Harness IP
Professional services
UnclaimedA United States intellectual property law firm serving clients in patent, trademark, copyright, and related IP matters.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Harness IP is a United States law firm focused exclusively on intellectual property. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the firm advises and represents clients on patents, trademarks and service marks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing, portfolio management, intellectual property transactions, due diligence, anti-counterfeiting, international rights, litigation, and proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Its work covers both the development and enforcement of intellectual property rights, including patent and trademark preparation and prosecution, disputes, and strategic management of portfolios. The firm traces its origins to 1921, when J. King Harness established the practice. Art Dickey and Hodgson Pierce joined as partners in 1925, and the firm subsequently became known for many years as Harness Dickey. Its early Detroit presence included an office in the General Motors Building. During the mid-1960s the practice moved to the Fisher Building, then relocated to Birmingham, Michigan, in 1973. In the early 1990s it moved to Troy, which remains its headquarters. Harness IP expanded beyond Michigan during the 2000s and 2010s. It opened an office in Clayton, Missouri, in 2000, followed by an office in Reston, Virginia, in 2001, and a Frisco, Texas, office in 2015. The firm describes its work as globally oriented, although its physical offices are located in the United States. In early 2020, the firm created its first chief executive position and appointed former principal Bill Coughlin to the role. In October 2021, it announced that it had adopted the Harness IP name, replacing Harness Dickey. The rebrand emphasized the firm's exclusive concentration on intellectual property rather than a change into a broader commercial law practice. The firm's reported industry experience includes agrifood technology, automotive and autonomous vehicles, biologics and biosimilars, chemistry and materials science, clean technology, consumer electronics and products, electrical and computer technologies, energy, image processing, manufacturing, mechanical and electromechanical systems, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, semiconductors, software, information technology, and telecommunications. External legal directories have recognized the firm for patent prosecution, enforcement, portfolio management, licensing, inter partes review, domain-name disputes, and IP transactions. Rankings and directory listings describe it as a specialist practice with capabilities spanning prosecution, counseling, transactions, and contentious proceedings.
History
Harness IP originated in 1921, when J. King Harness established an intellectual property law practice in Michigan. Art Dickey and Hodgson Pierce joined as partners in 1925. Their involvement contributed to the firm's long-standing Harness Dickey identity, which the practice used before adopting the Harness IP name in 2021. The firm's early office was located in Detroit's General Motors Building. As the practice developed, it moved to the Fisher Building in the mid-1960s. In 1973, the firm relocated to Birmingham, Michigan. In the early 1990s, it moved again, this time to Troy, Michigan, which became and remains its headquarters. Harness IP later developed a multi-office United States footprint. Its Clayton, Missouri, office opened in 2000, followed by Reston, Virginia, in 2001. In 2015, the firm opened a fourth office in Frisco, Texas. Although its offices are domestic, the firm states that it serves clients with international and global intellectual property needs. The practice has remained concentrated on intellectual property rather than operating as a full-service general law firm. Its legal work spans patent, trademark, and copyright preparation and prosecution, licensing, litigation, portfolio management, anti-counterfeiting, international rights, trade secrets, and intellectual property due diligence. Its industry coverage includes automotive and autonomous vehicles, agrifood technology, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, chemistry and materials, clean technology, electronics, energy, manufacturing, medical devices, semiconductors, software, telecommunications, and other technology-driven fields. An organizational change occurred in early 2020, when the firm created its first CEO position. Bill Coughlin, previously a firm principal, was appointed to the new role. In October 2021, the firm announced that it had adopted Harness IP as its new name. The change replaced Harness Dickey while preserving the firm's specialist identity and highlighting its focus on intellectual property. The firm has also received recognition from legal and patent-industry ranking organizations. Information associated with the firm reports substantial United States utility-patent and trademark-registration activity for clients in 2021. Chambers USA has included its Michigan and Missouri practices, describing capabilities in prosecution, enforcement, portfolio management, licensing, inter partes reviews, domain-name disputes, and transactional due diligence. In 2025, Juristat ranked the firm among the leading practices in Technology Center 3700. These recognitions provide external indications of the firm's activity in patent and broader IP practice, although they do not establish financial performance or ownership information.
- 2025
Juristat technology ranking
[1]Juristat ranked Harness IP as a top firm in Technology Center 3700.
- 2021
Harness Dickey becomes Harness IP
[1]The firm announced its adoption of the Harness IP name.
- 2020
First CEO position created
[1]Harness IP created its first CEO role and appointed Bill Coughlin.
- 2015
Frisco office opens
[1]The firm opened its fourth United States office in Frisco, Texas.
- 2001
Reston office opens
[1]The firm expanded to Reston, Virginia.
- 2000
Clayton office opens
[1]The firm opened an office in Clayton, Missouri.
- 1991
Move to Troy, Michigan
[1]The firm moved to its current headquarters in Troy during the early 1990s.
- 1973
Move to Birmingham, Michigan
[1]The practice relocated to Birmingham, Michigan.
- 1965
Move to the Fisher Building
[1]The firm moved from its early General Motors Building location to the Fisher Building during the mid-1960s.
- 1925
Art Dickey and Hodgson Pierce join as partners
[1]Art Dickey and Hodgson Pierce joined the practice as partners, contributing to its later Harness Dickey identity.
Products and positioning
A specialist intellectual property law firm combining prosecution, counseling, transactional, and contentious capabilities across technology-intensive industries.
Patent law
Patent services
Harness IP prepares and prosecutes patent applications and advises on patent rights across technology-intensive fields. Its patent practice also includes enforcement, portfolio strategy, international rights, and proceedings associated with patent disputes, including matters before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Trademark law
Trademark and service-mark services
The firm assists clients with trademark and service-mark protection, including prosecution, portfolio management, enforcement, and related disputes. Its broader IP offering also addresses anti-counterfeiting and domain-name matters.
Copyright law
Copyright services
Harness IP provides legal advice and representation concerning copyrights as part of its broader intellectual property practice. The available reference material does not specify particular copyright products, registration volumes, or proprietary platforms.
IP disputes
IP litigation and PTAB proceedings
The firm represents clients in intellectual property litigation and proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The practice is described as covering patent enforcement, inter partes reviews, domain-name disputes, and other contentious IP mandates.
IP transactions
IP transactions and due diligence
Harness IP advises on licensing, intellectual property transactions, and due diligence. These services support evaluation, acquisition, commercialization, and management of IP assets in corporate and technology transactions.
Brand decisions
2021
Adoption of the Harness IP nameStrategyBackground
The firm had operated for many years under the Harness Dickey name while maintaining an exclusive intellectual property focus.
Action taken
In October 2021, it announced the adoption of Harness IP as its new name.
Aftermath
The rebrand positioned the firm's name around its specialist IP practice. No financial effect was provided in the reference material.
2020
Creation of the first CEO roleStrategyBackground
The firm created a chief executive position for the first time as part of its organizational structure.
Action taken
Former firm principal Bill Coughlin was appointed CEO.
Aftermath
The reference material identifies the appointment but does not describe subsequent organizational or financial results.
Recent events
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