In honor of the 2025 International Women’s Day theme, “For ALL Women and Girls — Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” McCoy Russell remains committed to expanding access to opportunities within the intellectual property (IP) system through education and advocacy. The firm actively volunteers at events that provide IP legal resources to women business owners as well as events which foster connections among women in IP law and technology, strengthening collective efforts toward greater community support.
Women’s Day is a great time to celebrate pioneering women in innovation. Innovation comes from all fields and sometimes is not recognized. We hope these quick notes encourage you to go explore more about about these amazing women and find your own innovations:
Alice H. Parker revolutionized home heating by patenting a central heating system that utilized natural gas, laying the foundation for modern HVAC technology.
Stephanie Kwolek’s groundbreaking discovery of Kevlar stemmed from her “happy coincidence” in polymer research at DuPont company, leading to the creation of the super fiber now used in countless applications.
Ann Tsukamoto’s advancements in stem cell research in the early 1990s resulted in 13 patents including a method of isolating stem cells, contributing to life-saving medical treatments.
Ruth Graves Wakefield, co-owner of the Toll House Inn, sold her iconic chocolate chip cookie recipe to Nestlé for supposedly $1, securing a consulting role for the company in the 1930s and a lifetime supply of chocolate in the process.
