A local area firm is seeing a shift in its C-Suite.
Troy-based Intellectual Property law firm Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC has recently named a new CEO. As one of the country’s leading intellectual property law firms, Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC has a century of work ethic behind them and this CEO is ready to take the firm to new heights, according to a press release.
The recent chief IP officer for Volvo Car Corporation and CEO of Volvo Cars Ventures in Sweden, Ray Millien will now head the IP firm as CEO. The newest CEO has also served as general counsel at Ocean Tomo, LLC, practiced IP law at DLA Piper and Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox. He has also been named Intellectual Asset Management magazine’s one of the “World’s 300 Leading IP Strategists.”
Taking the place of Bill Coughlin, who is now stepping into the role as the firm’s CEO emeritus, Millien will unveil his vision for continued success moving forward. Serving as the firm’s first and only CEO in its history, Coughlin is passing the reins to guide the firm into the future.
“Our firm is in the ideal position for me to entrust its leadership to someone with the acumen, ideas, and energy to catapult us into the next stage of our growth,” says Coughlin. “I’m grateful to everyone who has helped me achieve through the pandemic the progress we’ve made toward our goals, and I look forward to my new role as CEO emeritus. No one better than Ray can help us continue to harness innovation as we start on our next 100 years.”
Founded in 1921, as a result of Detroit’s booming automotive industry, Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC was created by J. King Harness. After spending years at Ford Motor Company working as the head of the patent department, the knowledge of intellectual property grew. Wanting to enter business for himself, the owner built a firm that would only handle cases of intellectual property.
Now, at the 100-year mark of business, the firm is continuing its legacy through Millien. The newest vision for the company’s future will include reimagining the way legal services are delivered by boutique-style IP. Millien plans to embrace innovation with a sense of eagerness and preparedness.
Work-life balance for employees will also be explored and some restructured based on the work efficiency ideology witnessed in Sweden. This, coupled with the firm’s history of high-quality
work, exceptional service, and a focus on helping clients achieve the most from their IP investment, Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC is changing for the better.
The firm currently holds a number two ranking from IAM Media for their counsel to 44 companies with the largest portfolios of issued United States patents. From those companies, the firm ranks number six for filing the most patent applications on its behalf.
With almost 25 years of in-house IP counsel positions in the automotive, energy, financial services, and health care fields, the new CEO has also had a history of working at a large general practice firm and a boutique, IP-focused firm. Millien, through years of work, is ready and prepared with the tools needed to solve complex legal issues for the IP firm’s clients.
“I’m honored that the firm’s Executive Committee selected me to build on Bill’s success,” says Millien. “As CEO, I’ll not only practice with the finest IP lawyers but also will help Harness Dickey build on its long and preeminent history of serving the country’s most elite businesses, universities, inventors, artists, and entrepreneurs. It’s the ultimate opportunity in the perfect place with the right people.”
The firm is national with offices in Detroit, St. Louis, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
About Post Author
