Harness IP is continuously cultivating diversity. We are committed to fostering and maintaining an inclusive culture where color, age, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, and marital and family status are understood, respected, valued, and accepted. 

We believe our commitment to diversity and inclusion makes us a stronger law firm. Inclusion begins with providing a work environment that is welcoming and supportive of all employees. We seek to provide opportunities for personal and professional development among all attorneys and staff, and we actively look to hire, retain, and promote minority and female attorneys. 

Our firm and our clients benefit most when diversity thrives. We emphasize the principles of diversity and inclusion, and integrate them into our firm in the following ways:

• Our Diversity & Inclusion Committee promotes a supportive and inclusive environment for attorneys and staff. The Diversity & Inclusion Committee seeks out opportunities to increase awareness and respect for diversity, as well as ways to attract diverse talent to the firm. With a focus on action, the Diversity & Inclusion Committee has developed a road map of initiatives that encourage distinction in everything we do.
• Harness IP launched the Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship for law students interested in pursuing a career in intellectual property law. Our Fellowship aims to provide law students who come from diverse backgrounds, are a woman, a member of the LGBTQ community, have a disability, or are a veteran with career mentoring and the opportunity to explore their interest in IP law. Visit our Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship page to learn more.
• We are proud to be members of the Leadership Counsel on Legal Diversity, a premier group of corporate and law firm leaders with the common goal of preparing future generations of diverse talent for the highest positions of leadership.

• As a means to attract and encourage future generations of IP lawyers, we started the Harness IP Outreach Program to provide presentations to high school students, undergrads in STEM fields, and law school students about IP law and pursuing a career as an IP lawyer.
• As part of the Harness IP Outreach Program, we also organize, spearhead, and sponsor events that support diversity in IP fields. This includes the IP Innovation Diversity Sprint Event that was held at the Michigan State University College of Law. 
• We are actively involved in organizations that promote and support diversity, a sampling of which includes: the Japanese Business Society of Detroit; the Korean-American Intellectual Property Bar Association; National Asian Pacific American Bar Association; the National LGBT Bar Association; Northern Virginia Black Attorney’s Association; Old Dominion Bar Association; and the Washington University in St. Louis School of Engineering Mentoring Collective. A number of attorneys are also involved in the Diversity Committee and/or women-focused programs for the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. 
• Harness IP is actively pursuing Midsize Mansfield Rule certification as part of the organization’s second cohort. Mansfield Certification requires legal departments to consider at least 30% historically underrepresented lawyers for 60% or more of certain leadership roles and activities, among other criteria. 
• Harness IP appreciates the value of diversity and inclusion education for its attorneys and staff. Everyone at the firm participates in diversity awareness training, and the firm is actively creating its own custom tailored program, as well.

Achieving greater diversity and inclusion is a long-term strategy for Harness IP. We are encouraged by our recent success in recruiting and retaining a diverse class of associates and our increasing diversity among partners. We are also encouraged by the emphasis our CEO has placed on this topic and his efforts to expand upon our recent successes.