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Business and Professional Services

How to Draft a Texas Non-Compete Agreement for a Small Business in 2026 Under the FTC Rule Changes

June 28, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

Texas non-competes are enforceable in 2026 only if they satisfy the Texas Covenants Not to Compete Act—yet many will be functionally unusable if the FTC’s non-compete rule is in effect. Small businesses must draft with both Texas statutory requirements and fast-moving federal litigation risk in mind. This article explains how to structure a Texas non-compete […]

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Business Risk Management

How to Draft an Enforceable Non-Compete Agreement in Texas (2026 Update for Small Businesses)

June 28, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

Texas non-compete agreements are enforceable only if they are ancillary to an otherwise enforceable agreement and contain reasonable limits on time, geography, and scope under Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 15.50. Small businesses use them to protect customer relationships, confidential know-how, and key employees without risking an invalid, overbroad contract. This 2026 update explains […]

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Artificial Intelligence Rights

How to Enforce California’s AI Training Data Rights (CPRA) When Your Photos Were Scraped Without Consent

June 28, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

California consumers can demand AI companies stop using and delete unlawfully “shared” personal information—including photos—under the CPRA’s opt-out and deletion rights, enforced by the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) and the Attorney General. In Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and statewide, photographers and everyday users are discovering their images were scraped into AI training […]

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Blockchain Technology

How to Enforce Smart Contract Terms in New York Courts When the Code and Written Agreement Conflict

June 28, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

New York courts generally enforce the parties’ intent under traditional contract principles—even when a smart contract’s code behaves differently than the written agreement. In Manhattan and statewide, litigants typically frame “code vs. contract” disputes as interpretation, integration, mistake, or fraud issues rather than “blockchain law” novelties. This article explains how to plead and prove enforcement […]

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Banking and Financial Services

How to Resolve an Unauthorized ACH Withdrawal From Your Business Bank Account in Miami, Florida

June 28, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

[In Florida, a business may have as little as 24 hours under many bank deposit account agreements to report an unauthorized ACH debit. In Miami, unauthorized ACH withdrawals often arise from vendor “billing errors,” compromised credentials, or improper third‑party authorizations. This article explains the steps to reverse the debit, preserve evidence, meet bank deadlines, and […]

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Business Contracts

How to Enforce a Non-Compete Agreement in Texas After the 2021 Covenants Not to Compete Act Amendments

June 28, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

Texas employers can still enforce non-compete agreements, but only if the covenant is “ancillary to or part of” an otherwise enforceable agreement and is reasonable in time, geographic area, and scope under Texas Business & Commerce Code § 15.50. The 2021 amendments clarified key enforcement standards and strengthened courts’ ability to reform overbroad restrictions rather […]

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Business Data Protection

How to Comply with the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA) for B2B Customer Data in 2026

June 28, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

Texas’s TDPSA takes effect July 1, 2024 and can apply to B2B customer data depending on how you use it. In 2026, Texas businesses selling to other businesses still must evaluate whether their “consumer” data and “personal data” processing triggers TDPSA duties. This article explains coverage, B2B pitfalls, contracts, notices, security, and a practical 2026 […]

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Accident Compensation

How to Calculate Pain and Suffering Damages in a California Car Accident Settlement (2026 Guide)

June 28, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

In California car accident cases, pain and suffering damages are typically calculated using either a “multiplier” (often 1.5–5× medical specials) or a “per diem” daily rate, then adjusted for evidence and comparative fault. Insurers and juries use these frameworks to value non-economic harm like physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. This […]

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Business Litigation

How to File a Trade Secret Misappropriation Lawsuit Under the Illinois Trade Secrets Act in Chicago

June 27, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

Illinois trade secret claims in Chicago are commonly filed under the Illinois Trade Secrets Act (765 ILCS 1065) and may also proceed in federal court under the Defend Trade Secrets Act. In Cook County and the Northern District of Illinois, the earliest missteps—poor trade secret identification and weak confidentiality proof—often decide the case. This article […]

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Auto Safety & Accident Prevention

How to Prove a Driver Was Texting in a Car Accident Claim in Austin, Texas

June 27, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

Proving a driver was texting can significantly increase liability in an Austin crash claim because Texas law treats texting while driving as unlawful in many contexts and strong evidence can support negligence. In Austin and Travis County, the fastest path to proof usually comes from phone records, vehicle data, and eyewitness or video evidence. This […]

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Attorney Discipline and Bar Complaints

How to Respond to a California State Bar Complaint in 2026: Step-by-Step Timeline, Deadlines, and What to Include

June 27, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

If you receive a California State Bar complaint in 2026, you typically must submit a written response by the deadline stated in the notice—often 20 days. Missing that deadline can trigger additional discipline for failure to cooperate. This guide walks through a practical, step-by-step timeline, key deadlines, what to include, and common mistakes to avoid. […]

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Blended Family Issues

How to Update Your Estate Plan After Remarriage in Texas to Protect Children from a Prior Marriage

June 27, 2026 • By Jack Gilbert

Remarriage can unintentionally disinherit children from a prior marriage in Texas unless you update beneficiary designations, community property agreements, and your will/trust. Texas’s community property rules and default intestacy laws can shift wealth to a new spouse. This article explains the key estate-plan updates Texas parents should make to protect prior-marriage children after remarriage. Why […]

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