Ben manages patent assets for international corporations, mid-sized companies and start-ups. He, for example, has guided the development of patent portfolios designed to protect strategic technologies, attract investment capital and generate licensing revenue. Ben also prepares, prosecutes and advises on patents in the communications, computer and software, electronics, energy storage, financial transactions and manufacturing industries.
Ben uses a collaborative approach to patent preparation and prosecution that integrates inventors into the process. This educates inventors about the nuance of patent practice—improving both their ability to provide valuable insight and the quality of their subsequent invention disclosures. This process also allows Ben to leverage inventors’ knowledge in an effort to develop commercially valuable claims that are robust against examination.
Ben’s pro bono activities focus on providing intellectual property support to start-up companies. He recognizes that small technology companies can play an important role in improving economic conditions but may not have the resources to secure proper intellectual property protection. His work with clients of this type is an attempt to assist with this issue.
Prior to entering the legal profession, Ben spent a number of years managing the design and manufacturing of engineered components. He, for a time, led tire development programs for light-duty vehicles and provided engineering support to manufacturing facilities. His tenure in industry included fiscal responsibilities as well—with tooling budgets for his components ranging from several hundred thousand to several million dollars. Ben also chaired a corporate-wide interdisciplinary technical committee, and directed corporate recruiting efforts for recent college graduates.
Ben is an honors graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, and a former judicial intern to the Honorable Gerald E. Rosen of the Eastern District of Michigan. He holds master's degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Business Administration, and has pursued postgraduate studies in Computer and Information Science. Ben is a registered patent attorney and a member of the bar for the State of Michigan and the Federal District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan.
Honors & Awards “Up & Coming Lawyer,” Michigan Lawyers Weekly, 2011