Jewell N. Briggs ( Jewel )

Associate / Detroit Metro Office

Jewell is known for bringing a relentlessly driven work ethic to all facets of intellectual property law representation. She is guided by a firsthand appreciation for intellectual property’s potential to change lives.

Her practice includes preparing and prosecuting patent applications for a range of new technologies, conducting trademark clearance searches, and providing litigation support. She counsels clients across a range of industries, from chemical and biopharma laboratories to large electrical and heavy manufacturing companies.

Jewell’s experience in nursing, her vast knowledge of the hard sciences, and her firsthand understanding of the value of innovation gives her a unique perspective on intellectual property protection. A hearing impairment only sharpens her conviction that technological innovation can and should improve lives. Her practice enables her to combine her passions for law and science for the benefit of the firm and her community.

Jewell is active in the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, and currently serves on its Historical Preservation Committee and the Moms in Law Committee. She previously served on the WLA’s Legal Affairs, Legislative, and Candidate Rating & Endorsement Committee. She is also an active member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Intellectual Property Law Section.

PREVIOUS/ADDITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

  • Prior to joining Harness IP, Jewell worked as an IP Legal Intern at Dow Corning, where she focused on licensing matters and public outreach programs. She also worked as a Legal Extern at ElderLaw of Michigan. Prior to law school, she was a resident-certified nursing assistant at an assisted living/nursing facility.

AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS

  • Best Lawyers, Patent Law, “Ones to Watch,” 2022-2024
  • Best Lawyers, Litigation – Patent “Ones to Watch,” 2023-2024 
  • AIPLA Giles Sutherland Rich Memorial Moot Court Competition, Chicago, March 2015 – Best Appellant Brief

MEMBERSHIPS

  • American Intellectual Property Law Association
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Pathfinder Program, 2022
  • Michigan Bar Association, IP Law Section
  • Women Lawyers Association of Michigan; Legal Affairs, Legislative & CREC Committee

HOBBIES/INTERESTS/PASSION PROJECTS

  • Jewell is passionate about technology’s impact on individuals and their health outcomes. She is an enthusiastic supporter of the Hearing Loss Association of America.
  • When she is not in the office, Jewell enjoys staying physically active and spending time with her family.

EDUCATION

J.D., cum laude, Michigan State University College of Law, 2016

B.S., cum laude, Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 2013

B.S., cum laude, Forensic Science, Loyola University Chicago, 2013

B.S., cum laude, Chemistry, Loyola University Chicago, 2013

BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS

Michigan

Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

  • Helped secure a dual victory for two clients accused of patent infringement by developing a bold strategy challenging the validity of the plaintiff’s patents. Petitions for inter partes review (IPR) of the plaintiff’s patents were initiated at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and the USPTO issued comprehensive opinions in the IPRs, rendering all claims in four out of the five patents as unpatentable. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the decision, and the fifth patent is currently under IPR at the USPTO.