Leading intellectual property (IP) law firm Harness IP opened the doors to its Dallas office today, establishing the firm’s first presence in a region experiencing significant economic growth. Principals Gerald T. Welch and Darin W. Deaver, along with associates Chris K. Miller, Christopher M. Cauble and Thomas E. Schiano, have joined Harness IP from Dentons to launch the new office.

A long-time Dallas patent attorney, Welch brings with him more than 30 years of experience in patent prosecution, counseling, and litigation in the electrical, telecommunications, life sciences, and medical device industries for corporations in the U.S., Asia, and Europe.

“The addition of this new talent combined with the tremendous opportunities in the current Texas legal market complement our existing business perfectly,” said Michael Brennan, a managing principal with Harness IP. “Our philosophy on expansion is that it must make our firm better, not just bigger, while maintaining our culture. Jerry’s proven leadership skills and experience support this philosophy 100 percent.”

As a partner in the IP and Technology practice at Dentons, Welch assisted clients with the procurement, development, licensing and global management of intellectual property. He has repeatedly been recognized for his achievements, most recently as the 2015 “Copyright Lawyer of the Year” in Dallas by The Best Lawyers in America, along with inclusion since 2012 in The Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of Patent Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation and Copyright Law. Welch will lead an initial team of four new attorneys as well as an administrative staff.

“The opportunity to leverage my years of experience to help a firm of Harness IP’s caliber and esteem build a presence in my own backyard was one I couldn’t possibly pass up,” said Welch. “Intellectual property expertise is in tremendous demand here, and I’m pleased to join a successful team at the very forefront of the field.” The new Dallas location joins Harness IP’s offices in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan; St. Louis, Missouri; and Washington, D.C.