Ray Farrell is a seasoned intellectual property attorney, business mentor, and angel investor with decades of experience helping organizations—from early-stage startups to global corporations—optimize their innovation strategies. As a founding partner of a leading intellectual property law firm, he brings deep expertise in advising on patent and trademark portfolios, licensing, regulatory risk, and scaling intellectual property to drive business value.

Ray also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Workforce Advancement (IWA), a nonprofit focused on advanced manufacturing workforce development. Under his leadership, IWA partners with industry, government, and educational institutions to design training programs for in-demand technical fields, help workers in transition, and create pathways for students—especially those from underserved or low-income communities—to gain the skills required by sectors like aerospace, pharmaceuticals, energy, and trades.

In addition, Ray is a mentor with Mentors + Angels, a startup accelerator and mentorship program designed to address the funding gap for women, minorities, and other overlooked groups who receive disproportionately less investment capital. In this role, he works directly with early-stage founders to refine business models, strengthen go-to-market strategies, and avoid common legal and IP pitfalls. Ray leverages both his legal expertise and his network of contacts to help these underrepresented founders sharpen operations, scale more efficiently, and position themselves for sustainable growth.

But to Carson’s Cookie Dough, Ray is more than a strategist or advisor—he is family. As Kelly’s uncle, he has been part of the journey from the very beginning. From big-picture planning to day-to-day decision-making, his steady guidance, legal insight, and strong network have helped shape the direction and growth of both Carson’s Cookie Dough and Just a Taste of NJ. Even with the demands of his legal practice and other leadership roles, Ray always makes himself available to lend a thoughtful ear, provide sound advice, and help Kelly navigate each critical step forward.