Attorney Erica Rogers has been appointed to the Advancement and Engagement Subcommittee of the North Carolina Bar Association's (NCBA) newly created Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee (SOGI).
The SOGI committee was established in 2021 and officially convened for the first time in January of this year. Its mission is to participate in and advocate for equality, diversity, inclusion, and respect for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the legal profession. The SOGI committee plans to accomplish this goal by offering educational programming and mentoring and networking opportunities. It will also serve the larger LGBTQ+ community through pro bono legal services and advocacy by opposing discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
"Never underestimate the importance of good mentoring in the legal profession," remarked Erica. "Had I not had an introduction to a fantastic mentor and member of the LGBTQ+ community relatively early in my legal career, I would not have had the confidence to be my authentic self in this career. It is a huge honor for me to serve on the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee for many reasons, but mostly, because I want to forever be a part of prioritizing mentorship opportunities and meaningful support for the LGBTQ+ members of the legal profession in our state."
Erica is an intellectual property attorney in Ward and Smith's Raleigh office. She 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. She resolves internet and domain law issues and develops terms of use and privacy policies for websites and mobile applications. She understands the personal, financial, and meaningful effort clients invest in their intellectual property, and her background and work reflect this understanding.
