platzjuris

Passionate attorney with decades of experience in the business sector, leadership, and global relationships before entering the legal field.
IP Law / Litigation

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

After a long weekend, it is tempting to measure the time by what we accomplished.

But sometimes, the time best spent is the time spent pausing.

Rest is not the opposite of productivity. It is part of it. It is where creativity catches its breath, where judgment sharpens, and where human ingenuity quietly refuels.

The Memorial Day long weekend offered a moment to step back, reflect, and be grateful for the people who came before us, for the work we are privileged to do, and for the lives we are still building.

We cannot bring our best selves to our clients, our work, our families, or our communities if we never take the time to recharge.

Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is pause long enough to return with more clarity, more gratitude, and more purpose.

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

Looking forward to serving clients in the Great State of Texas!

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

PLATZ JURIS, PLLC continues to grow strategically, bringing experienced intellectual property, business, and litigation counsel to clients in Minnesota and beyond.

Grateful for the opportunity to expand our reach ... and excited for what’s ahead.

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

I’m standing here in Wichita, Kansas, known as the “Air Capital of the World.”

Behind me are two names that helped earn that title: Cessna and Beechcraft.

What fascinates me about these companies isn’t just aviation; it’s innovation protected by intellectual property law.

Cessna was founded in 1927 by Clyde Cessna, a farmer-turned-aviator who believed in all-metal aircraft construction at a time when many planes were still wood and fabric. That commitment to metal airframes became a defining innovation in general aviation.

Beechcraft, founded in 1932 by Walter and Olive Ann Beech, built a reputation for performance, durability, and executive aircraft - most famously, the Beechcraft Bonanza, introduced in 1947. The Bonanza’s distinctive V-tail design wasn’t just an aesthetic choice; it reflected aerodynamic engineering innovation that became one of the longest continuously produced aircraft designs in history.

Innovation alone does not build global aviation brands. Innovation, protected, does.

These companies relied on patents to protect engineering breakthroughs.
They relied on trademarks to build globally recognized brands like “Cessna,” “Beechcraft,” “Bonanza,” and “King Air.” They relied on trade secrets for manufacturing processes, tooling, and performance optimization.

Wichita grew because intellectual capital was turned into a protected commercial advantage.

That’s the story of American aviation. And it’s also the story of intellectual property law: turning ideas into protected assets.

For me, this moment is also personal. I’m proud to now be admitted to practice law in Kansas and in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. Kansas isn’t just flyover country. It’s the birthplace of aviation giants, and a powerful example of how protected innovation drives economic growth.

If you’re building something - whether it flies at 30,000 feet or lives in the digital economy - protect it! And let us at PLATZ JURIS, PLLC help you do that.

Let’s talk: [email protected]

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

A Happy, HEALTHY, and Fulfilling 2026! May you always find gratitude in the simplest pleasures and gifts of life 🥂🫶🏼

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

As 2025 comes to a close, we want to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude to our clients.

Thank you for placing your trust and confidence in PLATZ JURIS this year. It has been a privilege to advise, protect, and advocate for your businesses, brands, and creative work. We do not take lightly the responsibility that comes with being your legal partner, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve you.

Looking ahead to 2026, we are energized and excited. The coming year will bring expanded offerings, continued growth, and the same zealous, thoughtful, and business-minded advocacy you expect from us. We look forward to building, protecting, and advancing what matters most to you in the year ahead.

Thank you for being part of the PLATZ JURIS journey.

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving! 🍂🍁🫶🏼

[George F. Saad @gfsaad]

AI, Copyright, and the Global Business Risk Landscape

✍️Generative AI is rewriting the rules of intellectual property. But the problem? The world’s two largest economies don’t agree on how to treat AI-created works.

An excellent August 24 Financial Times opinion piece (thanks for sharing, @CBistany 🙏) by Barry Scannell highlights this divide:

🇺🇸In the U.S., only humans can be “authors.” Courts and the Copyright Office have made it clear: AI outputs (images, text, code, music) are not protected by copyright. That means AI-generated work could fall straight into the public domain.

🇨🇳In China, Courts (the Beijing Internet Court) have taken the opposite view. If a human meaningfully invests effort in prompting and refining outputs, the result can be copyright-protected.

The same AI-generated text, jingle, logo, or software module might be a valuable asset in China … but completely unprotected in the United States.

