Harness IP CEO Ray Millien is the subject of a new feature article from the Detroit Legal News. Written by Tom Kirvan, the article discusses Millien’s path to becoming the firm’s second-ever CEO as well as his plans for the firm’s future.

Millien was raised in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Columbia University and graduated with a degree in Computer Science before starting his career as a software engineer for GE Aerospace, now Lockheed Martin. After two years with GE Aerospace, he was encouraged to enroll in law school at George Washington University. He graduated in 1997.

As a young patent attorney with a background in software, Millien spent his early years working in private practice and filing applications related to the dot.com boom.

He then moved in-house, first with the merchant bank Ocean Tomo, which provides technology-related merger and acquisition advice as well as valuation and analytics services, then as a leader on the IP teams of GE Oil & Gas, American Express, and GE Healthcare before heading overseas to Sweden in 2018 to lead the IP department for Volvo Cars.

“In a sense, I view my in-house experience in the form of ‘good intelligence’ for my current responsibilities, which will be to build our book of business even more in the years ahead,” says Millien. “At Volvo, I was in a position of being courted by law firms that wanted our business. Now, I will be the one approaching companies about handling their legal work.”

His vision as CEO of Harness IP includes reimagining “the way IP boutiques deliver legal services, ensuring that Harness IP emulates its clients by embracing innovations with a similar zeal.” In addition, Millien plans to “import” parts of the work-life balance ideology he learned while working for Volvo in Sweden.

Millien said his focus will be on bringing “more value” to clients of Harness IP. “By succeeding at that, we will have the opportunity to grow as well, opening new markets for us to explore and develop,” he adds.

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