Southfield, Mich. – Brooks Kushman Shareholder Erin Bowles has been chosen to represent the firm as a member of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) 2019 class of Fellows. This innovative program identifies, trains, and focuses on the development of the industry’s next generation of professional leaders. It also offers participants virtual and in-person training, peer-group projects and networking opportunities with LCLD’s top leadership and industry professionals alike.
Brooks Kushman Associate Alena Vackova Marconi has also been selected to represent the firm in the 2019 Pathfinder Program with the LCLD. This program is designed to provide diverse, high-potential, attorneys with practical tools, like internal professional networks through relationship building skills, foundational leadership skills, and an understanding of career development strategies. It offers participants in-person meetings, online experiential learning, Compass Conversations with LCLD Fellows, program facilitators, and peer networking.
“Brooks Kushman is excited to once again appoint both a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow and a new member for the Pathfinder Program,” said Board Chairperson Sangeeta Shah. “This is our fifth year being a part of LCLD, and we’re proud to participate in a program that not only boosts the professional growth of our attorneys through on-going development and leadership training, but also lends our firm insight on best practices to promote diversity within Brooks Kushman, and our surrounding community.”
Bowles is a registered patent attorney with multiple years of experience counseling domestic and international clients. She counsels organizations from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies on their intellectual property issues including obtaining domestic and foreign patent portfolios, freedom to operate issues, as well as handling post-grant proceedings. She brings nearly a decade of engineering experience to her law practice and has an expansive understanding of various mechanical and electromechanical technologies used in a broad range of industries from medical devices to autonomous vehicle. Bowles is passionate about introducing girls to opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and works with the Girl Scouts of Southeast Michigan to help them earn their Intellectual Property (IP) Patch.
Bowles holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, where she graduated cum laude, and a Juris Doctor from the Wayne State University, where she graduated cum laude. She also studied international patent law at the Max Plank Institute in Munich Germany.
Marconi focuses her practice on patent drafting, patent prosecution, and patent portfolio management in the U.S. and worldwide. Her background is in chemistry and materials science, which allows Marconi to counsel clients of all sizes in a wide range of industries including the automotive, chemical, industrial processes, medical devices, coatings, fuel cells, batteries, catalytic converters, horticultural applications, environmental remediation, and packaging. Like Bowles, Marconi values giving girls the opportunity to learn about and participate in STEM initiatives, and she works with the Girl Scouts of Southeast Michigan to help them earn their IP Patch. Besides that, Marconi has volunteered for Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion and as a Tutor for Retooling Detroit, helping first graders to improve their reading skills.
Marconi holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry & Materials Technology from Tomas Bata University in Zlin in the Czech Republic and a Masters of Science in Chemistry from Oakland University. She also holds a Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, where she graduated magna cum laude.
About Brooks Kushman P.C.
Brooks Kushman P.C. is a leading intellectual property (IP) and technology law firm, and represents clients nationally and internationally with respect to protection, enforcement and monetization of IP, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. The firm has more than 90 intellectual property professionals specializing in various technical disciplines, and has a reputation for providing leading IP counseling with a focus on the business objectives of their clients.
Brooks Kushman counts a number of Fortune 100 companies across a variety of industries among its clients. The firm is also recognized by leading legal publications and rankings, including Corporate Counsel magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Law360, Intellectual Asset Management, Managing Intellectual Property, and Intellectual Property Today. For more information, please visit www.BrooksKushman.com.
