Not-so-average: Ashley Cloud, Fashion Attorney
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People
When asked, ‘who are you?’ Ashley Cloud responded, “I’m a free spirit. I’m a Black woman, period,” she said. “A dreamer, a doer, a master manifester and someone that is driven by faith.” She also prides herself on being a fashion attorney under her business The Cloud Law Firm.
There’s more to the fashion industry than jobs in designing or styling. Like any other sector, fashion is a business so there’s a space and a job for everyone. That includes a person who loves math, a person who solely loves to shop or a business-minded individual.
The word “everyone” doesn’t just refer to those who have different interests or job titles, but also those of a different race or gender. We’ve decided to highlight how diverse the fashion industry is, could be, and should be with a series of stories on Black professionals with not-so-average fashion careers.
How did you get to work in fashion?
In the beginning of her journey “fashion started out as an interest,” said the Houston, Tx. native. “I didn’t really think I had a place in it other than someone that likes fashion; I love to get cute and shop.”
Cloud’s fashion career didn’t start until she was accepted into Howard University School of Law in 2012. During her time in law school Cloud wasn’t sure what form of law she wanted to pursue. Initially she wanted to be a civil rights attorney, however, she said, as an empath it would have been too taxing emotionally. She took an interest in learning about fashion law due to curiosity and intrigue, but “the more I learned about the way the law does not help in the fashion space, specifically with protecting creativity, I was drawn to it.”
No one was discussing fashion law so Cloud created her own curriculum centered around fashion law.
“ I took different courses, and any time there was a course where I could write my own paper or have my own topic, it was always related to the fashion industry,” she said. The more she learned, the more fashion law became a commitment rather than an interest.
During her law studies, Cloud decided to receive her MBA from Howard University School of Business to help her approach future clients from a business owner’s point of view in addition to her knowledge as a lawyer. “When I was in the business school at Howard anytime there was a topic that I could talk about, I would always find a way to make it about fashion,” she added. “Because I wasn’t getting internships for fashion. I wasn’t getting opportunities in fashion so that was my way of creating those opportunities for myself.”
In 2016, she graduated from both law school and business school, took the bar exam in New York - because that is where she wanted to live, and passed.
After graduation Cloud worked for the Attorney General of the District of Columbia in the consumer protection sector in 2017. During her time with the attorney general’s office, she kept the goal of translating her work into fashion. After a year in this role, Cloud began working for the Small Business Administration as a Senior Attorney Advisor from 2018 to 2021.
“I wanted to get behind the scenes and figure out what’s actually going on so that I could eventually, at some point, be able to share what I’ve learned with the masses,” she said.
In 2021 she decided to quit her job and move to New York. Cloud moved with the goal of creating her own law firm, “I had no clients or contacts, I was just following my dreams.”
She added that a friend of hers offered to build her website, and on Valentine’s Day in 2022 she made the announcement on social media as well as sent an email to everyone she knew.
“Then I hit the ground running - networking, posting on socials, and trying to make a name for myself,” Cloud said.
What’s your current fashion job?
Cloud founded her own firm, The Cloud Law Firm, PLLC, where she is the principal attorney for emerging brands.
“I don’t just do fashion,” she said. “I work for a lot of different brands but fashion is my emphasis.”
Through her work under the firm, Cloud helps people start their businesses; doing tasks such as helping them choose what type of business they want to have [LLC, corporation, nonprofit, etc] and the paperwork associated with it. She helps with brand protection meaning trademark registration, trademark enforcement, etc.
Additionally, Cloud helps with copyright protection for those creating content. She helps with contracts - reviewing contracts, drafting contracts, negotiating contracts, and more. And she aids with general counsel services which are handled as they come.
“I love being a problem solver, and that’s a lot of what I do every day - help people solve problems,” said Cloud. She added that she especially loves the moment she can deliver great news to her client.
Her work requires her to be a counselor to clients, “it’s therapy sometimes.”
However, she takes pride in being that person, “being able to really pour into my clients and also being able to educate them on things so they feel empowered and advocate for themselves. Just being able to let them know that they have support, and someone that they can rely on.”
What does an average work day look like?
“There’s no average day,” said Cloud.
With her days starting at 6 am, her morning routine may change depending on the day. However, she tries her best to make it to her desk by 9 am each day.
Once she is at her desk, Cloud starts her work day by going through emails. After she handles her emails, the rest of her day depends on clients’ needs.
She could be reading contracts, conducting and scheduling meetings or calls, consulting with colleagues, etc. Her days usually include checking in with clients about their trademark and updating clients on where they stand.
Most of her days consist of “mostly contracts and trademarks.” Cloud ends her days between 6 pm and 7 pm.
A word of career advice
“Don’t be deterred,” Cloud said. “Rejection is redirection.”
She said she’s been rejected a lot throughout her career. People have told her that if she wanted to work in fashion she would have to work in-house or for a big law firm - not create her own. “I got rejected for all the opportunities that would have led to any of those other routes,” she explained. “I kept being rejected back to my path.”
She added that she is glad it transpired that way because she’s not sure if she would have had the drive and courage to create her own firm if she had the comfort, and security, of working for a larger firm.
Cloud continued to say it’s important to “stay true to your values and try to drown out the noise as much as possible because there’s so much constant, unsolicited advice that people get on this journey.” “Everyone thinks they’re an expert and everyone’s saying something different, and sometimes, opposing things. Be very selective about who you get advice from and I know it may be cliche, but follow your heart, seriously.”