Class Is in Session: IP Summer School Launches New Series
May 6, 2026
Ward and Smith is pleased to introduce IP Summer School, a free four-part intellectual property law webinar series running May through August, 2026. Each…
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25 Ward and Smith Attorneys Recognized as 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
February 18, 2026
Ward and Smith is pleased to announce that 25 of its attorneys were recognized in the 2026 North Carolina Super Lawyers and Rising Stars…
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Ward and Smith and Four Attorneys Recognized in World Trademark Review’s 2026 Edition of WTR1000
February 5, 2026
Ward and Smith, P.A., and four of its intellectual property attorneys have been recognized in the 2026 edition of World Trademark Review’s WTR1000: The…
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Erica Rogers Appointed to INTA’s Right of Publicity Committee for 2026–2027
December 10, 2025
Ward and Smith is proud to announce that Intellectual Property Attorney Erica Rogers has been appointed to the International Trademark Association (INTA) Right of…
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Ward and Smith Ranked by Best Law Firms® in 2026
November 6, 2025
Ward and Smith, P.A., has been recognized in the 2026 Edition of Best Law Firms®. The firm was ranked by Best Law Firms in 30 practice…
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68 Ward and Smith Attorneys Honored by Best Lawyers® for 2026
August 21, 2025
Ward and Smith is proud to share that 68 attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers in America®. Of those honored, 55 were named to…
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Media Mention: Ward and Smith Attorneys Featured in The Licensing Journal
July 10, 2025
Ward and Smith attorneys Gavin Parsons, Mayukh Sircar, CIPP/US, and Devon Williams are featured in the June 2025 issue of The Licensing Journal for their…
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Four Ward and Smith Attorneys Named 2025 IP Stars by Managing IP
June 9, 2025
Ward and Smith is proud to announce that four of our attorneys have been named 2025 IP Stars by Managing IP, a prestigious recognition…
article
Preventing Trade Secret Theft: Proactive Strategies for In-House Counsel
May 6, 2025
Ed. Note: This is the last in a series of articles taken from Gavin Parsons’ CLE presentation for the North Carolina Bar Association’s Antitrust…
article
First-to-File: A Game-Changer in US Patent Law
March 25, 2025
The shift in patent law from First-to-Invent to First-to-File came about over a decade ago, but still leaves many inventors scratching their heads. Is…
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25 Ward and Smith Attorneys Shine in 2025 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
February 18, 2025
Ward and Smith is thrilled to announce that 25 of its attorneys have earned spots on the prestigious North Carolina Super Lawyers and North…
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Ward and Smith Attorneys Earn Top Honors in 2025 World Trademark Review 1000
February 5, 2025
Ward and Smith and four of its attorneys have once again earned national recognition for excellence in intellectual property law, earning spots in the 2025…
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4 Ward and Smith Attorneys Recognized as 2024 IP Stars by Managing IP
June 19, 2024
Ward and Smith is proud to announce that several of our attorneys have been named 2024 IP Stars by Managing IP! This prestigious recognition covers…
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Ward and Smith and Attorneys Shine in 2024 Chambers USA Rankings
June 6, 2024
Ward and Smith is pleased to announce that several of its practice areas and attorneys have been recognized in the 2024 Chambers USA…
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Ward and Smith and Attorneys Recognized in WTR 1000 2024
March 1, 2024
Ward and Smith and four of its attorneys have been recognized by World Trademark Review 1000 (WTR 1000)—the world’s leading guide to trademark professionals and…
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Ward and Smith Ranked in 2024 “Best Law Firms”
November 2, 2023
Ward and Smith has been ranked in the Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list regionally in 27 practice areas. Firms included in the 2024 “Best Law Firms”…
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3 Ward and Smith Attorneys Get ‘Star’ Status: Recognized as 2023 IP Leaders by Managing IP
June 13, 2023
Three Ward and Smith attorneys have earned a place among the elite in the world of intellectual property. Managing IP has selected Angela Doughty, Joe…
article
Trademark Infringement is No Joke!: Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC
June 8, 2023
Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Jack Daniel’s in a dispute over a humorous squeaky dog toy called “Bad Spaniels.” The…
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Ward and Smith and Attorneys Flourish in 2023 Chambers USA Rankings
June 5, 2023
Chambers USA, the esteemed benchmark for legal excellence, is honoring Ward and Smith and several attorneys in its 2023 annual guide. The firm earned rankings…
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Pushing the Boundaries: Ward and Smith’s Most Popular Articles of 2022
