Regulatory Compliance & Legal Risk Management

Regulatory compliance and risk management for technology companies — FTC enforcement, state regulators, sector-specific frameworks, and the operational systems that turn compliance into competitive advantage.

Practice Transitions

Selling Your Law Practice in Texas: Valuation, Client Transition, and Ethical Compliance

A practical guide for retiring Texas attorneys: valuation methods, TDRPC Rule 1.04 fee-sharing compliance, client notification under Rule 1.15, IOLTA trust account wind-down, and successor counsel arrangements.

EdTech

School District Vendor Agreements for EdTech Startups: Data Privacy, FERPA, and Contract Red Flags

A practical clause-by-clause walkthrough of K-12 school district vendor agreements for EdTech startups — FERPA school-official requirements, data protection addenda, state law flow-downs (SOPIPA, NY 2-d, TX SB 1792), indemnification, data deletion, and the red-line issues that block deals.

In-House Counsel

EU AI Act Compliance for US Companies: What In-House Counsel Must Do Now

The EU AI Act has extraterritorial reach under Article 2, meaning any US company whose AI outputs are used in the EU must comply with prohibited practices, GPAI transparency, conformity assessments, CE marking, and penalties before the deadlines hit.

Hardware Founders

Invention Assignment Agreements and Employer IP Risk: A Guide for Texas Hardware Founders

Texas hardware founders: invention assignment clauses, shop rights, Stanford v. Roche, and how to structure a clean IP break before incorporating or raising capital.

Game Studios

Game Platform Distribution Agreements: What Indie Studios Sign on Steam, Epic, Apple, and Google Play

Side-by-side comparison of revenue splits, exclusivity, IP license grants, takedown policies, and dispute resolution clauses across Steam, Epic, Apple, and Google Play — and what indie studios should check before signing.

Founders

TRAIGA Compliance: What Texas Companies Must Do Under HB 149 in 2026

TRAIGA took effect January 1, 2026. Here is what Texas companies developing or deploying AI must do under HB 149 to stay compliant with the Texas AG.

Health Tech

FDA AI Medical Device Regulation: A SaMD Compliance Guide for Health Tech Startups

Is your health tech AI FDA-regulated SaMD or exempt Clinical Decision Support? A practical guide to the CDS four-criteria test, PCCPs for iterative AI model updates, and 510(k) vs. De Novo vs. PMA pathway selection for 2026.

In-House Counsel

Colorado's AI Act Evolved: What SB 26-189 Requires From Developers and Deployers Before the 2027 Deadline

Colorado repealed SB 24-205 and replaced it with SB 26-189, a new ADMT framework effective January 1, 2027. Here's what developers and deployers must do now to prepare for AG enforcement.

Writers

Newsletter Legal Compliance for Writers: Sponsorship, Subscriptions, Copyright, and AI

Newsletter legal compliance for writers: FTC sponsorship disclosure, ROSCA auto-renewal, copyright ownership, AI-assisted writing, data privacy, and platform dependency risk on Substack and similar platforms.

In-House Counsel

SEC AI Disclosures in 10-K Filings: A 2026 Compliance Guide for In-House Counsel

A practical compliance guide for in-house counsel on SEC AI disclosure requirements in 10-K and 10-Q filings—covering Item 1 business descriptions, Item 1A risk factors, MD&A, SEC AI-washing enforcement actions, comment letter trends, and the Caremark board oversight intersection.

EdTech

When FERPA Meets AI: Student Data Privacy Compliance for EdTech Startups Training Models on Education Records

FERPA's 50-year-old education record definition meets AI model training. Here's how EdTech startups navigate FERPA, COPPA, SOPIPA, and Texas SB 1792 when training models on student data.

Hardware Founders

Neural Data Privacy: The New Compliance Frontier for BCI, Neurofeedback, and Neurotech Startups

Colorado, California, Montana, and Connecticut now classify neural data as sensitive. Here's what BCI, neurofeedback, and neurotech hardware startups must do to comply — consent, deletion, purpose limitation, and HIPAA interaction.

Founders

When AI Causes Harm: Product Liability, Tort Exposure, and Insurance Gaps Every Founder Must Understand in 2026

AI product liability is being tested in courts, codified in state AI laws, and excluded from standard insurance. Founders deploying AI face tort exposure — negligence, design defect, failure to warn, strict liability — that existing CGL and E&O policies may not cover.

