USPTO’s Refusal Rate
The USPTO refuses or fails to register up to 50% to 64% of trademark applications. A vast majority of these don't get approved initially; less than half pass the first examination, while the rest are issued "Office Actions" requesting corrections or issuing outright...
Business Succession Planning: Two Attorneys, One Plan
Business succession planning works best when estate planning and business law are coordinated. This article explains why California business owners need both estate and business attorneys working together to properly structure trusts, ownership transfers, and buy-sell agreements to avoid probate, disputes, and succession failures.
The Shield Returns: What Tesla’s New Roadster Trademark Tells Us
Tesla fans, it’s time to get excited. After years of "Elon time" delays and speculation, we finally have a tangible sign that the second-generation Tesla Roadster is inching closer to reality. Tesla recently filed a new trademark application for a hexagonal shield...
Your AI Conversations Are Probably Not Protected — A Federal Court Just Said So
A federal court just answered a question that millions of AI users probably never thought to ask: Can the things you tell your AI be used against you in court? The answer, at least for now, is yes. What Happened in the Heppner Case In United States v. Heppner, decided...
The Five Things Buyers Miss in a Business Acquisition (That Cost Them Later)
Buying a business is one of the most significant financial decisions a person can make. You've found a business that looks right — the revenue is there, the owner is motivated to sell, and you can already picture yourself running it. The excitement is real. So is the...
The Digital Land Grab: How Cybersquatters Are Using AI to Hijack Your Brand
In the early days of the internet, cybersquatting was a manual, opportunistic game. A "squatter" would sit at their keyboard, guess that a brand like Google or Apple might forget to register a specific variation of their name, and hope for a payday. Fast forward to...
The Pasquatch Is Official: Vinnie Pasquantino Locks Down His Legendary Nickname
Known for his power at the plate and his infectious personality, Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino has officially added "entrepreneur" to his resume. As of April 7, 2026, Pasquantino has successfully registered the federal trademark for his beloved...
A Small Business Attorney’s Primer on Contracts for the New or Small Business The Basics of How a Contract Is Normally Formed
Small businesses make agreements every day — with vendors, customers, service providers, and sometimes even friends or family. Some of those arrangements are documented in formal contracts. Others are confirmed by email. Still others are based on nothing more than a...
Gibson Guitar
In the world of guitar manufacturing, body shapes have long been a legal battlefield. The most significant modern chapter of this saga concluded in February 2026, when a long-running legal battle between Gibson Brands Inc. and Armadillo Distribution Enterprises (the...
AI Overview
As of March 2026, major copyright news is dominated by AI, with the U.S. Supreme Court declining to hear a case regarding AI-generated art, reinforcing that only human-created works can be registered. Key issues include proposed legislation on AI training data (CLEAR...
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