Ashley R. Dobbs
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Profile
Ashley Dobbs is a Professor of Law, Clinical Practice, and Director of the Intellectual Property and Transactional Law Clinic. Through the Clinic, she and participating law students provide IP and business transactional legal services to entrepreneurs, non-profits, artists, and small businesses. Professor Dobbs brings 10 years of experience in private practice, including at Hogan Lovells, P.C., one of the world’s largest law firms, and at Bean, Kinney & Korman, P.C., where she was a shareholder. In practice, she advised clients on the acquisition, protection and commercialization of intellectual property. While in private practice, Professor Dobbs was named a “Rising Star in Intellectual Property” by Virginia Super Lawyers and D.C. Super Lawyers. Prior to receiving her law degree, Professor Dobbs was an entrepreneur and founded her own consulting firm, offering strategic recommendations and business and marketing plans to Fortune 500 companies in the advertising, banking, cellular, and automotive industries.Expand All
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Presentations
Panelist, "Seeing Problems as Opportunities: How to Solve Problems for Hopeful Clients," AALS Annual Clinical Conference, Association of American Law Schools (April 2023)
Panelist, "Snatching Hope & Creativity from the Jaws of a Pandemic," AALS Annual Clinical Conference, Association of American Law Schools (April 2023)
Panelist, "From Pain to Creativity: How AI Helped Kristina Kashtanova Illustrate Her “Zarya of the Dawn” Story – featuring Richmond Law’s Ashley Dobbs and Roger Skalbeck ," The Geek in Review Podcast, 3 Geeks and the Law Blog (April 2023)
Presenter, "IP and Business Law for Entreprenuers," New Venture Creation (MGT 352), UR Robins Business School (April 2023)
Presenter, "Does Art Want to Be Free? Copyright Law and Burning Man Principles," Burning Man, Plaisance (August 2022)
Presenter, "Law for Artists and Makers - Ask a Lawyer," Burning Man, Plaisance (August 2022)
Presenter, "Does Art Want to Be Free? Copyright Law and Burning Man," Monthly Meeting, Greater Richmond IP Law Association (April 2022)
Presenter, "Legal Considerations for Start-ups," New Venture Creation Class, Robins School of Business, Univ. of Richmond (March 2022)
Presenter, "IP and Business Law for Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneur Accelerator Program, RVA Works (October 2021)
Presenter, "Does Art Want to Be Free? Exploration of Copyright Law and Burning Man," Annual September Meeting, Atlanta IP Inn of Court (September 2021)
Presenter, "IP and Asset Protection for Small Businesses," Mastermind Conference, ShopFixAcademy (July 2021)
Moderator, "'Reckoning with our Past and Building for the Future' - Transactional Law Clinics ," 2021 AALS Conference on Clinical Legal Education , AALS (April 2021)
Presenter, "IP and Business Law for Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneur Accelerator Program, RVA Works (April 2021)
Presenter, "Advanced Design and Word Search Techniques for Trademarks," LES Webinar, Licensing Executives Society of USA an Canada (March 2021)
Presenter, "Start-ups, Artists, & IP Protection," SIPLA Presents, Student IP Law Association (March 2021)
Presenter, "Advanced Trademark Clearance Searching Techniques," Intellectual Property Section CLE, State Bar of Georgia (February 2021)
Panelist, "Legal Concerns for Richmond's Start-up Community and Entrepreneurs," Inaugural Conference, Richmond Law & Business Forum (February 2021)
Panelist, "Women in Technology Law," University of Richmond’s Journal of Law & Technology Spring Symposium, University of Richmond’s Journal of Law & Technology (February 2021)
Presenter, "IP and Business Law for Entrepreneurs," Entrepreneur Accelerator Program, RVA Works (October 2020)
Panelist, "'Superman Returns' - Entertainment and IP Joint Licensing Case Study," Lunch Presentation, Richmond Law Sports and Entertainment Law Society (April 2020)
"Understanding Animal Law in Transactions," Animal Law course, University of Richmond School of Law (October 2019)
