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The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4, 2025, by President Trump. OBBBA represents a significant recalibration of the federal tax framework with direct and lasting consequences for estate planning. At its core, OBBBA extends or makes permanent many of the tax cuts originally enacted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), but stopping there misses the point. OBBBA not only locks in the TCJA’s framework – it adds additional

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Continue Reading The Impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Estate Planning

If your practice includes residential real estate transactions where the buyer is an entity or a trust and the deal is not financed through a traditional lender, an important new federal reporting requirement starts March 1, 2026. Read on for more information.

What is changing, in plain English

Beginning March 1, 2026, certain people (including lawyers, in some cases!) involved in real estate closings and settlements will have to file a report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (…
Continue Reading New FinCEN Reporting for Certain Residential Real Estate Transactions Begins March 1, 2026

BASE jumping references aside, if you produce or sell intoxicating THC beverages, now is the time to plan your off ramp.

Congress enacted changes that narrow what qualifies as federally lawful hemp starting November 12, 2026, including a 0.4 mg per container cap for final hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

Let’s tear the band-aid off now: 0.4 mg is not a meaningful replacement for the 20 mg to 50 mg cans the market sells today. So for most producers, the real…
Continue Reading The THC Beverage Cliff is Coming: You Are Jumping – Plan Now to Avoid a Cliff Strike

As we wrap up 2025, we’re taking a moment to appreciate the little things that make our days brighter—supportive teammates, meaningful collaboration and yes, a few furry coworkers who keep us company and bring extra smiles along the way.

Most of all, we appreciate our fantastic clients and wonderful partners. Thank you for trusting us, working alongside us, and making 2025 such a rewarding year.

Wishing you a joyful, restful end to the holiday season and all the best…
Continue Reading … And to all a good night.

Happy early Thanksgiving week from all of us at OG+S.

As we head into the season of gathering and gratitude, we want to take a moment to thank the clients, colleagues, and community partners who make our work meaningful. Your trust, collaboration, and commitment to doing great work together is something we never take for granted.

This year, we’re especially grateful for the relationships that allow us to solve complex challenges, support growth, and show up as true partners.
Continue Reading A Thanksgiving Note of Gratitude

Joanna comes to OG+S with over a decade of experience in intellectual property. Working in both boutique and Legal 500 law firms, she brings a strong background in managing complex matters, coordinating with attorneys, foreign associates, and clients, and ensuring precision and efficiency throughout every stage of the legal process.

 Born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, Joanna’s path to the legal field was shaped by an appreciation for both structure and creativity. Before transitioning to her legal career,…
Continue Reading Introducing Joanna Sanchez!

Please join us in welcoming Nick Hierlmeier to the team!

He will be working on administrative support to the attorneys and staff part time while also pursuing his degree.

“I’m a student a UW-Madison studying Political Science and I love it. When I’m not studying, working at OG+S, or spending time helping with the various organizations I’m a part of, I enjoy lifting weights, watching football (Go Pack Go!), and reading fiction novels.

If you’re ever wondering where I…
Continue Reading Introducing Nick Heirlmeier…

I once asked my Dad what the 70’s were like, and he replied, “Oh, it was a beautiful time, Collin! A beautiful time!” I’m sure it was.

That’s also how I’ve been describing THC edibles and the current state of Delta-9 regulation in Wisconsin to anyone who will listen: a beautiful time, but one that won’t last long. Regulation is coming.

Right now, we’re tracking only one proposal, but it’s a big one. Wisconsin legislators have floated expanding the…
Continue Reading Don’t Choke on Your Brownie: Delta Derivative Changes Proposed

Ferrara Candy Company, the maker of Nerds, recently filed a lawsuit against the maker of Dweebs candy. What looks like a quirky fight between two playful names is actually a cautionary tale for startups and small businesses building their brands.

Ferrara has spent decades growing Nerds into a cultural touchstone. In 2024 alone, sales topped $870 million in the United States. To protect that investment, Ferrara holds trademarks on the Nerds name, the irregular pebble shape of the candy,…
Continue Reading Trademark Trouble in Candyland: Lessons for Growing Brands from Nerds vs. Dweebs

This post is the second part in a series on Minnesota Paid Leave. Feel free to check out Part 1. The previous post talked about who qualifies for Minnesota Paid Leave. This post focuses on the types of leave available to those who qualify. The leave types essentially break down into two separate buckets: Medical Leave and Family Leave. 

Medical Leave generally applies in situations where an employee is seeking leave for their own medical condition that leaves…
Continue Reading Minnesota Paid Leave: What are the Different Types of Leave? 

Never a dull moment! While enforcement of the nicotine vape ban begins September 1, 2025, hemp vapes get a one-year reprieve, with enforcement delayed until September 1, 2026. More information from the Department of Revenue (DOR) is below:

Manufacturers must certify their devices to the department by July 1, 2025, except manufacturers of an electronic vaping device that contains hemp, as defined in sec. 94.55(1), Wis. Stats., and does not contain nicotine (hemp device) must certify such device no…
Continue Reading Puff, Puff… Pause: Hemp Vape Rules on Hold Until 2026

Sean McArthur has joined the OG+S team as a law clerk. He brings a background in regulatory compliance, pharmaceutical operations, and surgical hospital administration—plus a flair for storytelling that somehow makes even clinical protocols read like character arcs. He’s proving to be that kind of person that has the kind of unshakeable curiosity that makes law school fun (yes, really).

Before law school, Sean worked at Alkermes and Jazz Pharmaceuticals, where he dove deep into the world of 21…
Continue Reading Say Hello to Our New Law Clerk!

We here at OG+S love being practical (and let’s face it, we also have a big dose of whimsy). While we love big ideas, we love it even more when we can help make big ideas actually happen. To use a patent term, we love to help reduce it to practice. That’s why we are thrilled to have Theresa Gresl join us as an “Of Counsel” patent attorney!

What does “Of Counsel” mean? Well, for us, it means that she…
Continue Reading Introducing Theresa Gresl, Of Counsel

We at OG+S are very proud of our administrative assistant, Carter Rickard. He just graduated from high school! We celebrated by making him write a blog post about it. Here is Carter telling us about the closing of one chapter and opening of another in his life’s story. Thanks for reading, Erin.

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Walking across the stage can be intimidating. Making sure that you are not walking too fast, that you stop and wait five seconds so your…
Continue Reading Graduation and What the Future Holds