As hinted in a previous blog post, here comes the first part in a series about Minnesota Paid Leave. As a quick recap, the State of Minnesota is in the process of rolling out a paid leave program, with benefits available starting January 1, 2026. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Develop (DEED) will administer a benefit program to Minnesota employees of Minnesota employers. The program will be funded from a payroll tax, similar to
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Latest from Ogden Glazer + Schaefer Interact
The Deal is in the Details
In any transaction, the spotlight usually shines on the main agreement. That’s where the negotiation happens, the signatures go, and the headlines get made.
But the real guts of the deal? They’re often found in the documents no one talks about.
Lien releases. Bills of sale. Assignments. Resolutions. Certificates. Notices.
These so-called ancillary documents may not get much attention, but they’re what make the deal enforceable, functional, and safe. They transfer ownership, clear title, allocate risk, and ensure everyone
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Code Breaking Business Entity Names
Many people choose to start running their business by just starting to do their thing. If it is by themselves, they are a sole proprietor. Lots of hairdressers do that. Get a chair, some scissors, and a whole lot of skill, and ta-da! A business! Some join with one or two others to start, and now we have a general partnership. In neither case do they have to inform the government that they are up and running (unless there
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We Can Try to Understand The New York Times’ Effect on AI
You can tell by the rise of generative AI that it has generated a lot of interesting operational and legal questions. To piggyback off my colleague, Fatimeh (see her posts here and here), I wanted to look in on a specific legal dispute involving AI and copyright.
Back in 2023, The New York Times (NYT) sued Microsoft and OpenAI over allegations of copyright infringement, digital millennium copyright act (DMCA) violations, unfair competition, and trademark dilution. In short, NYT
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If You’re Using AI in Your Business, Start Here
A lot of the businesses we work with are experimenting with AI tools – drafting content, summarizing data, even building internal workflows. And understandably so: these tools are accessible, affordable, and increasingly powerful.
But we’re also seeing a familiar pattern emerge. AI is easy to use, and just as easy to misuse.
If you’re a business owner or decision-maker navigating this terrain, here are a few questions worth considering. These aren’t meant to scare you off. Rather, they’re designed
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From LLC to C-Corp Without a Tax Hangover
If your startup began life as an LLC, you’re not alone. A lot of founders are told that starting as an LLC is “easier” or “cheaper.” That might be true on paper, but if you’re planning to raise venture capital (even eventually) it’s usually better to start as a C-Corporation.
Here’s one reason why: converting from an LLC to a C-Corp during a financing round can trigger a surprise tax bill if you’re not careful.
When a company converts
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The Null Hypothesis
You’ve probably heard the steps in the “Scientific Method.” There are lots of versions of it, but it boils down to this:
- Make an observation or two
- Form a hypothesis based on the observations
- Experiment to test the hypothesis
- Accept or reject the hypothesis
- Repeat
We hear it in business, too. And, I love it. I apply this all over life. New recipes, new driving routes, all sorts of things. It is not unusual to hear me grumble about
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Choosing Between Artists and the Algorithm
I’ve been thinking about the clash between generative AI and copyright law, particularly in light of OpenAI’s claim that restricting access to copyrighted material could end the AI race altogether.
It’s a provocative statement. But it’s also a false binary. Because we’ve been here before – at the edge of a new medium, a new method of creation. And time and again, copyright has stretched to meet the moment.
At its heart, this isn’t just a legal dilemma.
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The Corporate Transparency Act is Here (Not Really). Now It’s Off (Mostly)?
After a 4-week hiatus, I am back again with what are likely to be the final updates on the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) for a while (famous last words). For those of you tuning back in, this post relates to our firm’s series about the Corporate Transparency Act and Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting. Please follow the link here to see all our firm’s posts on this topic.
When I last posted about the CTA, I mentioned that the 5th
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Ownership Changes & Change of Control: Report to TTB Within 30 Days
If you’ve followed me on LinkedIn, you’ve probably seen me mention this before—but it’s worth repeating. Ownership changes can trigger serious reporting obligations with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), and missing a deadline here can cause real headaches.
What Should Be Done
For anyone listed on your federal permit—typically individuals with signature authority or at least a 10% ownership stake—any change to that person’s status should be reported to TTB within 30 days. This includes
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If In Doubt, Ask
We are seeing more and more scams related to trademarks. They are getting increasingly sophisticated. Please, please, please do not pay for anything over the phone. The USPTO never asks for money over the phone. The website is www.uspto.gov. It is the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”). Some of the scams say things like the United States Patent and Trademark Center. Please be careful. We post about this often, and yet it isn’t often enough. The scams
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The Shape of Our Work
Good form allows movement to be powerful and efficient. But form is just a shape, and the shape we take depends on what we need to do.
I think about this when I train. A lifter grips the bar with rigid structure to generate force. A dancer extends through the fingertips, creating length and fluidity. Both are precise. Both serve their function. They don’t move the same way because they don’t need to.
I think about this at my
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The Corporate Transparency Act is Here (Mostly). Now It’s Back On (For Now)?
After a 4-week hiatus (they keep getting shorter apparently), I am back again with more updates about the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) journey through federal court. For those of you tuning back in, this post relates to our firm’s series about the Corporate Transparency Act and Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting. Please follow the link here to see all our firm’s posts on this topic.
When I last posted about legal challenges to the Corporate Transparency Act in federal court
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Diversity is the Antidote for Competition
Long before I was a trademark nerd, I was a biology geek with the science degrees to prove it. Yes, I have read Darwin’s The Origin of Species – in my own free time at that. I also recently read Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne and The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Three very different books, but they each have a way shifting perspectives. All of them
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Build stress reduction into your routine
As a senior in high school, I must make a lot of decisions for the next steps in my life. The questions people always have for me these days are; “How is senior year going?” “Do you know what you want to do or where you want to go?” I always reply that I am ready to be done and move on to the next chapter in life! Or that I plan to go for political science, but I
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The Human Touch in Trademarking: Why Soft Skills Matter in a Digital Age
In today’s digital era, the world of intellectual property is evolving rapidly. With technology making the technical aspects of filing trademark applications more accessible than ever, it might seem like the process is becoming straightforward. And to a certain extent, it is. With user-friendly USPTO interfaces, AI-driven tools, and abundant resources, the barriers to entry are indeed lowering.
However, while the “how” of trademarking is becoming more accessible, the “why” and “what next” are where the true value of
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