What happens when influencers become entrepreneurs and suddenly find themselves navigating intellectual property law?
That's the question intellectual property attorney Erica Rogers helped tackle during Alt Legal's 2025 I ♡ Trademarks Conference, where she served as the moderator for the event's Influencer Marketing Panel. The discussion centered on the legal issues that creators face as they establish personal brands and businesses in the digital age.
Following the conference, Erica was featured in Net Influencer's article, "Experts Bring Legal Issues to Light as Creator Economy Grows," which explores key takeaways from the panel and expands on Erica's insights.
As a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Trademark Law and leader of the firm's Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Practice Group, Erica shared key legal insights tailored for content creators, influencers, and digital business owners growing their personal brands. In her interview with reporter Cecilia Carloni, Erica breaks down the importance of protecting NIL rights:
“Someone’s Name, Image, or Likeness (NIL) has value. You can license your NIL rights and make money off of who you are as an individual because there’s commercial value to your name, nickname, jersey number, or image of you, for example.”
She also urges creators to be careful about what they sign:
“Take time to review contracts before you sign them and ensure that things are in writing.”
Erica's own background in the arts shapes her work with clients in creative industries:
“I wanted to be around people who are creating new things and wanting to protect them.”
