Media Contact: Lucie Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications; lucie@eafocus.com; 248.925.6726
Troy, Mich.—July 22, 2026—Intellectual property law firm Fishman Stewart PLLC, celebrating 30 years in 2026, is pleased to announce firm Managing Partner Michael B. Stewart has been named to the Engineering Society of Detroit’s (ESD) College of Fellows. Election to the rank of Fellow is one of the highest recognitions that ESD can bestow on one of its members and the recognition comes following Stewart’s years of engagement, service and formal membership with the organization.
ESD Fellows are members of unusual distinction, conferred by invitation of the Board of Directors for outstanding and extraordinary qualifications and experience in their professions as evidenced by accomplishments in the following major areas: technical achievement; professional achievement; ESD service and leadership; and professional society service and leadership — as indicated by honors and awards, publications and patents, academic service and leadership, and community service.
Stewart is a long-standing supporter of ESD and its mission. He serves on the editorial board of Tech Century Magazine, contributing editorial guidance and thought leadership at the intersection of engineering, innovation, and intellectual property, publishing technical articles, delivering presentations to ESD members and sponsoring ESD initiatives, including the student writing contest, to reinforce the development of future engineers and technical communicators.
“My career satisfaction as both an engineer and attorney specializing in the protection of creativity has been amplified by my commitment to promote the engineering profession and the technical roots of intellectual property, intentionally engaging in professional volunteer work that elevates the engineering profession and the value of intellectual property law,” Stewart said. “I am immensely pleased to have been recognized as a Fellow of the Engineering Society of Detroit and honored to belong to this esteemed organization of engineering leaders and visionaries.”
Stewart, who continues to garner global and national honors for his professional skills, is a sought-after advisor to CEOs and executive teams. His active leadership among professional organizations includes Chair, PCT Issues Committee, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), Co-Chair, AIPLA Leadership Forum, and leadership roles within the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI). Additionally, he is a Fellow of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), a two-time winner of AIPLA Project of the Year, including in 2025 when he co-chaired the first ever Leadership Forum, and in representing the United States on behalf of the AIPLA at diplomatic conferences in Geneva, Switzerland in both 2025 and 2026. Stewart’s pro bono efforts have been recognized by both the State Bar of Michigan and AIPLA.
Stewart’s civic activities include serving as a trustee of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan for three terms, providing strategic oversight, governance, and fiduciary leadership for a large, mission-driven organization serving communities statewide.
Stewart’s legal honors are prolific. Most recently he was again included in the IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals – 2026. In 2025, he was the sole Michigan-based IP attorney to be named to the inaugural Forbes list of best-in-state attorneys. He is a longstanding honoree of Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers and has been named a Leader in the Law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
About Fishman Stewart PLLC
Fishman Stewart helps turn client creativity into valuable intellectual capital. Since its founding in 1996, the firm has obtained tens of thousands of patents and trademark registrations and represented clients in hundreds of cases in Federal Court. As strategic advisers to CEOs and senior executives, Fishman Stewart attorneys develop IP management strategies for U.S. and foreign-based companies to safeguard their business assets throughout the world. To discover how Fishman Stewart leverages intellectual property to effectively increase enterprise value, visit fishstewip.com.