December 30, 2022
2022 was an amazing year of enriching content from the Ward and Smith team! Our attorney-authored articles on trending topics were read far and…
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Ward and Smith Celebrated in 2023 Edition of Best Law Firms
November 3, 2022
Ward and Smith shines bright in the 2023 edition of “Best Law Firms.” U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® released their annual rankings that recognize…
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2 Ward and Smith Attorneys Named 2022 “IP Stars”
June 7, 2022
Managing IP is recognizing two Ward and Smith attorneys as top intellectual property practitioners. Angela Doughty and Ryan Simmons were ranked in the 2022 edition…
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Ward and Smith and Attorneys Shine in the 2022 Edition of Chambers USA
June 2, 2022
Chambers USA, a leading guide to legal rankings, recognizes Ward and Smith and several of the firm’s attorneys as among the top in North…
article
It’s About Time: Federal Court Addresses Delta-8
May 26, 2022
Delta 8 tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”), an intoxicating form of THC often derived from hemp-derived cannabidiol (aka “CBD”), has been at the center of numerous hot…
article
Not So Fast: Limits of “Settlement Negotiation” Protections
May 6, 2022
Understanding How and Why “Settlement Negotiations” May Be Used Against You To promote honest and open discussions in resolving disputes, courts have adopted rules…
article
The Fun and Whimsical (but Crowded) Landscape of Beer Names Part 2
March 4, 2022
Ed. Note: This is Part 2 of 2 What’s in a name? Beer names can be funny, creative, and whimsical. But with the growing…
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Ward and Smith and 2 Attorneys Ranked in the 2022 Edition of the WTR 1000
February 28, 2022
World Trademark Review (WTR), the world’s leading guide to trademark professionals, has recognized Ward and Smith and two of its attorneys. The firm, Angela Doughty, and Joe…
article
The Fun and Whimsical (but Crowded) Landscape of Beer Names Part 1
February 25, 2022
In addition to all its natural beauty and opportunities for outdoor recreation, Western North Carolina has more lately become known for its abundance of…
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7 Ward and Smith Attorneys Recognized as “Ones to Watch” by Best Lawyers®
September 9, 2021
Best Lawyers® has named seven Ward and Smith attorneys as “Ones to Watch” in its 2022 edition of Best Lawyers in America®. This honor…
article
Website Compliance: Key Costly Legal Risks Every Business Should Consider
May 28, 2021
A recent statistic posted by Sweor states that 75% of consumers admit to making judgments on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website…
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Ward and Smith and Attorneys Ranked in Chambers USA 2021
May 25, 2021
Chambers USA, an annual guide to America’s top law firms and lawyers, has recognized three Ward and Smith practice areas and two attorneys among…
article
Stay in Your Lane: Defining the Scope of an IPR Deposition
April 16, 2021
The regulations governing discovery in an inter partes review (“IPR”) proceeding do not provide for the same methods of discovery available in a patent…
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Don Eglinton Ranked as a “Top 100: NC Super Lawyer” for 2021
March 11, 2021
Super Lawyers has selected litigation attorney Don Eglinton for inclusion in its 2021 “Top 100: Super Lawyers” list for North Carolina. The publication has recognized Don…
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Erica Rogers to Participate in Triangle ArtWorks’ Quick Connect
March 2, 2021
Join intellectual property attorney Erica Rogers on March 6 for Triangle ArtWorks’ Quick Connect event. Nine other local experts in marketing, law, and small…
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World Trademark Review Ranks Ward and Smith and 2 Attorneys in 2021 Edition
March 1, 2021
The world’s leading guide to trademark professionals selected Ward and Smith and attorneys Angela Doughty and Joe Schouten for inclusion in its 2021 edition of the…
article
Young Practitioners Look at 2020 U.S. Supreme Court Trademark Decisions
February 3, 2021
U.S. trademark law saw numerous developments in 2020, including three decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court. Trademark cases seldom make it up to the…
article
Unintended Consequences of Copyright and Trademark Protection in Design
December 9, 2020
It is widely accepted that some designs may be entitled to both copyright protection (as original, creative expressions of an idea) and trademark protection…
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Ward and Smith Welcomes New Litigator Jordan Spanner
October 29, 2020
Ward and Smith is proud to welcome Jordan Spanner to the firm’s Litigation practice. She will be based in the Raleigh office. Jordan’s practice…
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41 Ward and Smith Attorneys Named to “Best Lawyers in America®” for 2021
August 20, 2020
Ward and Smith is proud to announce that nearly half of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by one of the most respected and trusted…
article
Brexit, Schmexit: How Resilient is Your Trademark Portfolio and Enforcement Strategy?
