AIPLA Archives

13 Feb

Elaine Spector Provides Data-Driven Perspective at 2024 AIPLA DEIA Colloquium

Diversity, Firm News, General, Team AIPLA, deia, diversity, Elaine Spector, harrity, inclusion

In an inspiring gathering at the 2024 AIPLA DEIA Colloquium in Puerto Rico, Elaine Spector, Partner at Harrity & Harrity, LLP, provided an enlightening presentation that underscored the crucial role of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity within the intellectual property (IP) realm. This significant event, held in partnership with the Intellectual Property Institute of Canada (IPIC), ASIPI, and Invent Together, served as a platform for thought leaders to exchange insights and advance the conversation around DEIA in the IP field.

Elaine’s presentation delved into the current state of diversity in IP law, offering a comprehensive, data-driven analysis that illuminated both the progress made and the challenges that lie ahead. By leveraging empirical evidence, she highlighted the underrepresentation of diverse groups in the patent field and the untapped potential this presents for innovation. Elaine’s adept use of data not only provided a clear picture of the current landscape but also underscored the importance of strategic efforts to enhance diversity within the profession.

A standout moment of the colloquium for Elaine was meeting Aina Breen, a patent agent hired by Harrity out of our Patent Pathways™ program. Patent Pathways™ is a groundbreaking 501(c)(3) organization that aims to bridge the diversity gap in the patent field by offering free training and mentorship to individuals interested in becoming patent professionals who are currently facing underrepresentation and socioeconomic barriers.

“The icing on the cake was meeting our extraordinary Patent Pathways™ (a 501(c)(3) organization) hire Aina Breen. Aina has a degree in mechanical engineering and rocked the patent bar exam on her first try! What an honor it is to know her and mentor her, and now, to meet her in person!” Elaine shared on LinkedIn.

Aina’s presence at the colloquium embodied the success of targeted efforts to foster inclusivity and support underrepresented talent in the IP sector.

Elaine Spector’s participation in the 2024 AIPLA DEIA Colloquium not only reinforced Harrity & Harrity’s dedication to advancing DEIA in the IP field but also sparked meaningful discussions on how to continue this important work. Through a combination of data-driven insights and real-life success stories, the presentation highlighted the firm’s strategic approach to nurturing a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for innovation.

As we reflect on the insights shared at the colloquium, it’s evident that while strides have been made, the journey toward full inclusivity and representation in the IP field continues. Harrity & Harrity remains at the forefront of this endeavor, committed to leveraging data and real-world outcomes to guide their efforts in making the patent world a more diverse, innovative, and accessible place.

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For more information about Harrity & Harrity’s diversity initiatives and services, please visit harrityllp.com/diversity.

28 Jan

Elaine Spector Named First Female Partner at Harrity, LLP

Harrity & Harrity

Diversity, Firm News, General AIPLA, corporate ip institute, diversity, Elaine Spector, harrity, intellectual property, IPO, law, partner, USPTO, women in law

WASHINGTON, DC (January 28, 2020) Harrity & Harrity, LLP is pleased to announce Elaine Spector as one of three newly named partners at the firm. Already a driving force in legal innovation, diversity initiatives, and charity involvement, Elaine’s new role is sure to implement even more progressive ideas at Harrity.

“Truly, something extraordinary is happening here at Harrity; where a woman, or any other lawyer for that matter, can have the opportunity to be a partner, but not at the sacrifice of their family. I am unaware of any other firms that provide the flexibility that Harrity offers; that can allow a mom like myself (who likes to cook for her family and be involved) an opportunity to work reduced hours, while still caring for my family in a way that feels good to me,” said Elaine. “I am very excited for the opportunity I’ve been given and for what the future holds for this awesome firm. The best is yet to come.”

Elaine is a patent attorney with over 20 years of experience in intellectual property law. Her current practice consists primarily of prosecuting patent applications with a focus on electromechanical technologies. She is Harrity’s first female partner.

Prior to joining Harrity & Harrity, Elaine worked in private practice for over 15 years handling various intellectual property matters, including patent application drafting and prosecution, trademark prosecution and enforcement, as well as litigating complex patent cases in federal courts. Elaine’s extensive litigation experience provides her with a unique perspective in prosecuting patent applications.

Most recently, Elaine worked in-house for 6 years at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, where she managed over 500 matters in medical and software related technologies before moving to Harrity, LLP in May, 2017.

Elaine serves as Chair of the Harrity Diversity Committee and Chair of the AIPLA Women in IP Law Committee’s Global Networking Event and Outreach Subcommittees. She is also on the IPO Diversity Committee’s Management Team and is a Board Member at the non-profit No More Stolen Childhoods.

To learn more about Elaine’s background and leadership involvement, please visit her Harrity Bio Page.

