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Posted on Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 5:10 a.m.

Executive Profile: LG Almeda, intellectual property attorney and shareholder, Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione

By Sarah Rigg

Brinks Hofer - Lawrence Almeda.jpg

LG Almeda

Lawrence “LG” Almeda, shareholder in the Ann Arbor office of Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione, grew up as one of only a handful of Asian-Pacific Americans in Rochester. However, he said it wasn’t until the birth of his first son that he began to become more deeply involved in the Asian Pacific American community and in committees and causes related to diversity.

“My mom and Dad emigrated from the Philippines in the 60s to start a new, better life — as they saw it — here in the U.S.,” he said. “I grew up in Rochester along with maybe one other Asian American.”

Almeda said he went to a leadership conference in Detroit in 2006 and was asked to talk about his “defining moment.”

“What really changed my life was the moment I saw my first child born,” Almeda said. “He looked like me, but so small. I said to myself, ‘I’m a father now. I want to pave the way for him.’”

Almeda’s efforts since that time recently earned him a “Salute to Diversity” award from of CORP magazine in the individual “business leader” category. He and the other winners were honored at an event held at the MGM Grand Detroit earlier this year.

Almeda said he’d always had some involvement “at the periphery” of the Asian Pacific American community, but he became much more active after the birth of his son.

His diversity efforts and involvement in the Asian Pacific American community include being a federally-appointed member and chair of the State Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, being appointed to the Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission for the State of Michigan by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, serving as Assistant Regional Governor of the Central Region for the National Pacific American Bar Association and past president of the Michigan Asian Pacific American Bar Association.

He said one of the “hot issues” in many of those organizations is immigration law, specifically a proposal to craft federal legislation similar to a recentand controversial immigration laws in Arizona. Part of his role as a member of the state advisory committee includes giving feedback about how people in Michigan are reacting to the proposed legislation.

At Brinks, Almeda’s intellectual property legal practice focuses on patent opinions and counseling in the medical, chemical, nanotechnology and alternative energy fields. He also chairs the firm’s Nanotechnology Group.

“The running joke is: Nanotech— it’s no big thing,” Almeda said.

He said his main job is to counsel businesses and universities when they are seeking to “capture some of the market share based on a design for a product.”

“They contact me to analyze and determine the risk of infringement,” he said. Based on Almeda’s analysis, the university or company may decide to go forward despite the risks, design around potential infringement issues or look at other products, he said. He also helps to draft patent applications.

When asked about the connection between his career and his volunteer involvements, Almeda said that diversity isn’t just something that’s nice, but something that’s vital to doing good business.

“Having people from different backgrounds makes a business stronger and more competitive because of what they bring to the table, the different insights they provide,” he said.

Almeda’s interest in promoting diversity has been an asset in helping create links and relationships between China and the U.S. He’s traveled on business to China several times, and, in November, Almeda will speak at a seminar in China sponsored by that country’s largest intellectual property law firm.

He said these trips serve two purposes: the first is professional development for him, and the second is an opportunity to encourage Chinese companies to do business in the U.S., and specifically in Michigan.

Background

Age: 42.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Purdue University; law degree, University of Detroit Mercy; LL.M. in intellectual property, The John Marshall Law School.

Family: Wife Marjorie (a physician/gerontologist), Joseph (8), James (6), John (4), and
Jessica (18 months).

Residence: Canton.

Business Insights

Best business decision: To attend law school.

Worst business decision: Those made without enough thought.

Best way to keep a competitive edge: Be organized, well‐rounded and passionate, and
continue to learn.

Personal hero: My Dad—without any financial support, he emigrated from the
Philippines in the 1960s and made a fulfilling life for himself and his family in the U.S.

How do you motivate people? By giving team members a meaningful, well documented
reason to succeed.

What advice would you give to yourself in college? Take it easy on the planning and
just let it happen.

Word that best describes you: Personable, friendly.

First Web site you check in the morning: Yahoo.com.

Confessions
What keeps you up at night? Nothing really. except the occasional needs of one of our four kids!

Pet peeve: Being five or 10 minutes late without explanation.

Guilty pleasure: Doritos.

First job: Bus boy.

First choice for a new career: Actor/director.

Treasures

Favorite cause: Issues that impact the Asian Pacific American community.

Favorite book: The Firm by John Grisham.

Favorite movie: The Godfather movies, or “The Hangover .”

Favorite hobby: Brazilian Jiu‐Jitsu (BJJ) .

Favorite restaurant: The Rock in downtown Plymouth.

LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter? Facebook.

Typical Saturday: Going with my boys to the dojo for our BJJ classes, doing some work, spending the afternoon/evening with family or friends.

What team do you root for? All Detroit pro teams and Purdue University teams .

Wheels: Lexus.

Who would play you in a movie? No idea, but my best guess would be Keanu Reeves.

Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor to AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at sarahrigg@yahoo.com.