Erin Ogden 
With Halloween approaching there are more scary things than usual sending chills down my spine. Some of these things are fun-scary, like playing spooky pranks on friends, covering my eyes for most of a horror flick, or taking witching hour strolls through poorly lit cemeteries. Then there are things like the current economic crisis sending … Read more
We previously talked about why a company would want restrictive covenants, but it isn’t just the company acting. The employees are agreeing to the non-compete, non-solicitation, or non-disclosure provisions, too. As for employees, they need to understand: 1) what they can and cannot do during their employment and afterwards, and 2) why it matters. Their willingness to follow … Read more
As an attorney fresh out of law school, I am all too familiar with the confusion and difficulty involved with starting something new, familiarizing yourself, and applying the intricate rules and procedures of whatever that new thing may be. For all the business newbies out there, today is your lucky day. Have you been banging your … Read more
We at OG+S are very excited to have two new employees this year. They are smart, capable young women who make us a better law firm. I wouldn’t trade either of them. But, you know what, they take a lot of my time. There is a boatload of training that goes into new hires. They are learning our systems, … Read more
We are thrilled to introduce you to our newest attorney, Katie Mahoney! Katie is a recent graduate of the Law School of UW-Madison, and we are excited she chose to start her law career with OG+S. We are impressed with her passion for copyright and artists but even more so for her focus on communication. … Read more
Guess what often increases in the fourth quarter of every year? Buying and selling of businesses. Guess what else can increase during a recession? Yup, buying and selling of businesses. The first trend is not a surprise. You can close at the end of the calendar year, which is also the end of many a … Read more
Here we are. We know our company has value and so does the trademark. That means I often look at it through a final set of lenses. Those are succinctly put: Offense Defense Increase value Other third party considerations (a/k/a Amazon told me to) Offense: Are we wanting to swat down people trying to pretend … Read more
Now we know that we are eligible for federal registration, and that we can afford it. But is it important? Is this a primary part of our business or not? What is your return on your investment for this product? In our pretend business, SCRUBBIEDUBS is our overall trademark, so that’s likely important. What if … Read more
After last week’s post, we know that for a federal trademark we need to have interstate commerce, often because we are selling across state lines. So let’s pretend that we know we can apply for federal registration based on sales. Now, we have to decide if it is a strong trademark: Is this mark protectible? … Read more
I have been asked the question, “Is getting a trademark worth the money?” a lot lately. Companies are trying to protect their assets and their budget. They want to spend their money wisely so they rightly ask if this is a good use of it. Now, I always laugh a little and remind them that … Read more