I ♡ Trademarks Conference 2025Under the Influencer: Avoiding Chaos for NIL on Social Media
Alt Legal Team | January 27, 2025
At the Alt Legal I ♡ Trademarks Conference, taking place on March 18, 2025, Erica Rogers (Ward and Smith) will moderate a discussion between Shelley Fullwood (Olive and Olive), Kyona McGhee (Trademark My Stuff), and Michelle Miller (Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology), “Under the Influencer: Avoiding Chaos for NIL on Social Media.”
When influencers—including but not limited to college athletes—license their name, image, and likeness (NIL) or get involved in social media promotions, the legal landscape can quickly become a minefield of contract issues, FTC guidelines, NCAA rules, and trademark concerns. In this “what not to do” session, the presenters will explore hypothetical social posts and real-world scenarios relevant to universities, businesses, students, influencers, social media platforms, and other brand owners. In particular, they will cover:
- Identifying and avoiding common pitfalls in influencer marketing
- Managing NIL licensing issues in both athletic and non-athletic contexts
- Understanding and applying FTC, NCAA, and platform-specific rules
- Addressing trademark, publicity rights, and copyright concerns within influencer agreements
- Implementing proactive strategies to prevent legal chaos and protect brand interests
Learn more about the Alt Legal I ♡ Trademarks Conference here.
Register for the Alt Legal I ♡ Trademarks Conference here.
Speakers
Erica Rogers, Attorney, Ward and Smith
Erica is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Trademark Law. She assists individuals, small businesses, and large corporations with a wide array of intellectual property matters. She understands the personal, financial, and meaningful effort clients invest in their intellectual property, and her background and work reflect this understanding. While not practicing law, you’ll find her immersed in music – whether at the piano, discussing technological advances to the consumption of music, enjoying friends performing at live events, or listening to tunes while running long distances (albeit slowly). She shares her home with her wife, three cats, and a Great Pyrenees puppy named Juno!
Shelley Fullwood, Attorney, Olive & Olive
Shelley B. Fullwood is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and of the North Carolina Central University School of Law. She not only studied at North Carolina Central University’s School of Law but also served on its faculty. Prior to joining Olive & Olive, she served as the NCCU Intellectual Property Law Institute’s Trademark and Copyright Fellow and also as Supervising Attorney for the Trademark Clinic within the NCCU IP Clinic where she trained and supervised student practitioners in the area of United States trademark prosecution, and advised clients on intellectual property issues for media and online content, including social media platforms. She also was a frequent speaker on the Institute’s programs on issues related to intellectual property law and at other programs around the area. At Olive & Olive, Shelley focuses on copyright and trademark protection, and on intellectual property agreements. She has been involved in identifying and protecting trademark rights for multiple university and academic clients, and assists clients in discerning the nature and scope of their protectable properties and how best to choose among the alternatives available to maximize their protection. She assists clients in protecting and monetizing their artwork, social media, web content, brands, and a wide range of other properties; and is skillful in negotiating the ever-changing rules and regulations of the United States copyright and trademark offices, staying abreast of new technologies and their impact on protection. She is an active participant in the NC arts scene, a volunteer for NC Lawyers 4 Literacy, an Ambassador for the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, and an amateur aerial hoop artist.
Kyona McGhee, Founder, The McGhee Law Firm
Kyona is the founder of The McGhee Law Firm, PLLC better known as “Trademark My Stuff”. As a mother of three children and a wife, she graduated as valedictorian of her law school class in May 2018. Prior to graduation, she was already being recognized for her expertise and skill. Kyona was selected to be the teaching assistant while in law school for The Law of Evidence and Professional Ethics and Responsibility courses. She was also named by Ms. JD as a “Woman of the Law” at an event at Harvard Law School in the fall of 2017. Lastly, she is regarded as a leader in the small business community, having been named “Minority Small business Owner of the Year,” by the Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce in 2015. Since founding this firm, Kyona has successfully filed thousands of trademark applications, and held the hands of hundreds of entrepreneurs as they navigate the demands of growing a new business. Kyona now leads a legal team of seven phenomenal women and men helping push the mission of this firm forward every day. She has been recognized by the American Bar Association, Yahoo, Law Practice Today, NewsNation, and countless other national media outlets.
Michelle Miller, Attorney and Assistant Clinical Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law
Michelle J. Miller is a highly accomplished international business, trademark, and entertainment attorney.. With over two decades of legal experience, Michelle has carved out a unique space in the legal field, serving an array of high-profile clients, from celebrities and entrepreneurs to global corporations. After spending the majority of her legal career in an in-house counsel position, in 2018 Michelle decided to reinvent her professional legal profile by exiting the corporate world and starting her law practice in 2019. Michelle’s journey has been defined by resilience and an unwavering passion for success. She earned two law degrees while balancing life as a single mother, demonstrating her determination and dedication to both her family and her career. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, a Juris Doctor (JD) from DePaul University College of Law, and a Master of Laws (LL.M) from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. In 2022, she further enhanced her expertise by obtaining a Certification in Financial Analysis and Valuation for Lawyers from Harvard Business School Online/Harvard Law School adding depth to her approach to business law. Beyond her extensive legal practice, Michelle established the Intellectual Property, Entertainment, & Entrepreneurship Clinic at Chicago-Kent Law School. The clinic is unique in that it is connected to Kent’s in-house law firm. Michelle leads this law clinic and in-house practice. As a professor, she is committed to shaping the future of legal professionals by blending her hands-on experience with academic leadership. Michelle’s love for international speaking, education, business, and intellectual property law has taken her around the world including China, South Africa, Dubai, Singapore, Tanzania, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, and other nations, Michelle has worked with clients and businesses in a variety of industries, offering global legal strategies that meet the highest standards of excellence.