News & Insights
Blog & Case Law
Practical guidance and legal analysis from Twisdale Law, PC on trademarks, patents, copyrights, AI, and business law.
Plant Patents: Protecting New Plant Varieties Under U.S. Law
How plant patents protect new asexually reproduced plant varieties under 35 U.S.C. § 161: what qualifies, the application process, and enforcement.
Understanding the Differences Between an S Corporation and a C Corporation
S corporation vs. C corporation: state-law structure, tax treatment, S corp eligibility rules, and when a C corporation is the better choice.
When Reaction Goes Too Far? Ethan Klein's Lawsuits Against Kaceytron and Denims
Two newly filed copyright lawsuits over full-length reaction streams could reshape how courts evaluate fair use for streamers and reaction content.
Understanding the South Carolina Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act
South Carolina's Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act: who must register, exemptions, professional fundraiser rules, disclosures, and penalties.
The Patent Application Process
An overview of the U.S. patent application process in five steps, from preparing your application to working with the USPTO through examination.
Navigating Mergers in South Carolina
South Carolina mergers explained: eligible entities, the plan of merger, parent-subsidiary rules, articles of merger, nonprofits, and real property.
Dissolving a Nonprofit Corporation in South Carolina
How to dissolve a South Carolina nonprofit: Articles of Dissolution, asset transfers, Attorney General approval, and practical considerations.
What Is a Patent? A Plain-English Guide for Small Businesses and Inventors
A plain-English guide to patents for inventors and small businesses: what a patent is, the rights it gives, types of patents, requirements, and timing.
How to Establish a Nonprofit in South Carolina
How to form a nonprofit in South Carolina: Articles of Incorporation, tax-exempt status, bylaws, practical steps, and ongoing compliance obligations.
Understanding the Difference Between a Corporate Name and Trade Name
Corporate name vs. trade name (DBA): what each does, why incorporating doesn't give you trademark rights, and how to protect your business name.
Understanding the Business Acquisition Process: A Guide for Business Owners
The four main stages of buying or selling a business: initial discussions, term sheets and LOIs, due diligence, and signing the definitive agreement.
Part 6 – Critical Importance of Proper Equipment Cleaning Series: Concluding Thoughts on Ensuring Safety Through Proper Equipment Cleaning
Part 6: concluding the series on shared-equipment cleaning, with the legal and financial stakes and proactive measures to protect users and companies.
Part 5 – Critical Importance of Proper Equipment Cleaning Series: Steps for Companies to Mitigate Risks
Part 5: lessons from Stahle v. CTS Corp. and practical steps companies can take to reduce liability from contaminated shared equipment.
Foreign Corporations Entering South Carolina
Should your business register as a foreign entity in South Carolina? What counts as transacting business, exemptions, and the cost of not registering.
Understanding Foreign Corporations in North Carolina: Registration, Compliance, and Legal Consequences
Doing business in North Carolina as an out-of-state company: the Certificate of Authority, what counts as transacting business, and the consequences.
Part 4 – Critical Importance of Proper Equipment Cleaning Series: Cleaning Gym Equipment
Part 4: what Young v. Olympus means for gym owners and other operators of shared equipment, and how product-liability tests apply to cleaning.
Transacting Business in Tennessee as a Foreign Corporation: Legal Requirements and Consequences of Noncompliance
When an out-of-state corporation needs a Tennessee certificate of authority, what counts as transacting business, and the penalties for noncompliance.
Part 3 – Critical Importance of Proper Equipment Cleaning Series: VR Industry
Part 3: shared VR headsets in commercial settings, disease-transmission risk, and the liability exposure for operators who skip proper disinfection.
Municipal Trademarks: How Cities Are Using the USPTO to Protect Their Brands
Why cities register trademarks with the USPTO, real municipal examples, whether governments can register marks, and how city marks are challenged.
The Thaler v. Perlmutter Decision: What It Means for AI, Copyright, and Your Business
The D.C. Circuit reaffirmed that AI-generated works, on their own, are not eligible for copyright protection under current U.S. law — here's what that means if your business uses AI tools.
Part 2 – Critical Importance of Proper Equipment Cleaning Series: Extending the Health Risks to Other Devices
Part 2: how contamination risks extend to VR headsets, fitness equipment, and office tools, and why businesses with shared devices should care.
Understanding Trademark Office Actions: How to Address an Improper Description of Your Mark
Got a USPTO Office Action for an improper description of your mark? What it means, a real example, what happens if you don't respond, and how to fix it.
Part 1 – Critical Importance of Proper Equipment Cleaning Series: Lessons from Duodenoscopes
Part 1: what duodenoscope infection cases teach companies about the legal and financial risk of improperly cleaned shared equipment.
Supreme Court Overrules Fourth Circuit on Lanham Act Profit Disgorgement
Dewberry Group, Inc. v. Dewberry Engineers Inc. limits recovery of profits in trademark infringement cases and reinforces corporate separateness — here's what it means for your business.
Forming and Operating a North Carolina Limited Liability Company (LLC): A Comprehensive Guide
Forming an LLC in North Carolina: naming, Articles of Organization, registered agents, operating agreements, and ongoing compliance requirements.
Setting Up an LLC in South Carolina
Creating an LLC in South Carolina is a straightforward process that provides liability protection and a flexible management structure — here's how to get started.
Forming and Operating a South Carolina Limited Liability Company (LLC): A Step-by-Step Guide
Step-by-step guide to forming a South Carolina LLC: name rules, Articles of Organization, agent for service, operating agreements, and SC LLC taxes.
Forming and Operating a Tennessee Limited Liability Company (LLC): A Comprehensive Guide
Forming a Tennessee LLC: choosing a name, filing Articles of Organization, registered agents, operating agreements, annual report fees, and compliance.
Tennessee Trademark Laws
How Tennessee trademark registration works: eligibility, the filing process, specimens, renewal, assignments, and enforcement under Tennessee law.
How to Challenge a Pending Trademark Application
A letter of protest lets a trademark holder submit evidence to the USPTO before a conflicting mark is approved — a cost-effective alternative to formal opposition proceedings.
The Importance of Trademark Registration: Federal vs. State Options
Federal or state trademark registration? The risks of skipping federal registration, when a state mark makes sense, and how to choose for your business.
Understanding Trademarks
What trademarks and service marks are, why they matter, and when and how to register one to protect your brand. A plain guide from Twisdale Law, PC.
Setting Up an LLC in South Carolina
Creating an LLC in South Carolina is a straightforward process that provides liability protection and a flexible management structure — here's how to get started.
Supreme Court Overrules Fourth Circuit on Lanham Act Profit Disgorgement
Dewberry Group, Inc. v. Dewberry Engineers Inc. limits recovery of profits in trademark infringement cases and reinforces corporate separateness — here's what it means for your business.
The Thaler v. Perlmutter Decision: What It Means for AI, Copyright, and Your Business
The D.C. Circuit reaffirmed that AI-generated works, on their own, are not eligible for copyright protection under current U.S. law — here's what that means if your business uses AI tools.
When Reaction Goes Too Far? Ethan Klein's Lawsuits Against Kaceytron and Denims
Two newly filed copyright lawsuits over full-length reaction streams could reshape how courts evaluate fair use for streamers and reaction content.
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