Non-profit organizations, by their nature, provide great value through their missions and services. That is at least part of the reason why they typically receive tax-exempt status, including under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). However, that tax-exempt status is fragile and contingent on meeting and maintaining certain requirements, and an organization can … Read more
We’d like to wish a Happy Easter and a Happy Passover to all those who were celebrating over the weekend. Are you hoping Spring is just around the corner like Lola is?
I’m sure you’ve heard the news – the House of Representatives passed the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act on Friday April 1, 2022. The bill, if enacted, would remove marijuana (delta-9 THC) from the controlled substances list, impose a 5% tax on the sale of marijuana products nationwide, and provide mechanisms for the expungement of previous … Read more
Last week I talked about how clients say they don’t know the difference between trademarks and copyrights. Then I didn’t explain what it was. I am here to solve that issue. A trademark is something that customers use to help with things like: “Hey, I bought that thingy before, and I liked it. I want … Read more
At the first meeting with a potential client, they often (somewhat shamefacedly) say, “I’m not really sure if I need a trademark or copyright or something else. I guess that I don’t know the difference.” They say it like of course, they should know the difference. Why wouldn’t they know? I mean everyone but them … Read more
Richard is joining OG+S as a Paralegal focused on IP Docket management and related activities while he completes his coursework at Madison College, Madison, WI. Prior to pursuing a career as a Paralegal, Richard gained valuable experiences as a technology practitioner in the financial services and consumer product good industries. He has worked in the … Read more
Welcome back to the world of Secured Transactions and IP! A quick refresher from last week (link last week’s post?): lenders engage in “secured transactions” with a borrower who has put up collateral against that loan which has become enforceable. The lender can possess and sell that collateral if the borrower defaults should that lender … Read more
Working for a firm that does a high volume of work with intellectual property allows for deeper dives into IP-related issues. One example involves situations where a lender has loaned money to a person with collateral for that loan being an item of intellectual property, such as an interest in a trademark. Whoa! Can a … Read more
Logos can be an effective tool. Like word marks, logos can be used to help consumers draw a connection between goods/services and the source of those goods/services. With especially prominent logos, that connection can even be drawn without words (think of a particular swoosh for shoes or golden arches for burgers). With that potential in … Read more
I’ve gotten this question in various forms from about 10 clients in the last month – so, as it is at OGS, we write a blog post about it. This is the way. If you’re raising money from outside investors at your company, there are tons of things to think about, so please do not … Read more