Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) magazine has selected two Ward and Smith attorneys for inclusion in its 2020/21 Edition of "IP Stars." It's a specialist guide to leading IP firms and practitioners worldwide.

The publication named Angela Doughty a "Trade Mark Star" and recognized Erica Rogers as a "Rising Star" for their outstanding work as IP practitioners.  

The "IP Stars" is an exclusive rankings publication that covers contentious and non-contentious IP work in more than 80 jurisdictions. Inclusion is based on merit and endorsements by peers and clients. For more information on the methodology, click here.

Angela is a North Carolina State Bar Board Specialist in Trademark Law and a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) who also serves as the firm's Director of Legal Innovation. In her IP practice, Angela routinely counsels and assists clients with identifying, protecting, enforcing, and managing their U.S. and international IP rights; trademark and service mark selection, clearance, and registration; opposition and cancellation proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; Internet and domain law issues; software development and licensing transactions; and negotiating the acquisition, licensing, and transfer of intellectual property rights. She has extensive experience with strategic planning and management of IP portfolios, including IP audits to assist clients with the identification of intellectual property assets and the related risks and opportunities.

Erica assists individuals, small businesses, and large corporations with a wide array of intellectual property matters.  Her practice focuses on trademark selection and clearance, trademark prosecution and registration, and trademark portfolio management.  She also routinely engages in resolving trademark disputes, including drafting cease and desist letters, negotiating coexistence agreements, providing subject matter expertise for litigation in federal court, and handling cases before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB).  Erica assists with copyright matters, often in the form of counseling clients on ownership, acquisition, protection, and enforcement.