December 12, 2012
“Retrospective: IP Firm Has Its Roots in 1920s Auto Industry,” Detroit Legal News, December 12, 2012
Detroit Legal News
The intellectual property firm law firm of Harness, Dickey, & Pierce—only a few years shy of its centennial celebration in 2021—has a long and fascinating history, dating back to its founder, Jake Harness, whose own star rose in tandem with the fledgling automotive industry.
“We’re a national and international firm, and proud of our automotive and Midwestern roots,” says Principal Monte Falcoff.
Harness, born in Corydon, Ky. in 1897, came to Detroit in 1916 to study at the Detroit College of Law. He put himself through school by working as secretary to the general attorney at Ford Motor Co.—at the grand starting salary of $90 a month—and where, at the tender age of 21, he organized and headed the first patent department.
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