June 5, 2020
On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) withdrew from the European Union (EU). From February 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, the UK…
article
Further Extensions of USPTO Deadlines Under the CARES Act
April 30, 2020
This article continues the discussion in our earlier article about thirty-day extension eligibility for deadlines with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The U.S.…
article
Business Law Lessons from the Tiger King
April 29, 2020
[Spoiler alert – This article discusses events documented in the Netflix series and is based on the content of the shows.] In this time…
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Ward and Smith and Attorneys Ranked in Chambers USA 2020
April 23, 2020
Chambers USA, an annual guide ranking top law firms and lawyers, has recognized two Ward and Smith practice areas and two attorneys as…
article
Challenges of New Hemp Brands
February 5, 2020
Trademarks include the elements that constitute a “brand.” Trademarks typically consist of words, phrases, symbols, designs, or any combination of those things, identifying and…
article
Dot-Com Hits the Supreme Court
November 13, 2019
Breaking News! What happened? The United States Supreme Court recently announced that it has granted certiorari in United States Patent and Trademark Office v.…
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Angela Doughty Invited to Speak at Springboard Conference
October 11, 2018
“Are you ready?” It’s a simple question that has big implications, especially in the technology world. It’s no secret that hi-tech and intelligent systems…
article
Trademarks and Community Associations: Maintaining Your Community’s Brand
October 5, 2018
Your community association (“Association”) probably invests substantial resources in protecting and maintaining its green spaces, facilities, and other common elements. But what about its…
article
Tranquil Beaches and Simple Trademarks … and the Dangers Swirling Below
August 10, 2018
Trademark clearance and registration—sounds like an additional legal expense, right? Unfortunately, this potential cost is the reason many individuals and businesses forgo the trademark…
article
USPTO Issues New Patent Eligibility Guidance in Berkheimer Memorandum
June 15, 2018
After the United States Supreme Court’s 2014 decision in Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank Int’l, many inventors and patent practitioners were left…
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Three Ward and Smith Attorneys Recognized as “Global IP Stars”
May 21, 2018
Managing Intellectual Property Magazine, one of the world’s foremost IP publications, is recognizing three Ward and Smith attorneys as leading IP professionals. Attorneys…
article
Wake Up and Smell the . . . PLAY-DOH®?
March 23, 2018
It has been about a year since the toy company, Hasbro, Inc. (“Hasbro”), filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) to…
article
Protecting Important Assets of your Growing Business: The Value of Non-Compete Agreements and Trade Secret Protection
March 21, 2018
You have a great idea for a product or service and dream of putting that idea to work by starting a business. Once your…
article
Intangible Risky Business
July 28, 2017
The national, and many times global, reach of most businesses, regardless of size and physical location, continues to drive the ever increasing importance and…
article
Additional Guidance for Post-Alice Prosecution
December 15, 2016
The Latest Memorandum from USPTO on Subject Matter Eligibility Provides Additional Guidance for Post-Alice Prosecution On November 2, 2016, the United States Patent and…
