Rebecca Roby on Brand Protection, Career Reinvention, and Returning to Trademark Law
- Jan 19
- 4 min read
Rebecca Roby’s legal career has been shaped by some of the world’s most recognizable brands and by a steady commitment to intellectual property as a business-critical discipline.
With senior in-house roles at organizations including Ulta Beauty, Hard Rock International, and Red Bull, she has built a reputation for navigating global trademark portfolios, marketing compliance, and emerging risks tied to technology and brand enforcement. Her path into trademark law was neither abstract nor accidental.
It grew out of hands-on exposure to investigative work, international collaboration, and the operational realities of protecting assets at scale. Over time, those experiences evolved into leadership roles where legal strategy and business priorities intersect daily.
In this sit-down, Roby reflects on her early influences, lessons learned through professional recalibration, and why returning to trademark law feels like a deliberate and confident next chapter rather than a step backward.
Inside Trademark and Brand Law: An Interview with Rebecca Roby
What originally drew you to the legal field, and how did your interest in intellectual property and brand protection take shape?
Rebecca Roby: I was a paralegal at Skadden Arps in NYC. I ended up supporting a career trademark paralegal and loved the investigative work she was doing into counterfeit goods. I also loved the international element of managing a global trademark portfolio, correspondence, and building relationships with lawyers around the world.
During a merger of pharmaceutical companies, I also loved the rush feeling of working on the assignment process of all the assets to the new entity. I thrived on the organizational requirements and the time pressure. I went off to law school knowing I wanted to become a trademark attorney.
What inspired you to take on in-house leadership roles at global brands like Red Bull and Hard Rock International?
Rebecca Roby: While I appreciate the years I have spent with law firms to enhance my legal skills and knowledge, I have always enjoyed working on the other side, directly advising a business unit and being involved in a project for a company at all phases.
I have felt that when you are with a law firm, you may only know bits and pieces of a client's business that they wish to share with you. When you are in-house, you get to know the full picture, which helps even more to provide well-rounded and informed legal counsel.
How has the rapid evolution of AI changed the way brands must approach IP protection and marketing compliance?
Rebecca Roby: In some respects, AI may be helpful as it relates to software tools used to manage a trademark portfolio, performing clearance work, or seeking out infringements online, but there is a flip side to the use of AI that may be concerning to brands.
AI may make it easier for counterfeit products and infringing logos and brands to be created. Also, through the use of AI, it may be more difficult to determine the origins of the counterfeiting or infringing items.
Can you describe a moment of professional failure and what it taught you?
Rebecca Roby: In recent years, I found it hard to visualize the direction I wished my career to take and made some poor decisions that impacted my growth. While I love the professional and intellectual growth from in-house counsel roles, I found external life pulling me in other directions, which clouded my vision.
So, I took some time off to refocus on my priorities while also reshaping my career goals. I am proud that I recognized the break I needed and have used the time wisely, making me ready to enter the second act of my professional career.
How did that experience change how you approach risk, strategy, or leadership today?
Rebecca Roby: The time off allowed me to give attention to my family’s needs while also remembering what area of law I love the most, trademarks. While I am thankful for the diverse experiences I have had via various in-house roles, I have come back to my roots in trademark law and have given myself grace to acknowledge that holding an expertise in only one area of the law is enough. I am enough as a trademark professional.
What unique legal or strategic perspective do you believe sets you apart in the industry?
Rebecca Roby: I believe that, because I have worked for several brands across multiple industries and for executive teams with differing leadership styles, I bring a unique perspective based on these varying experiences to any new brand in the future.
My experiences are vast and diverse, so not necessarily one-dimensional. Using my experiences, I have learned to adapt to the setting I am in while also recognizing that each organization has a different style and there is more than one way to be a valuable contributor.
What advice would you give your younger self entering law school?
Midway through your legal career, you may have a crisis of professional direction. That is ok and in fact common. Give yourself grace even if others do not. When that occurs, do not be too hard on yourself. Always believe in your gut instinct and never forget the joy that brought you to the door of trademark law to begin with. Many people take stock of their career choices, and you do not always have to know the answer or direction immediately.
Where Focus and Experience Converge
Roby’s reflections reveal a professional narrative grounded in depth rather than breadth for its own sake. Her return to trademark law is framed not as a narrowing of scope, but as an intentional alignment between expertise, fulfillment, and impact.
After years advising global brands across industries, she brings both technical command and institutional understanding to the work of protecting identity and value in an increasingly complex marketplace.
As brands confront new challenges, from AI-driven infringement to global enforcement pressure, her perspective points to the importance of clarity, adaptability, and confidence in one’s core discipline. For Roby, the next chapter is defined less by reinvention than by refinement, rooted in the area of law that first captured her attention and continues to hold her professional respect.
About Rebecca Roby
Rebecca L. Roby is an accomplished legal executive with more than two decades of experience in intellectual property, marketing law, and brand protection. She has held senior in-house roles at Ulta Beauty, Hard Rock International, and Red Bull, where she led global trademark strategy, marketing compliance, and enforcement initiatives. Rebecca holds a JD from Washington University School of Law and a BA from Mount Holyoke College.
