Two Daughters Take Over Their Fathers' IP Firm: Maja Modigh on the Generational Transition at Hansson Thyresson, Leading as an Engineer in IP Law, and Preserving Culture While Modernizing
Maja Modigh is the CEO of Hansson Thyresson AB, a full-service intellectual property law firm founded 30 years ago in Malmö, Sweden, by her father Anders Hansson (electronics engineer and patent attorney) and Lars Thyresson (attorney at law). About a year ago, Maja and Elsa Thyresson took over the firm from their fathers in a generational transition that mirrors the founding partnership: an engineer (Maja following Anders) and a lawyer (Elsa following Lars).
Maja is a civil engineer (M.Sc. Environmental) who became CEO in September 2022 after working at the firm since 2018 in HR and Finance and as Vice President. She works with strategy, HR, finance, and all internal projects at Hansson Thyresson, which specializes in patents, trademarks, and design protection across mechanics, electrical engineering, IT, telecom, and medical technology. The firm handles patent and trademark prosecution, litigation, licensing agreements, competition law, and advises clients on optimal IP protection strategies for both Swedish and international matters.
Before joining Hansson Thyresson, Maja worked as a management consultant, project manager, and development engineer. She served as chairman of Samhällsbyggarna and on the national board of Lean Forum Bygg. She's known for being "very extroverted, fairly fearless, and wanting things to move fast," qualities she says balance perfectly with Elsa's meticulous, wise, structured, and calm approach. "I often joke that Elsa is much better than me at thinking before she speaks... All qualities I completely lack," Maja laughs.
When announcing her appointment as CEO, Maja emphasized preserving Hansson Thyresson's history as "a good employer with happy employees, low staff rotation and much generosity" while also modernizing the firm. "It is obvious to me that everything starts there," she said. "Passionate and engaged colleagues who deliver high-level services ensures that our customers remain satisfied." Her vision is to ensure that every company understands and secures their intellectual properties.
Hansson Thyresson was founded with a focus on replacing the traditional approach in IP law with one that creates room for personal meetings and genuine commitment to clients throughout the entire process. The firm is a member of the Association of Patent Law Firms in Sweden and serves clients ranging from innovative startups to established companies like Hörby Bruk, who praise the firm's "proactive approach" and "open dialogue that gives a secure feeling."
Elsa Thyresson, Maja's co-owner and partner in the generational transition, is an attorney at law. The decision for both daughters to take over together was "very natural," according to Maja. "Our fathers built the company in a way that reflected their vision – combining their expertise with a strong sense of care for the client – and we saw the strength in preserving that balance. If only one of us had led or taken over, we would have lost part of the dynamic that made the firm successful."
The ownership transfer was structured with help from skilled advisors including accountants and lawyers, particularly important since both Maja and Elsa have siblings not involved in the family business. Their fathers had considered external management and even a sale, but realized that a generational shift would best preserve the understanding of culture, values, and long-term perspective. "They both seemed genuinely happy when we announced that we wanted to take on the responsibility," Maja shares.
In her free time, Maja enjoys working out, spending time with family and friends, and taking her SUP board out on the sea with a glass of white wine during quiet sunsets.
In this Q&A, Maja shares her journey taking over a 30-year-old IP law firm with her co-owner Elsa, why she sees it as a strength to lead a patent firm as an engineer rather than an attorney, and her advice for women stepping into family businesses about when to honor legacy versus when to disrupt it ("Sons and daughters don't go through a generational shift just to maintain the status quo").
Taking Over Hansson Thyresson from Your Fathers - Two Daughters, Two Founders, One Generational Transition
About a year ago, you and Elsa Thyresson took over Hansson Thyresson AB from your fathers - Anders Hansson (electronics engineer and patent attorney) and Lars Thyresson (attorney at law) - who founded the firm 30 years ago in Malmö. Maja, you're a civil engineer (M.Sc. Environmental) who became CEO in September 2022 after working at the firm since 2018 in HR and Finance and as Vice President. You previously worked as a management consultant, project manager, and development engineer, and served as chairman of Samhällsbyggarna and on the national board of Lean Forum Bygg. Elsa is an attorney at law and acting Head of Legal at the firm. The generational transition mirrors your fathers' founding partnership - an engineer (Maja following Anders) and a lawyer (Elsa following Lars). For female founders navigating succession planning or considering family business transitions, what prompted the decision for both daughters to take over rather than one of you leading alone or bringing in outside leadership? How did you and Elsa structure the ownership and decision-making to avoid the typical family business conflicts, and what advice would you give women about co-owning businesses with family members - especially when you're stepping into roles your parents built?
