Angela Doughty Reappointed as Chair of Trademark Law Specialty Committee

Ward and Smith is pleased to announce that Attorney Angela Doughty has been reappointed as Chair of the Trademark Law Specialty Committee of the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Her new three-year term will extend through January 2029.

As Chair, Angela will continue leading the committee in its essential work supporting North Carolina’s legal specialization program. The Trademark Law Specialty Committee plays a critical role in evaluating applicants for initial certification and recertification, reviewing and updating examination modules, grading examinations, and recruiting qualified applicants. Through this work, the committee helps ensure that attorneys who earn board certification in trademark law have demonstrated the knowledge, skill, and proficiency necessary to uphold the integrity and value of the credential.

Specialty committees are integral to maintaining the rigor and credibility of the certification process. In evaluating applicants and formulating examinations, committee members carry the practical responsibility of ensuring that certified specialists meet high standards of professional competence.

Angela’s continued leadership reflects her deep experience in trademark law and her commitment to advancing excellence within the specialty. As a founding member of the Trademark Law Specialty Committee, Angela previously served on the committee from 2011 to 2017 and returned to serve again as Chair in 2023.

Ward and Smith congratulates Angela on her reappointment and appreciates her continued service to the legal profession in North Carolina.

About the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization

The North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization was established to create a method by which qualified North Carolina lawyers may become certified as specialists in designated areas of the law in order to promote increased competency among members of the bar by encouraging continuing legal education and adherence to elevated professional standards.

The Board currently certifies lawyers in 15 areas of law, including appellate practice, bankruptcy law, child welfare law, criminal law, elder law, employment law, estate planning and probate law, family law, immigration law, privacy and information security law, real property law, social security disability law, trademark law, utilities law, and workers’ compensation law.