About Stephen
Stephen Kontos brings a combination of engineering training and legal practice to his work in intellectual property. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Detroit Mercy in 2003 and completed his J.D. at Wayne State University Law School in 2008. That technical foundation shaped an early turn toward patent law.
He began his legal career in 2008 as an associate patent lawyer at Rader Fishman & Grauer PLLC, now known as Fishman Stewart PLLC. There he handled patent prosecution for clients who required technical familiarity alongside legal precision. In 2013 he joined Bejin Bieneman PLC as a partner and IP lawyer, taking on broader responsibility for client counseling and portfolio work.
In 2018 Kontos launched PATENTXP PLLC, serving as founder and lead IP lawyer. That period marked a shift into managing a practice and advising clients on strategy, prosecution, and enforcement issues. The office carried a certification as an LGBT-Owned Law Office from the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, a detail that reflects the firm’s business identity.
He moved into an in-house role in 2021 when he became head of intellectual property at VELN. The position put him at the intersection of company priorities and patent portfolio development. His day-to-day duties include overseeing prosecution, coordinating with outside counsel, and aligning patent investments with product development timelines.
Kontos is admitted to practice in Michigan and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. His background in electrical engineering informs prosecution work on electrical, computer, and related technologies. He is comfortable translating complex technical disclosures into patent claims and drafting specifications that reflect inventive contributions.
Peers and clients describe his approach as pragmatic. He emphasizes clear claim drafting, cost-aware prosecution paths, and opinions that address risk without overstating outcomes. He has worked on matters that required opinion work, prior art analysis, and portfolio counseling. He has experience representing individual inventors as well as corporate clients across different stages of growth.
Throughout his career Kontos has moved between law firm practice, private practice ownership, and an in-house leadership role. That progression gives him perspective on how businesses manage intellectual property at different scales. He currently practices patent preparation, prosecution, and intellectual property counseling at VELN.
