Blake Simpson Fricks

Blake Simpson Fricks serves dual roles at Smith Anderson – a practicing corporate and IP attorney and the firm’s Chief Talent Officer. As CTO, Blake drives and maintains professional development programming and initiatives for lawyers, including internal and external programing, mentoring programs, leadership opportunities and training and education, as well as oversees and manages entry-level to lateral attorney recruitment. As an attorney, Blake works with the firm’s corporate and intellectual property practice groups, with a focus on trademark portfolio creation, maintenance, protection and strategy.

In her CTO role, Blake routinely collaborates with the firm’s managing partner and C-Suite executives and Lawyer Development and Diversity and Inclusion committees in support of strategic firm initiatives, business goals and client needs. She is instrumental in the firm’s new lawyer onboarding and integration plans, which include deliberate and focused processes during an attorney’s first year with the firm to ensure all aspects of their inclusion and integration into the firm.

One of Blake’s passions is diversity and inclusion and as a member of the firm’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee, she feels very fortunate to assist with the advancement of DEI within our firm, the legal profession and the business and local communities.

Outside of work, Blake enjoys spending time with her family, playing a variety of sports, fishing, cooking and dining in restaurants across the Triangle.

Recognition

• The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation – Intellectual Property (2022-2025)

Education

• University of North Carolina School of Law, J.D., with high honors, 2007
  • Order of the Coif
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA, Political Science, 2003

Bar & Court Admissions

• North Carolina Bar Association
• Wake County Bar Association
• North Carolina Child Care Commission (2014-Present)
• Neighbor to Neighbor 
  • Development Team (2013-Present)
  • Director of Development (2012-2013)
• Student Ministries Committee, Holy Trinity Church

• Assist dozens of companies with the full range of legal services necessary to establish and maintain a strong lasting mark, including advice and assistance with mark adoption and selection, providing counseling on what the law (and marketing research) recognizes as inherently strong marks, conducting availability analysis (including infringement analysis with respect to pre-existing trademark rights of others), local and international registration of marks, enforcement of trademark, service marks and trade dress rights and maintenance of such rights.

• 10 years of experience prosecuting trademark, service mark and copyright registration applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Copyright Office, and internationally.

• Represent clients in connection with trademark opposition proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

• Regularly advise on infringement matters, including trademark, trade name, publicity rights, copyrights and domain names. Provides strategic advice to clients in connection with infringement matters and negotiates resolutions (most often without the need for litigation).

• Assist clients with management and maintenance of international trademark portfolios.

• Assist clients with preparing and negotiating Consent Agreements, Co-Existent Agreements, Trademark and Service Mark License Agreements (including intra-company agreements) and other commercial agreements in connection with monetizing intellectual property assets.

• Regularly work with foreign counsel worldwide to manage our clients’ international trademark portfolios. Excellent legal contacts and established working relationships with trademark counsel in Canada, Mexico, Asia, South America, Europe and other countries. Experience overseeing the worldwide management of trademark portfolios for numerous clients.

• Assist public company client with trademark infringement, counterfeiting and other violations of intellectual property rights in China, including managing and overseeing local counsel.

• Represent beverage company on trademark matters associated with establishing and creating new brands.

• Represent a world famous golf resort on all trademark matters.