MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a monthly blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.

This month’s perspective is courtesy of Rashad L. Morgan, Shareholder & Intellectual Property Attorney, Brinks Gilson & Lione, Durham, NC.

What law school did you attend and what was your graduation year?

University of Cincinnati College of Law, 2006.

What inspired or prompted you to become an attorney?

Growing up, I did not even consider becoming an attorney. There were no lawyers in my family. I was always interested in STEM, and I gravitated towards becoming an engineer. After an internship between my senior year in high school and my first year of college, I was sure that my goal was to earn my Ph.D. in chemical engineering and become a Flavorist for a major corporation. However, as I got deeper into my major, I realized that while I still was very much interested in STEM, I was becoming less interested in being an engineer, and I was looking for other ways that I could use my STEM training.

As a rising junior, I had the opportunity to meet a group of Black patent attorneys, and they opened my mind to the option of becoming an attorney. After doing some additional research, I realized that becoming a patent attorney would allow me to remain engaged in STEM, while also serving my inner need to help people. It is a decision that I do not regret.

Please describe a barrier or obstacle you have overcome in your professional career?

An ever-present obstacle is overcoming people’s perceptions of what an attorney is supposed to look like. I am a Black man practicing intellectual property law, and I know that I do not match everyone’s idea of an attorney. I have experienced microaggressions including being mistaken as a law school intern and being called the name of another Black attorney in the firm. Also, I have had people assume that I lack experience or the capability to handle a project. Walking into a room, I know that I have to battle against preconceived notions about myself and my abilities.

Despite these experiences, I remain undeterred. I am blessed to have a strong support system to help me maintain my confidence. Through it all, I remain true to myself and never compromise on my principles. I work to expand the narrow concept of an attorney through my involvement with the Minorities in the Profession Committee, the NCBA, and other organizations. The world is full of diversity and our legal profession should reflect that. We are not meant to fit only one mold.

Do you have a message of encouragement for others who may have experienced similar challenges or adversity as a diverse attorney?

You are enough. You deserve to be here. You have people rooting for you and people here to support you. Be confident and continue to make an impact.

Rashad Morgan maintains a broad-based intellectual property practice that includes opinion work, due diligence review, and patent litigation, with a particular focus on patent prosecution both in the United States and abroad. For clients in the pharmaceutical, medical device, biotech, chemical, and other industries, he provides full-service counsel on legal strategies for entire patent families. He regularly prepares freedom-to-operate studies and infringement/validity studies, as well as representing clients in USPTO proceedings in which the validity of patents is at stake. Please visit his full bio: https://www.brinksgilson.com/biographies/rashad-morgan.

May 7, 2021/by NCBA MIP