Alexis Degler

“Not everyone’s path is the same, so it’s important to pick up advice and experiences from others so you can carve your own.”

Alexis Degler’s path into intellectual property law was anything but traditional. As a former Division I soccer player at The Ohio State University, she initially planned to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. However, midway through her undergraduate experience she realized was interested in becoming an attorney. While studying for the LSAT she shadowed the in-house counsel at Ohio State and observed a significant portion of the day spent by counsel navigating a trademark issue involving updates to the University’s Block “O” logo. It was during this experience that Alexis discovered an interest in IP law that ultimately reshaped her career trajectory.

Alexis’s interest in trademarks took hold while attending DePaul University College of Law. She spent both summers at the same boutique IP firm and continued there full time after graduation before lateraling to Barnes & Thornburg in 2022. Today, her practice focuses on brand protection and enforcement. She advises clients across the full lifecycle of trademark management—from clearance searches and portfolio strategy to enforcement and dispute resolution. While she engages in some litigation, most of her work centers on trademark prosecution and providing strategic, day-to-day counsel. She describes her role as highly consultative, helping clients proactively protect and grow their brands.

Alexis currently serves as a Member (and previously served as Co-Chair) of ChiWIP’s Annual Events Committee. Having joined shortly after the pandemic, she has spent several years helping plan the organization’s flagship events and fostering meaningful connections among members. She values ChiWIP for its collaborative, low-pressure environment, which allows women in IP to build genuine relationships across practice areas without the pressure of traditional networking events.

Her advice to law students and early-career attorneys is to be intentional when building connections. Rather than approaching networking as a numbers game, Alexis encourages individuals to seek out meaningful conversations, ask thoughtful questions, and learn from others’ experiences. She emphasizes that there is no single path into IP—or the legal profession more broadly—and that staying open to unexpected opportunities, while building strong relationships along the way, is key to a fulfilling and well-aligned career.

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