Extranet Access  |  Contact Info  |  866.222.0112
When you're serious about intellectual property... UseBrinks

Kelly K. Burris

Practice Summary

Ms. Burris focuses her practice on the preparation and prosecution of U.S. and foreign patent applications in the mechanical, material science, and electrical arts. She also prepares clearance/freedom-to-practice opinions, drafts and negotiates licensing agreements and joint development agreements, and supports patent and trademark litigation, including client counseling, discovery, depositions, and brief writing. Ms. Burris is also involved in due diligence with mergers and acquisitions, transactional matters, management and administration of corporate intellectual property portfolios and policies, and strategic competitive intelligence.

Prior to practicing law, Ms. Burris spent more than 11 years in the aerospace industry with McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, where she worked in diverse areas such as advanced composite materials, advanced design, production manufacturing, ballistics research, and most recently in virtual reality and CAD/CAM technology and applications. Ms. Burris also holds a U.S. Patent in the area of fiber optics.

Honors/Distinctions
  • Private pilot with single engine land, single engine sea, multiengine land, and instrument ratings
Publications
Feature Profiles
Published Articles
Presentations
View All
  • "Patent or Trade Secret? What is Best for Your Business?" Ann Arbor SPARK, October 24, 2008
  • "Intellectual Property Best Practices for Your Business," Ann Arbor SPARK, February 15, 2008
  • "10 Intellectual Property Red Flags for Your Business," Michigan Young Lawyers Division, American Bar Association, May 17, 2008
  • "The Business of Design Patents," Ann Arbor SPARK, September 28, 2007
  • "Trademark Law," 17th Annual Women in Aviation Conference, 2006
  • "Intellectual Property Basics for the Aviation Professional," 13th Annual Women in Aviation International Conference, 2002
Memberships & Affiliations
View All
  • American Bar Association
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
  • American Society of Materials International
  • American Welding Society
  • Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
  • Women in Aviation International
Civic Activities
  • Volunteer pilot with Angel Flight America–providing free air transportation to specialized health care facilities for people in need due to family, community or national crisis
  • Pro bono trademark counseling for Women in Aviation International
  • Pro bono trademark counseling for the Family Support Network, St. Louis, Missouri
Legal Experience
  • Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, Ann Arbor, Michigan
    Shareholder, January 2009-Present
    Counsel, May 2007-December 2008
  • Harness, Dickey & Pierce, St. Louis, Missouri; Troy, Michigan
    Principal, 2007
    Associate, 2001-2007
  • Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, St. Louis, Missouri
    Associate, 1999-2001
  • Baker & Daniels, Fort Wayne, Indiana
    Summer Clerk, 1998
Teaching Experience
  • Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Auburn Hills, Michigan
    Adjunct Professor, 2010 – present
    Intellectual Property Law
  • Ave Maria School of Law, Ann Arbor, Michigan
    Adjunct Professor, 2009
    Intellectual Property Law
  • Department of Defense – Defense Systems Management College, St. Louis, Missouri
    Adjunct Professor, 1994-1996
    Manufacturing Management
  • University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign, Illinois
    Adjunct Professor, 1994-1996
    Composite Materials Design and Manufacturing
  • Washington University , St. Louis, Missouri
    Adjunct Professor, 1994-1996
    Composite Materials Design and Manufacturing