"Does Art Want to Be Free? Copyright Law and Burning Man Principles," Plaisance (August 2019)
"Law and Ethics in Business," WIBO: Assuring Lasting Success - Ethics and the Law, RVA Works (August 2019)
Presenter, "Reclaiming Your Time: the Zen of Time and Productivity Management," 2019 Paralegal Seminar, Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys and Lunch & Learn, Hancock Daniel (August 2019)
Presentations Prior to 2019
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Memberships
Member, Board of Directors, PetSmart Charities (2012 - 2022)
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Bar Admissions
Virginia
District of Columbia
United States Supreme Court
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Professional Experience
Professor of Law, Legal Practice (2022 - present)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAAttorney (2015 - present)
Law Office of Ashley R. DobbsDirector of the Intellectual Property and Transactional Law Clinic (2015 - present)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAAssociate Clinical Professor of Law (2019 - 2022)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAAssistant Clinical Professor of Law (2015 - 2019)
University of Richmond School of Law, Richmond, VAShareholder (2013 - 2015)
Bean, Kinney & Korman, P.C., Arlington, VAAssociate (2011 - 2013)
Bean, Kinney & Korman, P.C., Arlington, VAAssociate (2011 - 2011)
Protorae Law PLLC, Tysons Corner, VAAttorney (2009 - 2010)
Law Office of Ashley R. Dobbs, Arlington, VAAssociate (2005 - 2009)
Hogan Lovells, Washington, DCPrincipal Business and Marketing Consultant (1997 - 2002)
The Dobbs Group Inc., Long Beach, CAAccount Operations Manager (1988 - 1997)
Maritz, Inc.
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Presentations
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Publications
Book Chapters
Intellectual Property Rights, in The Law of Fraternities and Sororities (Carolina Academic Press) (2024).
Magazines/Trade PublicationsCommon Copyright Mistakes Small Businesses Make, BKK Business Law Newsletter (January 2014).
Copyright Law 101: Your Guide to Copyright Law, Webcents Magazine (November 2012).
Copyright Law: What Intellectual Property is Protected?, Small Business Trends (September 2012).
Alert for Trademark Owners: Trademark Monitoring and Registration Scams, IP Frontline (June 2012).
U.S. Copyright Termination - A Window is Opening, Intellectual Property Today (May 2012).
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In the News
Creating a Legacy of Love: Planning for Your Pet's Future (Ready Living Podcast)
Mon., Nov. 18, 2024How Fraternities and Sororities Intersect with Intellectual Property (The Synopsis)
Thu., Oct. 10, 2024Taking Care of Your 'Good Boy': Pet trusts ensure animals live a good life after owner dies (ABA Journal)
Wed., Sep. 4, 2024Apple's TM Loss May Have A Silver Lining For Brand Owners (Law360)
Fri., Apr. 7, 2023From Pain to Creativity: How AI Helped Kristina Kashtanova Illustrate Their “Zarya of the Dawn” Story (Geek in Review Podcast)
Fri., Apr. 7, 2023Odds may be in Luka Doncic's favor to erase mom's TM (Law360)
Thu., Oct. 20, 2022Apps and Oranges: Behind Apple’s ‘Bullying’ on Trademarks (NY Times)
Fri., Mar. 11, 2022Trademark Professor Weighs in on Redskins, Other Teams Considering Name Changes; Less about Trademark, More About Business and PR (University of Richmond Newsroom)
Fri., Jul. 24, 2020Disney's Rap as Trademark Bully Revived in Baby Yoda Crackdown (Bloomberg Law)
Tue., Feb. 11, 2020The "Higher Ground" Trademark Dispute (The Synopsis)
Wed., Sep. 25, 2019Katy Perry's Copyright Infringement Lawsuit (The Synopsis)
Thu., Aug. 1, 2019Kawhi Leonard v. Nike, Inc., 2019 (The Synopsis)
Tue., Jul. 23, 2019Cardi B's Trademark Application Denial (The Synopsis)
Wed., Jul. 17, 2019Celebrity Trademark Applications (The Synopsis)
Mon., Jun. 3, 2019Cardi B's Trademark Application (The Synopsis)
Fri., Apr. 5, 2019UR runs intellectual property law clinic to help small businesses and entrepreneurs (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Sat., Jul. 22, 2017