It was actually a very natural decision for both of us to take over together. Our fathers built the company in a way that reflected their vision – combining their expertise with a strong sense of care for the client – and we saw the strength in preserving that balance. If only one of us had led or taken over, we would have lost part of the dynamic that made the firm successful. Our fathers considered external management and even a sale, but realized that a generational shift would best preserve the understanding of culture, values, and long-term perspective. And, not least, it would be appreciated by the employees. They both seemed genuinely happy when we announced that we wanted to take on the responsibility.
When it comes to ownership and decision-making, I would love to say that the key was structuring everything clearly from the start… setting up defined roles, responsibilities, and documenting how major decisions would be made. But… that’s not quite how it happened. The truth is that I, Maja, quickly moved closer to management issues based on the role I took in the company and worked closely with Elsa’s father Lars, who was then CEO. I also brought more work experience and am a more extroverted person. Meanwhile, Elsa focused on deepening her legal expertise and becoming a senior advisor and specialist – which naturally meant less involvement in management and strategic decisions for the company at that time. We are very different as individuals, and it was quite clear to us how the roles should look. But transparency and communication have been crucial – we have regular check-ins where we are equally involved. Today, Elsa is on the board and actively engaged in strategic decisions, and that has evolved naturally over time.
Maja: I often joke that Elsa is much better than me at thinking before she speaks – she’s meticulous, truly wise, structured, and calm. All qualities I completely lack 😊 On the other hand, I’m very extroverted, fairly fearless, and want things to move fast. I think we complement each other really well!
As for the actual ownership transfer, it was done with the help of skilled advisors such as our accountant and lawyer. It was important that everything was correct and fair, especially since both Elsa and I have siblings who are not involved in the family business.
My advice to women stepping into family businesses:
- If you can, set the structure early – ownership agreements, decision-making processes, and exit scenarios – and use external advisors with experience!
- Don’t have unnecessary respect for what other employees might think of you. But work hard! You should absolutely show why you’ve been given the opportunity and what your strengths are. You need to earn the respect of the employees, which is essential for being a valued leader.
- See the strength in differences – diverse skills are an asset, not a threat.
- And finally: dare to take space. Sons and daughters don’t go through a generational shift just to maintain the status quo, but to preserve what’s good while focusing on developing and building version 2.0 of the business.
Leading as an Engineer in an IP Law Firm - Strategy, HR, Finance, and Internal Projects Without a Legal Background
As CEO, you work with strategy, HR, finance, and all internal projects at Hansson Thyresson - a full-service IP firm specializing in patents, trademarks, design protection across mechanics, electrical engineering, IT, telecom, and medical technology. The firm handles patent and trademark prosecution, litigation, licensing agreements, competition law, and advises clients on optimal IP protection strategies. Your vision is to ensure every company understands and secures their intellectual properties. For female founders building professional services firms or taking leadership roles in technical fields outside their direct expertise, how do you lead a law firm as an engineer rather than an attorney? What challenges did you face establishing credibility with IP attorneys, patent consultants, and legal clients when you don't have a legal background, and how did your engineering training actually give you advantages in running an IP firm that focuses on patents and technical innovation? What's your advice for women stepping into CEO roles in industries where they're not the typical profile?
A patent firm is often run by both engineers and lawyers, so it’s not unusual that I’m an engineer. I’m also not a trained patent engineer, but a different kind of engineer — and that’s exactly what allows me to thrive in this role. My focus is on finance, strategy, and sales: setting the direction, building sustainable teams, and making it easy for our specialists to excel in their roles. As CEO, I see it as a strength not to be a specialist myself; it means I have to trust my colleagues’ expertise and give them significant responsibility. That’s something our team truly appreciates — clear goals, accountability, and the freedom to deliver quality together.
Should women think or act differently as leaders?
I don’t believe women should spend excessive energy on the fact that they are women or on trying to act differently from men. What truly matters – regardless of gender – is being confident in yourself, delivering results, and providing clear direction. Personally, I rarely reflect on being a woman in a leadership position. My experience is that if you just get on with it, focusing on the task and quality, people adapt and start relating to you based on your competence and leadership, not your gender.
As a CEO, I also see value in not being a specialist in every area. It means I consciously rely on my team’s expertise, give them significant responsibility, and build trust. That combination – self-confidence, clarity, and trust in the team – creates respect and results. For me, leadership is about setting a clear direction, ensuring resources, and then letting the specialists shine. When people have responsibility and freedom within clear frameworks, the best happens: they deliver at a high level, feel good, and drive the business forward.
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