virginia Tech, where he further sharpened his investigatory, analytical, and problem-solving skills through his role as an Associate in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s (ODNI’s) Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (IC CAE). His work culminated in a formal written and oral briefing presented to a representative of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Greg is also a graduate of The Heritage Foundations Young Leaders Program, where he gained deep insights into the federal government’s inner workings and regulatory landscape, while also contributing to the collection and analysis of data assessing military capabilities of foreign nations. Greg later returned to his home state of Michigan to contribute to the startup phase of a company that leveraged artificial intelligence and autonomous systems initially designed for military and intelligence applications to the highly regulated field of autonomous passenger vehicles. It was during this time that he realized his skills in investigation, analysis, and problem-solving would be best utilized in service to his community through a career in law. While in law school, Greg received the CALI Award in his Business Organizations class, an honor given to the student with the highest grade in the course and was elected as Secretary of the Hellenic Bar Association of Michigan. He refined his investigatory and regulatory skills as a Compliance Extern at the University of Michigan Athletic Department amid a nationally notorious and closely scrutinized NCAA investigation, where he researched and enforced internal compliance with NCAA bylaws and HIPAA regulations, drafted legislative relief waivers, and conducted Title IX audits to ensure internal policies and procedures complied with federal legislation. After law school, Greg began his practice as an attorney serving corporate clients in matters of civil litigation including special investigations and fraud. Today, he channels his commitment to service into effective advocacy for clients in business and employment disputes. His background has shaped his approach as an aggressive, tenacious, and diligent trial attorney who leaves no stone unturned in pursuing his clients’ interests.

Patrick Leonard focuses on patent applications for vehicle systems and has over 30 years of experience in designing sensors and systems for medical imaging, including CT, digital radiography, ultrasound, and endoscopic surgery. Patrick Leonard is a registered patent agent focusing on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications relating to vehicle systems. Previously, Patrick worked for a Metro-Detroit law firm as a patent agent, where he prosecuted patents for internet software, vehicle systems and lasers. Patrick has over 30 years of experience in design and development of sensors and systems for medical imaging applications, including computed tomography, digital radiology, ultrasound, and endoscopic surgery. He also has experience with military systems, including sensors and processors for autonomous vehicle navigation and mutations terminal guidance. In addition, he has worked on industrial applications, such as machine vision systems for semiconductor manufacturing, robot guidance and laser micromachining. After he was given the responsibility of managing his former company’s intellectual property demands, he became a registered patent agent.

Reid is an experienced patent professional with a well-rounded background, serving in both in-house and outside counsel positions. He applies this experience to make strategic patent decisions on behalf of his clients. Reid is a registered patent attorney with over 20 years of patent experience in the electrical and mechanical arts. He is experienced in all phases of patent prosecution, from formulating an invention disclosure to appealing claims with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Reid has experience working with clients of various sizes, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small start-ups. Reid has extensive experience with a variety of technologies in many industries. Prior to entering the legal profession, Reid was a technical specialist at an automotive OEM. In that capacity, he was an inventor on over 25 patents in the areas of planetary, layshaft, and hybrid transmission arrangements, actuator mechanisms, and control algorithms. Reid also worked in the Aerospace industry performing conceptual design of launch vehicles and satellites. His formal education includes a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Michigan State University. Reid graduated summa cum laude from Michigan State University College of Law, where he was a King Scholar and a member of MSU Law Review. He represented MSU in the Giles Sutherland Rich patent law moot court competition and in the Saul Lefkowitz trademark law moot court competition.

Ashley Batzer’s commitment to immigration law is driven by her desire to make a difference in the lives of her clients. As she states, “I have always enjoyed helping others and immigration law is a great way to assist people with their dreams and goals.” In her practice, Ashley treats each client as unique and tailors her guidance to meet their specific objectives. “The more flexible an attorney can be in her or his methods,” she avers, “the more people you can help.” As an attorney at Fakhoury Global Immigration, Ashley works primarily with IT clients on H-1B and EB-1C visa petitioning. She enjoys helping her clients to navigate the complex landscape of immigration law in order to achieve their talent mobility objectives and to ensure that they remain in compliance. Ashley earned her J.D. at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School at Western Michigan University. She also earned her undergraduate degrees in Paralegal Studies and Legal Studies from Kaplan University. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys reading, kayaking, playing video games, fishing, and walking her dogs. She is also interested in homesteading and off-grid living.

As an attorney for FGI, Michael Morton specializes in employment immigration law including both nonimmigrant (H-1B, L-1A/B, TN, etc.) and immigrant filings (PERM, immigrant petitions, Adjustment of Status, etc.) He brings to his position a solid commitment to mastering the ever-changing complexities of immigration law and to working with clients to realize their global talent mobility objectives. “As attorneys,” he says, “we must be knowledgeable about our area of the law, strategic in our approach, and empathetic and attentive to the needs of our clients.” Michael incorporates the skills he developed in his former career as a high school teacher into his current practice, carefully explaining immigration law to his clients and showing how it applies to their specific situations. His teaching experience and family history have also given him a strong appreciation for the contributions that immigrants have made to American society. “I am very cognizant of my ancestry and the stories of my family who came over to the United States,” he says, “and I am inspired to help others who are seeking opportunity in the U.S.” He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Western Michigan University and his J.D. from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Michael is licensed in the State of Michigan and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).