When building a business, protecting your brand identity is essential. Two key legal tools for this protection are trademarks and service marks. While both serve to protect the uniqueness of your brand, they apply to different aspects of commerce. Understanding the distinction between the two can help you properly protect your intellectual property and avoid potential legal issues. Trademarks (TM) …
A trademark is a form of intellectual property that helps distinguish a business’s goods or services from those of others. Trademarks can be words, phrases, symbols, designs, or a combination of these elements that represent a brand. Trademarks provide legal protection, helping business owners ensure that only they have the exclusive right to use the mark in connection with their …
On February 27, 2025, FinCEN released a significant notice regarding the enforcement of Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) filing under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). The agency indicated that it will not enforce fines, penalties, or enforcement against companies for failing to file or update BOI reports (BOIR) by current deadlines. What This Means for Businesses If your business qualifies for BOI reporting under Corporate …
Businesses subject to the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) must now report Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) to FinCEN by March 21, 2025—an extension from the previous deadline. Key Updates January 7, 2025: A court ruling paused BOI reporting requirements. February 18, 2025: The stay was lifted, reinstating the requirements. FinCEN extended the compliance deadline to March 21, 2025 to allow businesses …
On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law new legislation expanding the protections of nursing mothers, known as the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections Act for Nursing Mothers Act (“PUMP Act”). The PUMP Act is intended to enhance existing lactation and pumping protections and close some gaps for workers who were previously left uncovered in 2010 when the Breaktime for …
On December 3, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas declared the Corporate Transparency Act unenforceable and issued a nationwide preliminary injunction,[1] which effectively blocks the law from going into effect. As a reminder, the CTA was signed into law in 2023 and was scheduled to take effect in 2024. The law was enacted as part …
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently issued a new final rule prohibiting all employers from enforcing non-compete agreements against their employees. A non-compete agreement essentially bans a worker from moving to another employer within the same industry for a set period of time, citing the employer’s privacy and competition concerns. Workers have long protested the agreements, citing that they …
Wow—15 years! It’s hard to believe that Rincker Law has been serving clients for a decade and a half. And in true fashion, I realized that I never even did a 10-year anniversary blog! But life moves fast when you’re dedicated to building a business, serving clients, writing books, launching podcasts, and, of course, becoming a mother. To mark this …
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) implemented a new final rule prohibiting employers from enforcing non-compete agreements against employees. A non-compete agreement essentially bans a worker from moving to another employer within the same industry for a set period of time, citing the employer’s privacy and competition concerns. Non-compete agreements have traditionally restricted employee mobility by preventing workers from joining competing …
Rincker Law, PLLC is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in Illinois, Connecticut, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. Our firm is dedicated to providing exceptional legal services to help individuals, who are part of families, to strengthen our communities. We believe strong families, especially agriculture families, strengthen our communities. And we love our communities. That is what …
We are thrilled to introduce Chelsea Jannereth as the newest Associate Attorney at Rincker Law, PLLC in our Champaign office! Chelsea joins us with a wealth of experience in family law and civil litigation, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her as part of our team. Chelsea has a passion for collaborative law and mediation, which perfectly aligns …
We are excited to shine the spotlight on Linda Gibson, a valued member of our team at Rincker Law, PLLC in Champaign, Illinois. As a skilled paralegal, Linda brings years of expertise and dedication to our firm, supporting our attorneys in managing complex legal cases across various practice areas, including guardianships. Linda’s journey in the legal field has been marked …