Ashley N. Cloud, Esq, MBA
Ashley N. Cloud’s understanding of business did not begin in a boardroom. It began in her mother’s beauty salon in Houston, Texas, where she watched strategy unfold in real time through client retention, cash flow management, staffing decisions, and community trust. Ashley saw both the power of ownership and the consequences of operating without strong legal infrastructure.
That early exposure shaped her commitment to becoming the kind of advisor growing companies actually need.
Ms. Cloud earned her Juris Doctor and MBA in Supply Chain Management from Howard University with a clear vision: to advise business leaders not only on legal compliance, but on operational and strategic decision-making. While at Howard, Ashley co-founded the Howard Law Fashion Law Society and served as its inaugural president, deepening her work at the intersection of brand, business, and culture.
Ashley began her legal career in public service as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Consumer Protection for the District of Columbia. She later served at the U.S. Small Business Administration, becoming the first Black and highest-ranking attorney in her division. In those roles, Ashley developed a sophisticated understanding of regulatory enforcement, risk mitigation, and how federal oversight intersects with business growth.
Today, Ashley is the Founder and CEO of The Cloud Law Firm PLLC, a Brooklyn-based boutique law firm advising revenue-generating, brand-centric companies across industries including technology, media, fashion, and lifestyle. Attorney Cloud partners closely with CEOs, founders, and executive teams navigating scale, investment readiness, intellectual property strategy, commercial transactions, strategic partnerships, and complex business risk.
CEO & Principal Attorney
Ashley’s work centers on serving as fractional general counsel to growth-stage and established companies that require consistent, senior-level legal insight without adding a full-time executive to payroll. She integrates with leadership teams as a strategic advisor, providing ongoing guidance across trademark portfolio management, complex commercial transactions, partnership structuring, dispute strategy, and risk oversight.
Ashley operates as part of the executive ecosystem, helping CEOs and C-suite leaders evaluate opportunities, pressure-test decisions, and protect leverage in real time. Her role is proactive, strategic, and embedded in the rhythm of the business, ensuring legal strategy evolves alongside revenue, partnerships, and long-term vision. Her background in enforcement and operations allows her to see around corners and advise from a long-term vantage point.
Ashley regularly speaks on topics such as intellectual property strategy, deal structuring, brand protection, and the realities of leadership in high-growth companies. Her perspective blends federal regulatory experience with practical business insight.
“Never Settle” is a principle she applies to her own career and to the leaders she advises. Protect what you build. Structure it well. Make decisions from a position of strength.
For CEOs and executive teams seeking strategic legal counsel that aligns with growth, ownership, and long-term value creation, The Cloud Law Firm serves as a trusted partner at the table.
Education
Juris Doctor, Howard University
Master of Business Administration, Howard University
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology, University of Houston
Licenses
New York
Texas