⚠️What does this mean for business?
AI-generated content can leak across borders with no protection. Investors and buyers may discount the value of AI-based businesses. Work-for-hire and IP assignment clauses may not capture AI outputs at all. M&A and licensing deals could be undermined by inconsistent rules.

💡The solution isn’t to avoid AI — it’s to rethink IP strategy.

🤔We offer the following questions to ponder: How can you treat AI outputs as trade secrets or confidential know-how? How can you draft smarter contracts that reflect this reality? How can you best combine copyright, trade secret, and trademark protections across jurisdictions? How can you tailor IP protection to each market where your business operates?

✅At @platzjuris, we help companies navigate this fractured global playing field. Whether you’re building AI tools, acquiring AI-heavy businesses, or expanding internationally, we’ll help ensure your intellectual property is protected where it matters most.

AI is reshaping authorship. The question for businesses is simple: are you protecting value, or leaving it exposed?

☎️Let's talk: [email protected]

#AI
#copyright
#intellectualproperty
#platzjuris

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

https://t.co/WKnBasdKGI

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

Is Your Team Using AI to Create Content? Here’s How to Stay on the Right Side of Copyright Law.

Generative AI tools are transforming how businesses create marketing content, product descriptions, graphics, and even code. But without the right guidelines in place, you could be unintentionally exposing your company to copyright infringement and intellectual property disputes.

Here are 5 essential tips to keep your business protected:

1.Set an AI Use Policy: Clearly define which tools are allowed and what types of content can be generated with AI.

2.Document Prompts and Outputs: Require teams to track what tools they use, what prompts they enter, and where the content ends up.

3.Flag High-Risk Content for Legal Review: Anything public-facing that’s generated by AI should be reviewed—especially if it looks or sounds like something that might already exist.

4.Train Your Team: Make sure your employees understand the copyright risks of using AI and the limits of “fair use.”

5.Update Contracts: Employment and contractor agreements should clearly address ownership of AI-generated content and liability for infringement.

At PLATZ JURIS, PLLC, we help content-driven companies put proactive IP strategies in place—before legal issues arise. We draft policies, conduct IP audits, train teams, and review contracts to help you innovate without crossing legal lines.

Let’s talk if your business is building with AI—and wants to do it responsibly. ⚖️

#GenerativeAI
#CopyrightLaw
#PlatzJuris

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

https://t.co/PBQUbK8xDp

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

AI, Copyright, and the Future of Creativity: A Tale of Two Cases & an Orgy of Algorithms https://t.co/6QwscnsSgw

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

THE ORIGINAL AMERICAN BRAND ♥️🤍💙

As an intellectual property firm with a passion for trademark law, we spend our days (and often nights!) thinking about the power of brands—how they’re built, how they’re protected, and most importantly, what they communicate.

This week, as we celebrate Independence Day in the United States, we’ve been reflecting on what may be the most iconic piece of American brand identity: the U.S. flag 🇺🇸

An extraordinary simplicity — 13 stripes, 50 stars, and a color palette that evokes courage, unity, and resilience. Simple in design, but extraordinary in recognition.

No ™ or ® needed.... yet few symbols carry as much weight, pride, or meaning globally.

The U.S. flag is more than a piece of fabric. It's a story, a set of ideals, a promise. It's been reinterpreted in art, used in protest, flown in war, raised in triumph, and stitched onto everything from uniforms to spacecraft. Its power isn’t in the image alone, but in the identity it evokes. In branding, we call that 'emotional equity'. And no matter where you fall on the spectrum of politics or policy, there’s no denying that the American flag is one of the most enduring and influential "brands" the world has ever known.

As a firm that helps businesses protect and grow their own identities, it’s a reminder: the best brands aren’t just recognizable—they're resonant!

Happy 4th of July 🇺🇸

#IntellectualProperty
#TrademarkLaw
#BrandIdentity
#PlatzJuris

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

Is your “secret sauce” simmering in someone else’s kitchen? 👀
https://t.co/xtFwJ99NL8

[George F. Saad @gfsaad]

From Pharaohs to Frappuccinos: The Surprisingly Ancient Origins of Trademarks

Before Nike had a swoosh…
Before McDonald’s had golden arches…
Before lawyers had to draft cease-and-desist letters over anything remotely confusing…

…there were potters in ancient Mesopotamia stamping their clay jars with personal symbols.

Yes—trademarks are that old.

As early as 3,000 BCE, artisans in Egypt and Mesopotamia were branding their goods (literally)—not with catchy slogans, but with marks carved into pottery, bricks, and textiles to say: “Hey! I made this. Tell your friends.”

