Business guides, webinars, and newsletters from Surge Business Law.
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.…
If you are reading this, you are probably not researching a topic. You are in one. It usually looks like one of these: Your partner stopped working in the business months ago, sti…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
Yes, you can add an owner to an existing LLC. An LLC that started with one member can take on a second, a third, or an investor years later. The state filing, if one is needed at…
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.…
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…
When you file a federal trademark application, one of the most consequential decisions you make is choosing the right class of goods or services. Trademark Class 35, written on a…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
What Is International Class 41? When you apply to register a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you have to identify which class of goods or ser…
If you build software, develop apps, sell electronic hardware, or distribute downloadable content, your brand likely needs protection under International Class 9. This is one of t…