The legal community must prioritize creating an accessible and welcoming environment that supports the growth and success of all legal professionals. Despite some progress, barriers continue to prevent many individuals from entering and thriving in the legal field.
Harrity & Harrity is committed to breaking down these barriers through our Equal Opportunity Initiatives. By fostering a respectful, engaging, and supportive culture, we aim to create pathways that empower individuals to succeed in the patent field. Our programs are designed to open doors for aspiring legal professionals and enhance their ability to contribute meaningfully to the innovation ecosystem, ensuring that every voice has the opportunity to be heard and valued.
At Harrity, we believe that the ‘practice of law’ is advanced by a more robust legal team – with diversity of background, upbringing, education, and perspective comes quality legal innovation. The Empowerment Exchange is a collection of resources aimed at increasing equal opportunity in our field by sharing ideas and sparking conversations that break down barriers, including weekly vlogs, helpful articles, and free webinars!
THE HARRITY ACADEMY®
The Harrity Academy® is a free, self-paced learning platform designed to help practicing and aspiring patent professionals elevate the quality of their patent application drafting and prosecution skills. The Academy offers two comprehensive portals: one focused on patent application drafting and the other on patent prosecution. The goal of this program is to help break barriers faced by individuals entering the patent field while enhancing the quality of their overall practice.
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICANTS FOR 2025!
PATENT PATHWAYS®
Harrity & Harrity launched Patent Pathways® in Summer 2022, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to addressing barriers to equal opportunity in the patent bar through free, virtual education, practical exercises, and financial support that help participants prepare for and take the patent bar exam, and set them up for career success.
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICANTS!
MFI 4.0
The MFI 4.0 provides the training and tools needed to propel patent law firms to the next level of success. This program includes free training & strategy classes, and will begin and conclude with live pitch sessions to a panel of in-house IP attorneys from leading corporations. The MFI 4.0 is an integral part of Harrity’s ongoing commitment to progress, empowering individuals to succeed in the patent field.
HARRITY FOR PARITY®: A WOMEN’S PATENT WORKSHOP
Harrity for Parity® is a four-day long program for women geared towards an introduction to the practice of patent law. Law school students from across the country will join us for skills training in patent preparation and prosecution, and to learn first-hand from partners at major law firms, leaders in university tech transfer, and in-house corporate counsel about their experiences as women in the legal field.
In order to continue to expand our Equal Opportunity Programs and make the biggest impact we can on the patent community, we are growing a Mentor Network of patent professionals who are just as passionate about breaking barriers into the patent field as we are.
CLICK HERE to join our exceptional group of mentors!
We are proud to be involved with a number of organizations that promote Equal Opportunity within the legal community, including:
