ASHLEY N. CLOUD
Ashley N. Cloud has over 7 years of distinguished legal experience spanning private practice and government service, she has established herself as "Your Fashion Attorney®️." Her practice focuses on providing holistic legal services to new and emerging brands, including startup services, brand protection, and transactional support. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs across various industries, Ashley brings a unique understanding of both the legal and business challenges facing creative entrepreneurs. Her innovative approach has helped clients transform their business dreams into reality, successfully register numerous trademarks, negotiate multi-million-dollar deals, and save millions through strategic advocacy. As a leader in fashion law and business development, she combines her legal expertise with deep business acumen to provide comprehensive counsel to creative entrepreneurs.
Bar Admissions & Court Admissions
+ New York State Bar
+ District of Columbia Bar
+ State Bar of Texas (Currently Inactive)
Practice Areas
+ Business Formation and Registration
+ Intellectual Property Protection (Trademarks and Copyrights)
+ Contract Drafting, Review, and Negotiations
+ General Counsel Services
+ Fashion Law
+ Consumer Protection
+ Corporate Law
+ Brand Strategy and Protection
+ Business Development
+ Regulatory Compliance
Education & Training
+ Howard University School of Law (Juris Doctor)
+ Howard University School of Business (Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), General Management with an Emphasis on Supply Chain Management)
+ University of the Western Cape (International Law and Legal Studies)
Professional Experience
+ Attorney Advisor, U.S. Small Business Administration
+ First Black and highest-ranking Attorney in office history
+ Led PPP program development and implementation
+ Assistant Attorney General, District of Columbia Office of Consumer Protection
+ Law Clerk, Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP
+ Student Attorney, Howard University School of Law Trademarks Clinic
Notable Achievements
+ Co-Founder and Inaugural President of the Howard Law Fashion Law Society
+ Co-Chair of Fashion Law Week 2014
+ Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society Member
+ Trustee Merit Scholarship Recipient
+ CALI Award Recipient (highest grade): Workforce Development and Health Law
+ Successfully negotiated multi-million dollar deals for clients
+ Developed groundbreaking PPP program implementation at SBA
Publications & Speaking Engagements
+ From Afrochella to AfroFuture: 4 Lessons in Navigating Trademark Law (Shoppe Black, 2023)
+ Fashion Law, Brand Partnerships & Protecting Your Work From Copycats (Shoppe Black, 2022)
+ Featured Speaker at Harlem Fashion Week's Business of Fashion Symposium
+ Regular speaker on business development, intellectual property protection, diversity in fashion, and cultural appropriation
Professional Affiliations
+ New York State Bar Association Fashion Law Committee Member
+ Association of the Bar of the City of New York - Fashion Law Committee Member