John Di Giacomo

How long an online defamation case takes depends on deadlines, anonymous posters, anti-SLAPP motions, and how hard the other side fights. Here is what to expect at each stage.

When should a startup hire a lawyer? Earlier than most founders think. This stage-by-stage guide shows when to bring in an internet lawyer, from formation through fundraising and sale.

A customer’s public post is not permission to use it in your marketing. Here is how copyright, publicity rights, and the FTC’s endorsement and review rules apply to UGC.

You have 30 days after publication in the Official Gazette to oppose a trademark application at the TTAB. Here is who can oppose, the grounds, deadlines, fees, and how the case unfolds.

Before signing a copyright settlement agreement, check the release, payment and takedown terms, license scope, dismissal, and enforcement. Here is what to review.

Being threatened with the release of intimate images? Here is what the FBI and NCMEC advise, how to report and remove content, and the legal options available to victims.

Cease and desist letters are usually billed as a flat fee or hourly, and they are not court orders. Here is how to tell posturing from a real litigation threat, the risks of ignoring a letter, and what California’s anti-SLAPP law means for senders and recipients.

Google rarely removes news articles on request. Here is how publisher requests, Google’s Refresh Outdated Content and Results about you tools, legal removal requests and court orders actually work, and why the right to be forgotten and DMCA notices usually do not apply.

Defamation is almost always a civil matter, but some states still have criminal defamation laws. Learn which ones, the First Amendment limits, related crimes, and what to do if you are threatened with charges.

An FTC Civil Investigative Demand triggers short deadlines: a 14-day meet-and-confer and a 20-day window to petition to limit or quash. Here is how FTC investigations start, what the agency can demand, the protections available, and practical steps for online businesses.