Date: Friday, November 6, 2026Time: 12:00-1:30pmLocation: Blue Lounge (GGB 1280)

This is an opportunity for students and interested faculty to interact with leading experts about how Intellectual Property is protected, common pitfalls in industry practice, and what students should understand about IP. There will be short introductions by the panelists and then an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.
Panelists:Mark Chuey, Ph.D. is an experienced intellectual property attorney, engineer, and inventor whose practice spans patent prosecution, litigation, licensing, and strategic counseling. At General Motors, he managed U.S. intellectual property litigation, supported global IP disputes, negotiated settlements and licenses, handled discovery and witness preparation, and advocated on federal IP policy. Previously, as a patent attorney at Brooks Kushman, he prepared and prosecuted patent applications, supported complex litigation, drafted infringement and validity opinions, and advised clients across the automotive, software, telecommunications, electronics, and manufacturing sectors. Chuey is a registered U.S. patent attorney and a named inventor on numerous U.S. and U.K. patents. He earned his J.D. summa cum laude and first in his class from Wayne State University and holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Michigan State University. His engineering and academic background gives him particular depth in computer systems, software, electronics, automotive technologies, and telecommunications.
Stephanie Jones is the Assistant General Counsel for Intellectual Property, Legal Operations, and Real Estate at General Motors. She also serves as the functional General Counsel for GM Energy and as the General Counsel for GM Global Technology Operations, both wholly owned subs of General Motors. Stephanie draws from over 20 years of experience in intellectual Property, M&A, litigation, compliance, human resources, sales and marketing, and government legal matters.  She leads a dynamic team of 30 attorney and non-attorney professionals, providing legal and strategic guidance on transformational projects and cutting-edge technologies. As the AGC for Intellectual Property, she oversees all IP protection, licensing, data loss prevention, litigation, and strategic initiatives. As the functional General Counsel for GM Energy, she supports EV charging infrastructure, energy storage systems, and utility projects supporting a more resilient energy grid and EV adoption. Her work in Legal Operations includes oversight of a nine-figure department budget, implementing AI and other legal technology tools, and leading the mentoring and project-based development program for a global Law & Policy staff of hundreds. While ascending in leadership at GM, Stephanie has negotiated multi-billion dollar transactions, including international restructuring and co- development projects. She’s worked extensively in China, Germany, France, Japan, and India.  She has held leadership positions in GM Women+ and GMAAN. Prior to GM, she worked at a national IP boutique firm for 9 years handling patent prosecution, litigation, due diligence, and strategic counseling for Fortune 100 clients. She is a proud graduate of Syracuse University College of Law and Michigan State University. She is a current Board Member of the American Red Cross, the National Bar Institute, and the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan Foundation. Stephanie is the President of the Renaissance (MI) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. She enjoys volunteering, hiking, nature photography, and spoiling her godchildren in her spare time.
Marco Gatti is a registered patent attorney and focuses his practice on electrical, electro-mechanical, chemical and software matters for Cummins Inc. Before joining Cummins as Senior Counsel in Electrification, Marco held the position as the GM Research and Development Intellectual Property and Export Compliance Manager overseeing several projects in emerging technologies. For example, he managed a major portion of the patent portfolio around autonomous technology, including sensor system arrangements, sensor fusion, and path planning. Marco also protected inventions around battery technology including cell chemistry, thermal management design and charging systems. 
Part of Marco’s duties in this role was to serve on the R&D Intellectual Property Review Board. These duties included the identification of inventions for patent protection, evaluating the business need for protection, and evaluating the patentability of such proposed inventions.Working on this committee has enabled Marco to have a greater understanding of a broad range of technology, the importance of patent protection to the business strategy, and theinfluence on business needs.
Marco spent several years working at an intellectual property law firm after graduating law school. While working at the law firm, Marco prepared and prosecuted patent applications covering a broad range of technologies with a heavy emphasis on the automotive industry as well as in related technologies that are seeing an increased presence in the automotive space.Prior to becoming licensed to practice law, Marco worked as an Engineer for ten years in the automotive industry. Through many roles, Marco gained diverse experience in product design,precision manufacturing, project management and high-volume manufacturing of various automotive products. These products range from stamping metal for fuel tank systems to assembling and calibrating complete hybrid engines for use in a vehicle.Marco is a named inventor on nine issued patents and has written several publications around open source software compliance. Marco continues to give talks about intellectual property law to students each semester at the University of Michigan and served as an Industry Advisory Board Member for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan.