DBA vs. Legal Business Name: When a Filing Protects Your Brand and Bank Account
File a DBA to bank and bill under your brand name — it links the trade name to your legal owner, and the IRS lists it as your EIN's trade name.
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Legal
Legal considerations for business finance and accounting compliance
DBA vs. Trademark vs. LLC Name: What Actually Protects Your Business Name
Only a trademark stops copycats: a DBA grants zero exclusive rights, and an LLC name only blocks same-named entities in your state.
Midterms Are Weeks Away: What Your 501(c)(4) Can and Can't Do in an Election
A 501(c)(4) may electioneer only while politics stays under half its effort, per IRS rules — and political spending triggers 21% tax via Form 1120-POL.
Someone Used Your Photo Without Paying. Federal Court Costs a Fortune — This Online Tribunal Hears Claims Up to $30,000
The Copyright Claims Board hears copyright claims up to $30,000 entirely online for $100 in fees — but you need a registration application to file.
One Trademark Application, 130-Plus Countries: How the Madrid Protocol Takes Your Brand Global
The Madrid Protocol lets one USPTO-based application seek trademark protection in 130-plus countries — but for five years, everything depends on the US filing.
Accounting Software for Law Firms in 2026: Clio vs. CosmoLex vs. MyCase (and When a QuickBooks Pairing Still Wins)
CosmoLex owns the trust ledger, Clio owns integrations, MyCase owns simplicity — firms already on QuickBooks should pair it with a legal layer.
Running a Lobbying Firm: Registration Thresholds, Quarterly Reporting, and the Fee Agreements That Can Void Your Contract
Federal lobbying firms must register within 45 days once a client's quarterly income tops $3,500 — then LD-2 reports publish that revenue every quarter.
Copyright Registration for Creators and Small Businesses: How a $45 Filing Unlocks Statutory Damages, and How to Register
Register your U.S. copyright before infringement or within 3 months of publication to unlock statutory damages up to $150,000 per work plus attorney's fees.
Delaware's SB 21 Is Now Settled Law: What Narrowed Shareholder Inspection Rights Mean for Your Funded Startup
Delaware's high court upheld SB 21: shareholder inspections now cover only formal records — minutes, board materials, financials. What founders must do.
You Just Got a Cease-and-Desist Letter: What to Do in the First 48 Hours
A cease-and-desist letter is not a court order. Verify the claim, preserve evidence, and reply on your timeline; silence or a hasty apology can cost you.
Can You Run a Credit Check on Job Applicants? State Bans and FCRA Rules for Small Employers
Eleven US states now bar most employer credit checks. Where they stay legal, the FCRA requires written disclosure, consent and adverse action notices.
The Shotgun Clause in Your Operating Agreement: How a Texas Shootout Breaks a 50/50 Deadlock
A shotgun clause lets one 50/50 LLC member name a buyout price the other must accept or match — a fast deadlock exit, if you avoid the valuation traps.