Burris Law is celebrating its 10-year anniversary by sharing “10 Years. 10 Stories”- a series highlighting the people, clients, and innovations that have shaped the firm’s growth into a globally recognized IP practice. Our first story looks back at the early days through the eyes of employees who believed in the firm’s vision from the start.
How Burris Law Began: Built on Trust, Grit, Leap of Faith – and a Ping Pong Table
A decade ago, Burris Law started with an attorney and a vision, two paralegals who believed in that vision, a mostly empty office, a ping pong table, plenty of Mac computers, and just enough belief to think: if you build it, they will come.
In 2016, when national intellectual property law firm Brinks Gilson and Lione closed its Detroit office, patent attorney Kelly Burris was faced with a decision – relocate to another office and remain with her firm, or stay and build something of her own. She chose to stay and build something better.
“I didn’t set out to start a law firm; I set out to build something that I thought could work better,” Kelly said. “After nearly two decades in big law, I wanted a law firm built around people, relationships, and truly understanding my clients’ businesses.”
Kelly bought out the lease of the Detroit office from her former firm – inside the same building as the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office. In 2016, she officially launched Burris Law – a full-service IP law firm. “When I started Burris Law, I had a vision to build an IP firm founded on the principle of when you show up, when you listen, and when you understand as a team what your clients are building, everything else follows,” Kelly said.
That vision was enough to convince a small group to follow her and join her endeavor. Burris Law started with just Kelly and two paralegals, including Angela Voakes, now Chief of Staff with Burris Law.
“When Kelly asked if I wanted to join her, there was a sense of excitement mixed with uncertainty, but also a strong belief that we were creating something different from the ground up,” said Angela, who worked with Kelly at Brinks. “There was something incredibly compelling about the opportunity to help shape a firm from day one.”
Trust, Grit, and A Leap of Faith
Angela said any uncertainty – such as starting a small business and figuring out logistics like office equipment and employee benefits – was all eased by believing in Kelly’s expertise as a patent attorney, admiring her integrity, and the way she approached client relationships.
“I think it came down to trust, a shared vision, and aligned values. I knew if I was going to be a part of a small business and work so closely with this small group of people, I needed to have value alignment to be fully committed,” Angela said.
The early days were equal parts exciting and chaotic.
“What stands out most is how ‘all hands-on deck’ everything was,” Angela said. “We were building processes in real time, figuring things out as we went, and wearing multiple hats every day. Everything had to be created – from workflows to basic things like setting up the phone system, FedEx account, and accounting. At the same time, we were still delivering high-quality work to clients.”
Clients began to follow Kelly to her new firm, and the team quickly started to form around her, as well.
Lezlee Eddy, who works in the docketing department at Burris Law, had worked with and known Kelly for more than 20 years. When Kelly asked Lezlee to join, Lezlee wanted no regrets.
“I didn’t want to say no and then always wonder if I could have done it,” Lezlee said. “I knew I still had a lot to learn, and that was intimidating. But it felt better to say yes and figure it out – even if it meant facing challenges – rather than look back and regret not trying.”
Lezlee did not waste any time conquering her learning curve. “Trying to get the docketing system organized by Kelly’s birthday: that was an early goal of ours and we did it,” she said. “We were working long days, weekends, trying to build something from nothing.”
Lezlee added: “We keep evolving, and that evolution wraps one in. As a part of this team, I feel attached to the others and to our work. We care about each other. I enjoy my work. I think we all take our jobs seriously; how any one of us works does have an impact on the others.”
Hard Work but also a Little Fun Along the Way
Docketing Specialist Michelle Jackson joined in the early days after some encouragement from longtime colleague and close friend Angela and after hearing about Kelly from similar connections.
“I trusted them and their opinions of Kelly and how awesome she was, so I thought ‘why not?!’ and I’m so glad I did,” Michelle said. “What I remember most about the early days is how quiet it was, with so few people, but at the same time how lively it was. It felt like we were building something together.”
Michelle added: “My proudest moment is seeing what we’ve built over 10 years,” she said. “Kelly’s care for her people, the camaraderie, the flexibility. It’s why I’ve stayed.”
Li-Hua Weng, who previously worked with Kelly at both Brinks and Harness, was one of Kelly’s first calls to join the firm as an IP attorney. Li-Hua accepted, and the two marked the moment over dinner and a glass of wine – celebrating a professional relationship that continues to this day.
“When I joined, I had already worked with Kelly for more than 10 years on the same client, so I was very familiar with her and the work we were going to do,” Li-Hua said. “I adjusted quickly from a large IP boutique to a startup law firm. The only real challenge was switching from Windows to Apple’s macOS, but that didn’t take long.”
Beyond the work itself, Li-Hua said the firm’s flexibility made a meaningful difference in her life. “Having a flexible schedule allowed me to spend more time with my son and be involved in his school and activities,” she said. “We work as a team – sharing work when someone has capacity and stepping in to support each other when things get busy. That team-oriented culture has kept me at Burris Law for 10 years, and I expect to be here for many more.”
And while the hard work was evident early on, there was also room for fun – volunteering in the Detroit community, team lunches and happy hours, office celebrations, and visits from Kelly’s late dog Jake, the firm’s unofficial “Chief Security Officer.” At the center of it all was also a ping pong table.
Still a fixture in the office today, the table was installed to give the team a chance to unwind. The firm hosted informal tournaments, pick-up matches, and welcomed USPTO staff and others in the building to join in. “We did everything together – lots of happy hours, doing the polar plunge, lunches together, volunteering, and office parties,” Michelle said. “We were all very close.”
Building Something Different
From the beginning, Burris Law wasn’t designed to replicate a traditional IP firm. It was built around how Kelly believed the work should be done and how people should be treated.
Before becoming a patent attorney, Kelly spent more than a decade as an aerospace engineer. She also learned to fly early in her career: something that started as a passion but became a business advantage. “I’ve always believed you have to truly understand how something works before you can protect it,” said Kelly, a licensed pilot of more than 40 years.
That belief shaped the foundation of the firm. Instead of relying on phone calls and emails to understand complex technologies, Kelly built a model around being physically present – flying to clients’ sites, walking factory floors, sitting with engineers, and seeing inventions firsthand.
“I want the clients to view me as their local counsel,” Kelly said. “When a client has an innovation, you have to go and see the product to understand the technology.”
That “go and see” approach became a defining advantage. Today, Burris Law is a globally recognized IP firm serving more than 600 clients. What began with just Kelly and two paralegals has grown into a team of 22 attorneys and staff. Over the past decade, Burris Law attorneys have filed thousands of patent applications worldwide and secured more than 2,000 U.S. patents for clients, working with the largest aerospace and semiconductor companies, and mid-sized manufacturers. In 2025, the firm expanded with the opening of its St. Louis office.
But what stands out most isn’t just the growth – it’s the foundation that hasn’t changed.
“Every time we get a new client, develop a patent portfolio, or get to work with an excited inventor, I feel proud of what we’ve built,” Angela said. “Seeing our reputation grow in the community and knowing we played a role in that from the beginning; that’s incredibly rewarding.”
A decade later, Burris Law is still built on the same principles: trust, grit, a willingness to take risks, and a belief that showing up matters. And yes, the occasional interoffice ping pong game along the way.
