Former SharkNinja IP Executive William Lacy Brings Corporate Strategy to Private Practice at Lando & Anastasi
William Lacy's transition from leading global IP strategy at SharkNinja to private practice at Lando & Anastasi offers valuable insights into building effective intellectual property programs for rapidly scaling companies in competitive markets.
William B. Lacy, Ph.D., former Vice President and Senior Associate General Counsel for Global IP at SharkNinja, has joined boutique intellectual property firm Lando & Anastasi, bringing decades of corporate IP leadership experience to private practice. Lacy's move comes after helping guide SharkNinja through exponential growth of more than 150% and dual IPOs on the Hong Kong and New York stock exchanges, where he developed sophisticated IP strategies for navigating highly competitive consumer product markets.
During his tenure at SharkNinja, Lacy implemented strategic initiatives that transformed the company's IP operations. He created standardized IP playbooks serving as both corporate training materials and onboarding resources, while strategically selecting and calibrating relationships with outside law firms to ensure appropriate technological expertise and value. These efforts resulted in a reduced slate of firms and associated costs despite the company's global expansion into new markets worldwide.
Lacy emphasized the importance of investing in the right IP tools for efficient business decision-making, including optimizing docketing procedures and software, implementing freedom-to-operate management systems, and streamlining invention disclosure intake processes. He developed frameworks for identifying emerging products and assessing their strategic importance to the business while weighing potential IP risks and associated costs.
The experienced IP attorney recommends several strategies for companies looking to enhance their competitive advantage in crowded markets. "A great way for a company to protect their innovations is to 'war-game' their own IP," Lacy explained, particularly for products fundamental to the business. This includes trying to design around issued or filed claims as competitors might do to assess portfolio strength and identify gaps needing additional patent protection.
Lacy also advocates for hosting "innovation days" where cross-functional product teams critique each other's products and think outside the box. "These types of practices can be very beneficial and can even identify new products, new features for existing products, or fixes to consumer complaints," he noted, contributing to an exciting and enterprising company culture.
With technical expertise in chemical, biotech, and analytical methodology technologies, plus extensive cross-industry experience in consumer products spanning golf equipment and appliances, Lacy brings valuable perspective to clients navigating international filing and portfolio management. His experience includes complex proceedings at the International Trade Commission and successful utilization of Inter Partes Review as an effective defense mechanism.
For companies scaling quickly, Lacy advises putting the right IP team in place both internally and with outside counsel, implementing communication protocols, coordinating with stakeholders from C-Suite to R&D, and being honest about current IP abilities. "Don't overlook design patents in your strategy—they are relatively inexpensive, quick to obtain, and can have surprisingly strong value in your overall portfolio," he emphasized.
Lacy's transition back to private practice after years in corporate leadership roles has provided fresh perspective on the challenges facing growing companies. His combination of business mindset, legal analysis, and strategic thinking positions him to help clients build efficient IP processes and strong portfolios that support business objectives in competitive global markets.