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The engineer-to-IP track is a well-established one in law. And that is the only part of Scott Hackwelder’s trajectory that might be considered traditional in some respects. The current AGC at Cummins spent nine years in engineering before deciding to go to law school, but it’s everything that happened after, that sets him apart from so many in his field.
Since coming to Cummins in 2010, Hackwelder has engaged in legal support for his organization that goes far beyond an IP portfolio. Since 2010, the attorney stepped into increasingly generalist roles that have required Hackwelder to continue to evolve and expand his purview.
“I’ve been able to do a number of things at Cummins that I really didn’t expect when I came to the organization,” the AGC explains. “I figured that I really might just be writing patents for the bulk of my career, but I had the opportunity to step out after a couple of years, and it’s just kept expanding from there.”
But first there was the engineering.
Hackwelder, through helpful mentors, says he entered engineering first as a summer intern, then as a full-time professional. He worked from junior-level to senior-level jobs, earning more responsibility, managing projects, and, again, assuming his path was set in stone.
But when Hackwelder continued to think back on a woman he reported to when he was just an intern, an engineering mentor who had also earned her law degree and practiced in a way that really seemed to set her apart in her role.
“She was incredibly influential in helping me in terms of analysis and in my writing,” the AGC recalls. “I also saw that she had a lot of influence in the organization and was able to provide a lot of value. She was the first person to show me that pursuing law was an option.”
Then there was Hackwelder himself. People around him noticed just how much he considered “typically legal” matters, like risk. Hackwelder always seemed to raise questions that provided a wider context to the issue at hand, and through a lens that would be aided by a sounder understanding in the law and contracts.
When Hackwelder decided to go to law school, he went all in.
“When I got my master’s, I did it part-time at night over a period of years,” the AGC explains. “That was a different kind of experience. When I decided on law school, I wanted to be fully committed and to treat law school like I would any other job. I was fully committed to making it a successful transition.”
Hackwelder’s law school experience was so successful (he served as editor-in-chief for the Syracuse Law Review, among several other designations), that he was able to land a role at firm Jones Day. This is where Hackwelder would unknowingly arm himself as an IP lawyer capable of succeeding outside his designated practice area.
The attorney got experience in litigation, prosecution, and transactional work, along with more traditional IP matters. Hackwelder says that his practice was always grounded in commercial transactions, and while that was initially grounded in licensing and tech, it also included a good balance of supply, sales, and alliance agreements. When an in-house opportunity presented itself, the “firm-to-in-house-contributor” learning curve didn’t feel so severe.
That isn’t necessarily the key to Hackwelder’s in-house success, but it is a strong contributor. The AGC also credits his own organization for giving him the latitude to grow into roles, to get himself established, and to thrive.
“One of the reasons I’ve stayed at Cummins so long has to do with the scope of our enterprise, doing business in as many countries as we do,” Hackwelder explains. “That also means interacting with different leaders and employees through all of those opportunities. It’s been a wonderful way to learn and continue to grow.”
The AGC’s transactional chops have been kept busy, having supported each of Cummins’ business segments with their own paths to market and key relationships with customers, suppliers, and joint venture partners.
Whether you’re a current IP attorney, engineer, or curious law student, Hackwelder hopes those more junior in their journeys will keep themselves open to opportunity.
“Our career paths are not always linear; in fact, usually they’re not,” the lawyer says. “Breadth of experience is critical if you ever want to step into a legal leadership role. Don’t foreclose on opportunities to grow, whatever they might be.”
Hackwelder also stresses the importance of mentorship and sponsorship. He expresses great appreciation for those at Cummins who have continued to allow him to develop his skill set and widen his scope.
The lawyer is also deeply appreciative of his wife and two children, who take up most of Hackwelder’s time outside of work. Hackwelder says the balance he’s been able to attain with work and being there for his family is another great contributor to his long-time tenure at Cummins.
Fasken (Canada):
“As external counsel to Cummins, we have worked with Scott on numerous matters in his role as Senior Deputy General Counsel. He has outstanding legal ability with sound business sense attuned to his company’s objectives and values.”
–Michael Parrish, Partner
“Scott’s ability to navigate complex legal challenges with calm precision is remarkable. He is strategic, insightful, and committed to protecting Cummins’ interests while fostering strong relationships that drive long-term success for the company.”
–Phillip M. Goldberg, Partner
