John Harrity Shares His Personal Caregiving Journey in Washington Lawyer

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In the January/February 2026 issue of Washington Lawyer – DC Bar, John Harrity, co-managing partner at Harrity & Harrity LLP, opens up about his experience as a full-time caregiver while maintaining his responsibilities as a law firm leader. The article, “The Hidden Burden of Attorney Caregivers,” explores the emotional and logistical complexities faced by legal professionals who provide care for aging or terminally ill family members.

John recounts caring for his mother after she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Like many caregivers, he juggled a full work schedule, intense emotional demands, and end-of-life care — often working from his mothers bedside in the home office he converted into a bedroom for her during the pandemic. His story is a powerful reminder that even in high-pressure professions like law, empathy and flexibility are essential.

“It probably would have been different if I was an associate at a law firm where I had a billing requirement,” Harrity says. “If I were, I would hope that the law firm would accommodate me in a situation where I would be taking care of my mother at her end of life. But at my firm, we have such a great environment. When you hire correctly, you can hand off critical things with full confidence if you’re going through something like caregiving.”

“If I was not able to work remotely, it would have been exponentially worse,” Harrity adds.

The article sheds light on the broader issue of caregiver burnout within the legal community. With 7 in 10 caregivers balancing paid employment and care duties, and over 60% being women, the caregiving burden is deeply felt but seldom spoken about.

John’s experience underscores the importance of workplace flexibility, supportive teams, and destigmatizing conversations about caregiving in law. His openness reflects Harrity & Harrity’s commitment to empathy, balance, and resilience, values that are core to both its culture and its leadership.

Read the full article in Washington Lawyer (DC Bar) here.

The Changing Patent Workforce: Fewer Attorneys, More Agents, Evolving Demand

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The patent profession is experiencing a notable shift. According to recent reporting by Law360, the number of new registrations to practice before the USPTO has dropped significantly since its 2002 peak. While registrations have recovered somewhat—1,003 in 2024, up from a low of 613 in 2022—data suggests the profession is evolving, not expanding.

LaTia Kimmel Brand, patent data analyst at Harrity & Harrity LLP, played a critical role in streamlining this data from the USPTO’s Office of Enrollment and Discipline for analysis. The findings show a clear trend: since 2020, more patent agents than attorneys have been entering the field.

John Harrity, Co-Founding Partner of Harrity & Harrity, questions whether this trend reflects a talent crisis or simply a shift in demand. His firm, which contributed to ADAPT.legal’s analysis, is seeing only modest demand for new hires despite the lower number of entrants. “I’m just not seeing a ton of firms saying, ‘We need, we need, we need,’” he told Law360. He also pointed out that even through the firm’s Patent Pathways® program, aimed at expanding the pipeline in patent law, “there aren’t a ton of people lined up to hire the people that we want to bring into the field.”

Looking ahead, John believes AI may be the more transformative force. “AI is helping significantly reduce the amount of time it takes for Harrity’s firm to prepare patent applications,” he said. But how this will impact the workforce is still an open question: “If [clients] continue to file just the same quantity, we need less bodies in the field. If they file twice as many, we’ll need more bodies in the field.”

The profession may be aging, but it’s also adapting—with patent agents and AI poised to play bigger roles in shaping its future.

Read the full article at Law360.

Want to join the future of patent law? Apply to our openings today at www.harrityllp.com/careers.

Hiring in the Era of AI

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AI Is Not Optional—It’s Our Foundation

At Harrity & Harrity, we’re not waiting for the legal industry to catch up—we’re building the model for what’s next.

In a recent interview with Managing IP,  John Harrity shared how our firm is embedding AI into every layer of patent preparation and prosecution. From proprietary tools like Patent Draftr, which has reduced patent drafting turnarounds from around 40 hours to fewer than 10, to a hiring strategy built around adaptability and innovation, we’re setting a new standard.

John explained the significance of this transformation and what it means for hiring decisions: “If you have any hesitation as an attorney or agent about using AI, we are not for you. If you’re against change in any way, this is definitely not the place for you.”

We see the attorney’s role shifting—from drafter to strategist, from doer to decision-maker. “Attorneys will be spot checkers, making sure that AI stays on the rails,” he said. And we believe that even this role will continue to evolve.

We’re not just using AI, we’re transforming because of it. If you’re ready to practice patent law in a way that’s client-focused, future-ready, and built for speed, precision, and innovation, we want to hear from you.

Apply now at www.harrityllp.com/careers. Read the full article from Managing IP here.