Recent reporting described tension between the U.S. Department of Defense and AI developer Anthropic over how advanced artificial intelligence systems could be used within defense environments. The episode did not result in litigation, but it highlights a broader issue: federal procurement frameworks are still catching up to the realities of modern AI technology. The Disagreement That Sparked the Discussion According to reports, the disagreement emerged during discussions abo

Many trademark problems don’t start in the legal department. They start in design, marketing, or social media. This is where a phrase that looks great but does not actually function as a trademark. Let's not do that. Here is now to use selected marks the best way for legal purposes. What Brand Managers Need to Know About “Failure to Function” in Trademarks Today, one of the fastest-growing reasons trademarks are refused or weakened is something called “failure to function.” A

For years, defense contractors have been told that the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)  is coming. Then it stalled. Then it returned in revised form. After enough false starts, it became easy to tune it out—just another compliance initiative perpetually on the horizon. That instinct is understandable. It is also increasingly risky. What actually changes in 2026 is not the existence of the rule, but its practical consequences. That is when some contractors—qu

Generative AI tools are now embedded in daily work across organizations. Employees use them to draft emails, memos, summarize documents, and brainstorm strategy. In many cases, that use happens casually and without consultation with legal. What feels like a productivity shortcut to an employee can look very different from the perspective of in-house counsel. The reality facing legal departments in 2026 is not whether employees are using AI tools in ways that conflict with com