Arthur J. "Art" DeBaugh

Arthur J. "Art" DeBaugh


Ward and Smith, P.A.

Recognized since 2011

Raleigh, North Carolina

Practice Areas

Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

Copyright Law

Litigation - Intellectual Property

Trade Secrets Law

Trademark Law

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Trademark Law
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Trademark Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Trade Secrets Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Trademark Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Copyright Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Copyright Law
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Art DeBaugh focuses his practice on trademarks, marketing/advertising/promotions issues, copyrights, trade dress, trade secrets, and business and corporate matters.

As a North Carolina State Bar certified specialist in trademark law, Art has more than 25 years of experience protecting clients' intellectual property. Prior to joining Bell, Davis & Pitt in 2013, Art served as a partner in two law firms in the Research Triangle area. Prior to that, Art was chief counsel – intellectual property for Sara Lee Corporation in Winston-Salem, where he was responsible for a global trademark portfolio of more than 20,000 marks in the apparel, food and beverage, and household consumer goods industries.

Art represents clients in a wide range of industries, such as software and electronics, health care, marketing, consumer packaged goods, apparel/textile, retail, and food & beverage. He has prosecuted more than 3,000 trademark applications in the United States alone.

Art assists clients with:

  • Bringing products to market
  • Developing brand strategies and protection plans
  • Leveraging their intellectual assets for strategic advantage and revenue maximization
  • Providing brand registration and enforcement services (including infringements and anti-counterfeiting issues)
  • Counseling clients on a myriad of related issues, including privacy matters, sweepstakes and contest rules, franchise issues, domain names, cybersquatting, and other internet issues.
  • Creating comprehensive intellectual property protection policies and procedures
  • Implementing confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements for employees, vendors, and outside contractors

    In the community, Art serves on the Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras Council and the Brenner Children’s Hospital Advisory Group. He is an active member of Augsburg Lutheran Church in Winston-Salem, where he currently serves as president of the congregation. Professionally, Art is vice chair of the North Carolina State Bar’s trademark specialty committee of the Board of Legal Specialization and has served for several years on the council of the Intellectual Property Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

    Art co-authors The Trademarketing Blog with Justin Hardy and Virginia Pleasants.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 751 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 300
    P.O. Box 33009
    Raleigh, NC 27636-3009
Education
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., graduated 1988
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, BA, graduated 1985
Bar Admissions
  • North Carolina, North Carolina Bar Association
Affiliations
  • Augsburg Lutheran Church, Winston-Salem - Former President
  • 5 WFDD Public Radio - Community Advisory Board
  • Winston-Salem Symphony - Board of Directors
  • North Carolina State Ba - Board of Legal Specialization: Trademark Specialty Committee (2013-2020; chair 2019-2020)
  • North Carolina Bar Association - Continuing Legal Education Advisory Committee, 2023-2024; Intellectual Property Section: Section Council
  • International Trademark Association - Trademark Administrators Committee

Ward and Smith, P.A.
Headquarters: New Bern, North Carolina

56 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

14 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America awards

Best Law Firms Badge Visit Website View Firm Profile

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Trademark Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Trade Secrets Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Trademark Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Copyright Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Copyright Law
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Raleigh (2025)
  • Trademark Law, Raleigh (2025)
  • Trade Secrets Law, Triad (2023)
  • Trademark Law, Triad (2021)
  • Copyright Law, Triad (2020)
  • Copyright Law, Greensboro (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Copyright Law
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Trade Secrets Law
  • Trademark Law
Awards:
  • North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Trademark Law

  • "Lawyer of the Year," Best Lawyers, 2020 and 2023

  • Chambers USA, Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark Law, 2012-2022

  • "Legal Elite," Business North Carolina, Intellectual Property Law, 2011-2023

  • World Trademark Review 1000, 2019-2021, 2023

  • The Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers, 2011-2024

  • "Super Lawyer," Intellectual Property, North Carolina Super Lawyers, 2020-2024

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Publications

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