About Harrity & Harrity, LLP

Harrity & Harrity is a patent preparation and prosecution firm specializing in the electrical and mechanical technology areas and is considered a Go-To Firm for the Patent 300®. Our clients have come to trust in our high-quality work, experienced people, industry leading innovation, and outstanding service. For more information, visit harrityllp.com.

28 Jan

Senior Associate Neil Kardos Promoted to Partner

Harrity & Harrity

Diversity, Firm News, General AIPLA, Clause 8, corporate ip institute, diversity, harrity, intellectual property, IPO, law, Neil Kardos, partner, USPTO

WASHINGTON, DC (January 28, 2020) Harrity & Harrity, LLP is pleased to announce that senior associate Neil Kardos has recently been named partner. As the firm continues to expand, Neil will play a key role in its ability to stay current with new technologies, provide excellent service to the firm’s clients, become increasingly efficient, develop patent automation tools, and drive forward-thinking business development. Neil is one of three new partners at Harrity, as announced by the firm last week.

“I’m excited and thankful to be part of an innovative firm that’s blazing a trail toward what a patent law firm should look like,” Neil said of the announcement.

Neil is a patent attorney specializing in preparing and prosecuting patent applications. His practice focuses on electrical, computer, and mechanical technologies, including telecommunications, 5G, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, financial technologies, computer hardware and software systems, computer networking, search engines, optical systems, internet hardware and software systems, machinery, sensors, control systems, e-commerce, and business methods.

Neil is actively involved with the Intellectual Property Owner’s Association (IPO) and has spoken at the IPO annual meeting on several occasions, most recently about diversity and gender disparity among inventors. He has partaken in several speaking engagements regarding innovation and the IP field, including presentations at IPO and the Corporate IP Institute as a panel member to analyze and discuss trends in corporate IP management, as well as to share strategies for using patent analytics to manage IP portfolios and IP teams. As part of his work on the IPO’s Corporate IP Management Committee, for which he has served as Vice Chair, Neil helped develop a benchmarking survey that assists in-house counsel in the management of their IP departments and patent portfolios.

Prior to joining Harrity, Neil worked as a Primary Patent Examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where he examined patent applications directed to computer-related technologies, operations research, e-commerce, computer software, complex network analysis, internet applications, and business methods. While working at the USPTO, Neil attended The George Washington University National Law Center and served as a member of The George Washington Law Review. He has been with Harrity, LLP since April of 2012.

To learn more about Neil’s background, and to view all of his speaking engagements and publications, please visit his Harrity Bio Page.

About Harrity & Harrity, LLP

24 Jan

Harrity Promotes Three Attorneys to Partner, Including First Female Partner

Harrity & Harrity

Diversity, Firm News, General AIPLA, Clause 8, corporate ip institute, diversity, Elaine Spector, Eli Mazour, harrity, intellectual property, IPO, law, Neil Kardos, partner, USPTO, women in law

WASHINGTON, DC (January 24, 2020) Harrity & Harrity, a leading patent law firm based in the Washington, DC metro area, is pleased to announce the promotion of three top patent attorneys into partner roles, effective January 1, 2020.

Neil Kardos, Eli Mazour, and Elaine Spector have consistently demonstrated excellence in their practices while going above and beyond to contribute to the firm’s accomplishments in the intellectual property sector. The announcement comes at a time when Harrity is on track to be national leaders in innovation, automation, analytics, charity, and diversity initiatives in the legal field. The transition of Neil, Eli, and Elaine into partnership roles will be a driving force in the continued growth and advancement of the firm.

“Neil, Elaine and Eli are an exceptional group of talent. During their collective time at Harrity, each has demonstrated a tremendous amount of leadership, innovation, efficiency, and progression, both within the firm and the IP community as a whole- all while providing top quality services to our clients. We are thrilled to have these three attorneys begin a new chapter with us as partners and know they will play an instrumental role in furthering Harrity’s accomplishments into the new decade,” said the firm’s Managing Partner, John Harrity.

Neil Kardos, a former Primary Patent Examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and active member of the Intellectual Property Owner’s Association (IPO) and Corporate IP Institute, specializes in preparing and prosecuting patent applications. His practice focuses on electrical, computer, and mechanical technologies, including telecommunications, 5G, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, financial technologies, computer hardware and software systems, computer networking, search engines, optical systems, internet hardware and software systems, machinery, sensors, control systems, e-commerce, and business methods. Neil is a graduate of The George Washington University National Law Center and has been with Harrity since April of 2012.

