Copyright
Using stock photos legally: common mistakes to avoid
April 22, 2026
Royalty-free does not mean free. A short field guide to licensing pitfalls businesses encounter when using stock photography on marketing materials and websites.
Insights & Articles
Articles on intellectual-property practice.
Plain-English writing on patent, trademark, copyright, trade-secret, and IP-litigation matters · written by the attorneys who practice them.
Practice · Featured
How to choose an intellectual-property attorney in Dallas
April 24, 2026
Practical criteria for selecting IP counsel in the DFW metroplex · what credentials matter, what questions to ask on a first call, and what specific commitments distinguish a serious patent practice.
More Articles
Patent
How to file a U.S. patent application
April 13, 2026
A step-by-step overview of the U.S. utility patent application process: prior-art search, drafting strategy, USPTO filing, examination, and the path from filing to grant.
Patent
A complete guide to filing a patent
February 10, 2026
From provisional application to issued claim · the decisions an inventor will make at each stage, the costs to budget for, and the strategy questions that affect every later step.
Patent
How much does a patent cost in 2026?
March 30, 2026
Realistic cost ranges for utility, design, and provisional applications, including USPTO fees, drawing costs, attorney time, and the ongoing cost of office-action responses and continuations.
Trademark
How to trademark your business name
March 30, 2026
When you should file federally, when state registration is enough, and how to draft an application that does not get refused for descriptiveness or likelihood of confusion.
Trade Secret
Safeguarding and protecting trade secrets
March 30, 2026
The reasonable-measures showing every business must make to qualify for trade-secret protection · and the most common failure modes that defeat claims in court.
Patent
The patent-pending process explained
October 14, 2025
What 'patent pending' actually means, what rights it confers (and doesn't), and how the provisional application creates a twelve-month window to file the full utility application.
Enforcement
When and how to send a cease-and-desist letter
August 28, 2025
Cease-and-desist letters as a strategic tool: when they work, when they backfire, and what the recipient is likely to do with one.
Trademark
How to trademark a logo
August 7, 2025
Logos can be protected as both trademark and copyright, and the firm typically pursues both. A short explanation of how the two protections work together.
Patent
Determining whether your invention is patentable
August 21, 2025
The three statutory tests every invention must pass · patent-eligible subject matter, novelty, and non-obviousness · and the practical questions inventors should answer before filing.
Patent
Why you need a provisional patent application
September 17, 2025
The provisional application as a strategic tool: priority-date protection, the twelve-month conversion window, and the budgetary advantages of staging filings.