Tony N. Woolard, Connecticut Business and Patent Attorney
Founder of Harborage Law PLLC. Not your average lawyer, and that is by design.
Where my story begins
I grew up in the north end of Middletown, Connecticut, the eldest of three boys raised by a single mother. She often worked multiple jobs just to make ends meet, which meant a lot of unstructured time for us, and as a kid I did not always make the best choices. At the time, I did not see many paths forward for myself.
That began to change when I committed to my education. I discovered subjects that genuinely interested me, put in the work, and built a different future one step at a time. I have never forgotten where I came from or the challenges I faced along the way. Those experiences still drive me every single day.
The scientist years
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from Quinnipiac University, with minors in Microbiology/Biotechnology and Chemistry. From 2014 to 2017, I worked as a postgraduate researcher in Pulmonary and Critical Care at Yale School of Medicine, where I helped secure NIH funding and develop new protocols for mitochondrial DNA research, and served as a clinical observer in the intensive care unit at Yale's Smilow Cancer Hospital. That work contributed to publications in journals including Nature Medicine and the European Journal of Pharmacology, and I received the American Thoracic Society's Minority Trainee Development Scholarship.
Later, while practicing law, I completed my Master of Liberal Arts in Biology at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude in 2021. Science taught me discipline, precision, and humility in front of hard problems. I bring all three to every client matter.
Becoming a lawyer
My bridge from science to law was an internship in Yale's Office of Cooperative Research, where I saw for the first time how the law protects ideas. I earned my Juris Doctor from Roger Williams University School of Law in 2020 with a concentration in Intellectual Property Law, and in 2021 I was admitted to practice law in Connecticut and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The journey was not easy, but it was worthwhile. As a man of color, I often felt the need to work harder to prove myself in professional spaces where few people shared my background. There will always be people who doubt you. What matters is staying grounded in your purpose and keeping your goals in sight.
Before founding Harborage Law, I practiced intellectual property law at Feeney IP Law in Rhode Island, served as an associate attorney at Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey in New Haven, and spent three years as in-house IP counsel for Genus PLC, an international company, where I led licensing and IP work across borders and negotiated the kinds of complex commercial contracts most small businesses never get help with.
Why "Harborage"
After years in corporate law, I saw that small businesses and creators deserve the same high-quality legal strategy as the corporations they compete against. My passion is making law accessible, not transactional.
A harborage is a place of shelter and safety. That is what I built: a firm where entrepreneurs get dedicated guidance and real protection, with flat fees quoted before work begins and answers explained clearly and with care. When a business owner sits across from me worried about a contract they cannot afford to get wrong, I do not see a billable hour. I see my mother. I see every person who deserved someone in their corner. Because you do.
Giving back
I am passionate about showing inner-city youth that their circumstances do not define their potential. They can achieve more than they might believe is possible; I am living proof. I am also grateful to be part of the Salt and Still Collective, a community that supports business owners in both their work and their lives. Supporting and collaborating with other businesses makes this whole journey more special.
Recognitions I am grateful for
- In-House Impact Award Winner, New England Legal Awards, Connecticut Law Tribune / Law.com (2024)
- Top 40 Under 40, The National Black Lawyers (2022 to 2023)
- Top 100 Lawyers, Top 100 Magazine (2021)
- Certified Patent Valuation Analyst, International Intellectual Property Law Association (2024)
Each of these means something to me, not as trophies, but as reminders of the people who believed in me along the way, starting with my mother.
Education and admissions
- Harvard University, ALM in Biology, magna cum laude (2021)
- Roger Williams University School of Law, JD, Intellectual Property Law Concentration (2020)
- Quinnipiac University, BS in Biomedical Science (2014)
- Admitted to practice law in the State of Connecticut (2021)
- Admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (2021)
If you are where I once was
If you are building something with more heart than budget, I understand that in ways a resume cannot capture. Reach out. The consultation is free, and it would be my honor to help.
Attorney Tony N. Woolard is licensed to practice law in the State of Connecticut and is admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. State-law services are provided for Connecticut matters. Federal trademark and patent services are available to clients nationwide.