Eli Mazour joined Harrity in 2010 and currently leads the firm’s patent prosecution team with a focus on helping Patent 300® companies build valuable, high-quality patent portfolios in an efficient manner. In this role, he develops and implements best practices for managing workflow and innovative patent prosecution strategies for reaching favorable results at the USPTO. Eli is also the creator and host of the Clause 8 podcast, which features interviews with prominent members of the IP community, and has written and presented about various patent-related trends. As a result, he is sought out by clients and other professionals for his insights on various patent policy developments, including legislative proposals and changes at the USPTO.

Elaine Spector has over 20 years of experience in intellectual property law. Her extensive experience in the IP field includes patent application drafting and prosecution, trademark prosecution and enforcement, as well as litigating complex patent cases in federal courts. Elaine’s current practice consists primarily of prosecuting patent applications with a focus on electromechanical technologies. Elaine is a driving force in legal service quality, diversity programs, and charity involvement at the firm, and currently serves as Chair of the Harrity Diversity Committee and Chair of the AIPLA Women in IP Law Committee’s Global Networking Event and Outreach Subcommittees. She is also on the IPO Diversity Committee’s Management Team and is a Board Member at the non-profit No More Stolen Childhoods. Elaine has been with Harrity since 2017 and is the firm’s first female partner.

About Harrity & Harrity, LLP

17 Dec

Elaine Spector Named Harrity Diversity Committee Chair

Harrity & Harrity

Diversity, Firm News, General AIPLA, diversity, Elaine Spector, women in law

We are proud to announce Elaine Spector as the new Chair of the Harrity Diversity Committee.

Elaine is already involved in several diversity-focused initiatives and we look forward to seeing her next accomplishments as she continues to promote inclusion within the patent law field.

Of the new role, Elaine states:

“I am honored to assume the position of Diversity Chair of Harrity’s Diversity Committee. Like our firm, our diversity team members are innovators, collectively finding solutions to address not only diversity issues within our firm, but also diversity issues within the patent profession at large. With the introduction of our Minority Firm Incubator, we are committed to not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.”

To learn more about the progressive work of Elaine and our Diversity Committee, and how you can become involved, please visit harrityllp.com/diversity.

22 Nov

Harrity’s Elaine Spector Named AIPLA’s Women in IP Law Outreach Subcommittee Chair

Harrity & Harrity

Diversity, Firm News, General AIPLA, diversity, Elaine Spector, women in law

Congratulations to the newly named chair of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)‘s Women in IP Law Outreach subcommittee, Harrity’s own Elaine Spector.

“I am excited to take on my new role as chair of AIPLA’s Women in IP Law Outreach subcommittee. The Outreach subcommittee is responsible for coordinating the Women in IP breakfast at each stated meeting, as well as overseeing the Global Networking Event and Community Events. This position has also allowed me to become part of the Executive Team within AIPLA’s Women in IP committee, and to work with some truly amazing women in our field. In my new role, I am looking forward to further advancing the needle for women IP practitioners,” states Elaine.

To learn more about Elaine’s roles in driving diversity in the IP legal field, visit harrity.com/diversity.

28 Oct

Elaine Spector on the 2018 AIPLA Annual Meeting and the Women in IP Law Breakfast

Harrity & Harrity

Articles, Diversity AIPLA, diversity, Elaine Spector

By Elaine Spector

The 2018 AIPLA Annual Meeting was held on October 25-27 in Washington, DC, and included the gathering of more than 2,000 diverse professionals in the field of intellectual property. In addition to the numerous networking opportunities and education sessions, committees within the AIPLA conducted their committee meetings.

Perhaps the most enjoyable of these committee meetings was the Women in IP Law Breakfast meeting. Despite being held on Friday morning of the conference at 6:45 AM, attendance was certainly impressive. The full buffet breakfast helped! But the breakfast is not the only reason we have seen such a surge in attendance. The leadership of the Women in IP committee is forward thinking and inclusive. What used to be a small breakfast, has turned out to be one of the most well attended sessions at the AIPLA, likely because of the programming and inclusiveness it provides. By the way, men are invited too!

During the meeting, we discussed numerous committee issues. But the one most dear to my heart is the AIPLA Women in IP Global Networking Event which I co-chair with Lucy Samuels. The Global Networking Event is scheduled for April 4, 2019, of which my firm, Harrity & Harrity, is a proud sponsor in Northern, Virginia. The Global Networking Event consists of a plurality of events held on the same day in various cities around the world. The hosts are responsible for choosing their type of event, sending out invitations to female AIPLA members in their area (the AIPLA provides a list), and of course inviting anyone else they would like. Each host event can include any activity the host would like such as a cocktail reception, dinner, guest speaker, or panel discussion etc. Each host is asked to join a brief teleconference call to connect and say hello to other hosts in different locations. It is a wonderful event, and I strongly encourage women IP professionals to attend, or host in your area.

Please contact me if you are interested in attending in Northern Virginia, or if you would like to host in another area.