Fast-forward to 13th century England, and King Henry III required bakers to stamp their bread with a unique symbol—so you’d know who to thank (or blame) for that soggy sourdough. That was in 1266, and it’s considered one of the first trademark laws in recorded history.

Meanwhile, Roman blacksmiths, medieval goldsmiths, and guild members across Europe were stamping their work with personal emblems to build trust, prevent counterfeits, and signal quality. Basically, trademarks were the Yelp reviews of the ancient world.

Today, trademarks are part of a complex legal framework that protects everything from your logo to your product packaging. But at heart, it’s still the same idea: “This is mine. I stand by it.”

As the founder of PLATZ JURIS, PLLC, I find it inspiring that the instinct to protect one’s brand is truly timeless.

Whether you’re an artisan in ancient Babylon or a startup in Phoenix, your name, your reputation, and your identity matter.

That’s why I love helping creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses safeguard what they’ve built—just like craftsmen did thousands of years ago.

Your brand has roots. Let’s protect them.
https://t.co/hhFjCszDmI

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

Saying So Much Without Uttering a Word

A great logo doesn’t just represent a company—it embodies it. And often, the most powerful part of that logo isn’t the name. It’s the symbol, the icon, the mark that—without a single word—instantly triggers recognition, trust, and emotion. Think of the swoosh, the apple, the golden arches. These icons are not just designs—they're global shorthand for entire brand experiences.

But such meaning isn’t accidental. Companies invest enormous time, talent, and resources in crafting the perfect logo. Then comes the real work: living up to it. Through consistent, exceptional service and high-quality products, that icon becomes more than art—it becomes identity.

Because of that deep investment and meaning, protecting the logo becomes non-negotiable. Not just in the country of origin, but everywhere the company operates—or might operate. Copycats and pirates are relentless, and global enforcement of trademark rights is crucial to preserving brand value and consumer trust.

That’s why companies must be proactive in their intellectual property strategies. It’s not enough to have a logo and a hope. Businesses need clearly defined internal brand guidelines, strong external enforcement policies, and global trademark strategies that anticipate growth and expansion.

At PLATZ JURIS, we help companies identify, strengthen, and protect what makes them unique. From logo clearance and registration to global enforcement and IP audits, we work with businesses to build brand strategies that last.

If your logo says so much, make sure it’s speaking from a place of strength. Contact PLATZ JURIS today to protect your identity before someone else tries to claim it.

#IntellectualProperty
#BrandProtection
#Trademarks
#Logos
#IPStrategy
#PLATZJURIS

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

Can You Keep a Secret??

Sometimes, the best protection for your most valuable intellectual property is to keep it secret.

Trade secrets are often the lifeblood of a business—proprietary information that gives you a competitive edge. It might be your client list, your pricing model, your manufacturing process, or even the recipe to your signature product (Coca-Cola, anyone?). But here's the catch: a trade secret is only a secret if it's treated like one.

Contrary to what the name might suggest, keeping a trade secret isn’t as simple as locking up a file or asking employees to “keep quiet.” In the real world, you're rarely the only keeper of the secret. Employees, vendors, consultants, and sometimes even customers may come into contact with sensitive information. The more people involved, the greater the risk—and the more critical it becomes to implement a comprehensive protection strategy.
Effective trade secret protection isn't a one-time task. It's a culture.
It’s embedded in:
How you onboard new hires.
The confidentiality agreements you use (and enforce).
Your internal access controls and data policies.
How you handle remote work, contractors, and cloud-based platforms.
Your HR and exit interview processes.

Federal and state laws—such as the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) and the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA)—offer powerful remedies when misappropriation occurs. But to take advantage of those protections, your business must show that it took reasonable measures to keep the information confidential in the first place.

Neglecting to protect trade secrets effectively is, in essence, handing your competitive advantage to someone else.

If you're not sure whether your trade secrets are truly secure, it might be time for a review. Trade secret audits are one of the most overlooked forms of intellectual property protection—and often the most valuable.
Want to keep your secrets safe? Let’s talk. Message us privately here on LinkedIn. We’ll keep our conversation secret 😉

#TradeSecrets #IntellectualProperty #IPProtection #BusinessStrategy #Startups

[platzjuris @platzjuris]

Check out my latest article: Why I Chose Intellectual Property—and the Courtroom https://t.co/cAAxYPjvHy via @LinkedIn