Crain’s Detroit Business recently highlighted Burris Law’s 10-year anniversary and the firm’s growth from a small boutique into nationally recognized intellectual property counsel serving more than 600 clients across the United States and Europe.
The article, “How an IP Attorney Turned an Airplane into Her Secret Weapon,” explores founder Kelly Burris’ unconventional and highly effective approach to client service — one that quite literally takes flight.
A former aerospace engineer and licensed pilot, Kelly frequently flies with members of her team to client facilities to better understand their businesses and inventions firsthand. This hands-on model strengthens collaboration with engineers, sharpens patent strategy, and deepens long-term client relationships. Since launching Burris Law in 2016 with two paralegals, Kelly’s willingness to take calculated risks, including selling her home to finance her Daher TBM 940 aircraft, has played a defining role in the firm’s culture and growth.
“I want the clients to view me as their local counsel,” Burris said. “When a client has an innovation, you have to go and see the product to understand the technology. The TBM is my secret business weapon.”
Burris Law was founded inside the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office, a location chosen intentionally to remain close to both the innovation ecosystem and the patent decision-making process.
Today, with offices in Detroit and St. Louis, the firm represents Fortune 50/100/500 companies, mid-sized manufacturers, and individual inventors across industries including aerospace, automotive, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, materials science, and consumer products. The team brings deep technical experience across mechanical, electrical, software, chemical, and materials science disciplines, with many attorneys beginning their careers as engineers. Attorneys’ fluency in Chinese, Japanese, German, Bulgarian, Russian, and Spanish further supports clients worldwide.
The Crain’s coverage underscores how Burris Law’s blend of engineering depth and client-first philosophy has fueled sustained growth over the past decade.
“The last ten years have proven that when you take the time to truly understand the technology and the people behind it, you get better patents, smarter strategies, and stronger partnerships,” Burris said. “Together, we’ve built something through trust, collaboration, and showing up for one another, and we are excited about the best still to come for Burris Law.”
Read the Crain’s Detroit Business article at:
https://www.crainsdetroit.com/law/ip-attorney-kelly-burris-turns-plane-her-secret-weapon?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=soc-own