Founders

Open Source License Compliance for Startups: What GPL, AGPL, and MIT Actually Require

GPL, AGPL, MIT, and Apache 2.0: what open-source licenses actually require, why AGPL is the 'toxic' license for SaaS startups, license compatibility pitfalls, attribution requirements, and how to prepare an SBOM for investor OSS due diligence.

In-House Counsel

AI Vendor Contract Requirements: A 2026 Due Diligence Checklist for In-House Counsel

A practical due diligence checklist for GCs contracting with AI vendors in 2026: IP indemnification gaps, training data provenance, model-update notification rights, DPA terms for AI training, liability allocation, and TRAIGA/EU AI Act deployer obligations.

DTC Brands

FTC Fake Reviews & Endorsement Compliance: A Checklist for DTC Brands

The FTC's 2024 Consumer Reviews Rule imposes civil penalties up to $51,744 per violation for fake reviews, undisclosed endorsements, and review suppression. Here's what DTC brands must do now.

Health Tech

Telehealth Licensure Across State Lines: A Founder's Guide to Interstate Compliance

Physicians must be licensed in each patient's state—not just your platform's home state. This guide covers IMLC, CPOM doctrine, DEA prescribing rules, and telehealth parity laws that determine where your digital health platform can operate.

Game Studios

Lootbox Regulation in 2026: A Compliance Checklist for Game Studios Under EU, UK, and US Law

Lootbox regulation in 2026: EU CPC microtransaction guidelines, UK ASA app store enforcement, Belgium/Netherlands gambling-law precedent, US state bills (NY A9044, WA), and platform odds-disclosure requirements. A practical compliance checklist for indie and mid-size game studios.

Practice Transitions

Selling Your Texas Law Practice: A Succession Planning Guide for Solo and Small-Firm Lawyers

Selling a Texas law practice requires understanding valuation methods, TDPC Rules 1.02 and 5.04 compliance, client transition protocols, and how AI adoption affects firm saleability in 2026.

Founders

AI Agent Legal Liability: Who Pays When Your Autonomous Tool Binds Your Company

When your AI agent signs a contract, issues a refund, or negotiates a deal, who bears the legal liability? Agency law, UETA, UCC Article 2, TRAIGA, and EU AI Act rules every founder deploying autonomous AI must know.

Law Firms

Evaluating AI Legal Research Tools: A Vendor and Ethics Compliance Guide for Solo and Small Firms

Practical vendor selection and ethics compliance guide for solo and small-firm attorneys evaluating AI legal research tools. Covers data handling, contract negotiation, output verification, and audit-ready workflow design under ABA Model Rules 1.1, 1.6, 1.4, and 5.3.

Founders

Independent Contractor Classification in Texas: How the 2024 DOL Rule Changes 1099 Hiring for Startups

The DOL's 2024 final rule replaced the 2020 IC rule with a six-factor economic reality test. Here's how Texas startups can protect IP, avoid FLSA misclassification liability, and draft contractor agreements that hold up under audit.

Founders

Data Breach Response for Startups: State Notification Timelines, FTC Enforcement, and Building an Incident Response Plan

Data breach response for startups: 50-state notification timelines, FTC Section 5 enforcement (including CEO personal liability), breach vs. incident distinctions, NIST incident response lifecycle, and cyber insurance AI exclusions.

Founders

Startup Stock Option Plans: A Founder's Guide to 409A, ISOs, and Vesting

Texas founders issuing stock options without 409A valuations risk a 20% IRS penalty tax on employees. Here is how to set up a compliant plan: 409A safe harbors, ISO vs. NSO tax treatment, $100K limit, vesting, acceleration, and board approval under Texas law.

Founders

Carbon Credit Contracts for Climate Tech Startups: Structuring Sales Agreements, Verification Standards, and IRA § 6418 Tax Credit Transfer Deals

Carbon credit sales agreements and IRA § 6418 tax credit transfers give climate tech startups two monetization channels — but contract structure, Verra VCS verification, IRS pre-filing registration, and buyer due diligence determine whether deals close. Here is how to structure both.