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State Trademark Registration: Before Someone Takes Your Name

Z. Peter Sawicki and Amanda Prose October 13, 2026

Most businesses serious about protecting a brand seek federal trademark registration. But there is another form of registration that is often overlooked – registering the trademark with the state where the business operates. Why bother with a state registration when you already have, or plan to obtain, a federal registration? The answer is surprisingly practical. In Minnesota, a trademark or

New York’s Pied-a-Terre Tax: A Plain-Language Guide for Property Owners and Their Advisers

Gerald Donnini II October 9, 2026

In the state and local tax (SALT) industry, New York City’s recent pied-a-terre tax has dominated the news. Like many people, I had never heard the phrase “pied-a-terre” or intuitively known what it means. The French phrase essentially translates to “foot on the ground.” In this context, it refers to a weekend place, a city residence you keep when your

Why the Richest Families Lose the Most in Probate Court

Mohamed Murshed September 21, 2026

After 11 years practicing law, I have learned that wealth and preparedness do not always arrive together. Some of the most financially successful families I have worked with own businesses, investment properties, substantial retirement accounts, brokerage portfolios, and other assets accumulated over decades. They have accountants. They have financial advisers. They understand investments and taxes. From the outside, their financial

Tips to Navigate Your Spouse’s New Relationship During (or After) Divorce

Julie Rountree September 18, 2026

As a family law attorney, I have represented clients in countless divorces and helped clients navigate the divorce process. Although I was their legal advocate, I never truly felt capable of managing clients’ issues when it came to the emotional part of divorce. My clients were feeling the trauma of divorce: feeling confused, intimidated, overwhelmed and anxious. After several years

Who Invented Labor Day?

Z. Peter Sawicki and Amanda Prose September 10, 2026

Labor Day – a U.S. federal holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September – is associated with the unofficial end of summer vacation and BBQ parties. While the origin of Labor Day in the United States is associated with labor unions, there is a dispute as to who first proposed a holiday to honor workers. One camp sides with

what a verdict number means in mass torts

What a Verdict Number Actually Means in Mass Torts

David Meldofsky September 8, 2026

In August 2018, a San Francisco jury told a former school groundskeeper named Dewayne Johnson that Monsanto owed him $289 million. That was the number in every headline. It is not the number he was paid. Months later the trial judge cut the punitive portion of the award, bringing the total to roughly $78.5 million. In July 2020, the California

Slip, Trip, and Fall: When Is a California Property Owner Legally Responsible?

Josh Adelpour September 2, 2026

A fall in a grocery store, an apartment stairwell, or a parking lot can leave someone with a broken wrist, a concussion, or worse. A common assumption follows, that if I fell on someone’s property, they must owe me. California law is more nuanced than that. A property owner is not automatically responsible every time a person is hurt on

Staking a Claim: Who Owns AI-Generated Content?

Z. Peter Sawicki and Amanda Prose August 24, 2026

Generative artificial intelligence has quickly become a routine business tool. Employees use AI platforms to draft marketing materials, prepare reports, create presentations, write software code, develop product descriptions, and generate artwork. Independent contractors are increasingly relying on the same technologies to perform services for their clients. As the use of these systems expands, businesses are beginning to ask an important

When One Case Can Change Thousands of Lives: The Changing Role of Class Actions and Mass Torts in Pursuing Justice

Will McBride August 3, 2026

Most legal cases are measured by what they mean to one client or one family. Class actions and mass torts are different. While every plaintiff has an individual story, these cases often reveal a much larger pattern, one that affects hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people. Whether the issue is a dangerous product, environmental contamination, deceptive business practices, or

Can an Alleged Victim Drop Domestic Violence Charges in Florida?

J. Ruffin Hunt July 31, 2026

One of the most common questions people ask after a domestic violence arrest in Florida is whether the alleged victim can “drop the charges.” Many people assume that because the alleged victim called the police or made the initial report, they also have the power to end the case. In reality, Florida’s criminal justice system works differently. While an alleged

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