April 11, 2026
Trademark Attorney vs. Online Filing Services
Filing a trademark looks simple on the surface. You pick a name, fill out some forms, pay a fee, and wait. That is the version you see in ads for online filing services. And to be…
Surge Business Law
Learn
Business guides, webinars, and newsletters from Surge Business Law.
April 11, 2026
Trademark for Startup Founders | Surge Business Law
You have spent months picking the perfect name. You bought the domain. You designed the logo. You started building a customer base. Then one morning, an attorney's letter lands in…
April 7, 2026
Protect Your LLC: Operating Agreement Provisions for Absent Partners
You and your business partner are excited. You have a great idea, complementary skills, and big plans. The last thing on your mind is what happens if one of you stops showing up.…
April 7, 2026
Absentee LLC Member? Your Legal Options for Dealing with an Inactive Partner
You started a business with someone you trusted. You split the work, pooled your money, and filed the LLC paperwork together. Then, somewhere along the way, your partner stopped s…
April 7, 2026
AI in HR: How Automated Tools Create Pregnancy Discrimination Risk
AI tools are showing up in every part of the hiring and management process. Resume screeners, scheduling algorithms, performance scoring systems, and attendance trackers all promi…
April 7, 2026
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: Employer Guide
If your business has 15 or more employees, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) applies to you. It took effect in June 2023, and the EEOC finalized its regulations in 2024. Th…
April 7, 2026
The First 72 Hours After a Data Breach: A Business Owner's Guide
You just found out that your business data has been compromised. Customer records, employee information, financial data. Something got out. Your stomach drops. Now what? The next…
April 7, 2026
Cybersecurity Compliance for Small Businesses: What You Actually Need
If you run a small business that handles customer data, credit card numbers, or health records, you have legal obligations around cybersecurity. The size of your company does not…
April 7, 2026
Shadow AI Is a Legal Risk for Your Business, Not Just an IT Problem
Your employees are probably using AI tools right now. They are pasting customer data into ChatGPT, running financial projections through free AI apps, and summarizing client commu…
April 7, 2026
Data Breach Law: What Small Businesses Must Know
If your business collects customer names, Social Security numbers, credit card data, or even login credentials, you are holding information that state law requires you to protect.…
April 7, 2026
Texas Business License Requirements for Small Businesses (2026)
Here is the most important thing to understand about starting a business in Texas: forming your LLC or corporation with the Secretary of State does not mean you are fully licensed…
April 6, 2026
Adding a Co-Owner to Your LLC? What to Know First
Adding a co-owner to your LLC can be one of the best things you ever do for your business. A strong partner brings capital, skills, and shared responsibility. But it can also be o…
March 20, 2026
Trademark Class 44: Medical, Beauty & Agricultural Services
When you build a brand around a medical practice, a beauty salon, or an agricultural consulting service, that brand deserves the same legal protection as any other business asset.…
March 20, 2026
Trademark Class 33: Wine, Spirits & Alcoholic Beverages
If you produce wine, craft spirits, whiskey, vodka, gin, rum, tequila, liqueur, or alcoholic cocktail mixers, your brand name and label design are business assets worth protecting…
March 20, 2026
Trademark Class 35: Business Services, Advertising & Retail
When you file a federal trademark application, one of the most consequential decisions you make is choosing the right class of goods or services. International Class 35 is one of…
March 20, 2026
Trademark Class 43: Restaurants, Bars, and Food Service
You have built something worth protecting. Maybe it is a barbecue joint in Austin that has a line out the door on Saturdays. Maybe it is a supper club outside Des Moines that has…
March 20, 2026
Federal vs. State Trademark: Which Does Your Business Need?
You have built your brand from scratch. The name on your sign, your logo, the way customers recognize you on sight. Now someone else is using it, or could start tomorrow. What sto…
March 20, 2026
How to Trademark Your Business Name, Logo, or Slogan
You have built something worth protecting. Your business name, logo, or slogan is not just a label. It is the shorthand for every good experience a customer has had with you. When…
March 20, 2026
Trademark Class 25: Clothing, Apparel & Footwear Brands
If you sell branded clothing, footwear, or headwear, your trademark application will almost certainly live in International Class 25. Getting the class right from the start matter…
March 20, 2026
Trademark Class 29: Food, Meat, Dairy and Eggs
If you produce meat, dairy, eggs, canned goods, or specialty food products, your brand name deserves protection. International Class 29 is the trademark category that covers most…
March 20, 2026
Trademark Class 30: Coffee, Baked Goods, and Spices
What Is International Class 30? When you apply to register a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, you have to identify which class of goods or services yo…
Page 1 of 11
Next
AI (1)
Business (158)
Business Compliance & Operations (4)
Business Contracts & Agreements (11)
Business Formation & Startup (7)
Business Funding (15)
Starting a Business (27)
Starting a Business (30)
Business Litigation & Disputes (2)
Business Strategy & Growth (2)
Buying or Selling a Business (25)
Contracts (14)
Employees and HR (24)
Goals (6)
Intellectual Property (30)
Franchises (1)
Intellectual Property & Trademarks (1)
Trademark Classes (6)
Trademarks (13)
Legal Issues (87)
Newsletter (9)
Nonprofit (3)
Promotion and Marketing (9)
Real Estate (12)
Side Note (1)
Tax Issues (13)
Iowa (5)
Texas (4)
Uncategorized (4)
Webinar (2)