The Stock Market Looks Calm. Investors Are Anything But.
By The Financial Poise Editors • August 20, 2026Stocks look calm as earnings season winds down, but options trading shows investors swinging between fear of a selloff and fear of missing out.
The 2026 Direct-Listing Trap
How a low-friction path onto Nasdaq is handing retail investors 50%-plus first-day losses — and why no one is naming the pattern Editor’s Note: In the first eight months of 2026, a series of microcap companies bypassed the traditional IPO…
Read More »Lateral Partner Moves: What Lawyers Need to Know Before Changing Firms
A practical guide to LPQs, portable business, partnership agreements, fiduciary duties, and negotiating a lateral move without creating avoidable problems. The lateral partner market continues to be robust, and it does not appear to be tapering off anytime soon. For…
Read More »Lying With Statistics: When Good Numbers Tell a Misleading Business Story
Here’s how businesses use averages, comparisons, surveys, and other statistics to make accurate numbers tell a misleading story.
Read More »Quick Starts to Popular Financial Poise Series:
Recent Articles
Stocks look calm as earnings season winds down, but options trading shows investors swinging between fear of a selloff and fear of missing out.
Investors Are Sitting on Cash. Wealth Managers Want it Moving.
By The Financial Poise Editors • August 18, 2026Individual investors are sitting on more than $3 trillion in retail money-market funds-- nearly a record high, according to the Investment Company Institute.
Gen Z Is Betting Money It Used to Invest
By The Financial Poise Editors • August 17, 2026Some pretty surprising stats came from a recent Betterment survey.
Are Target-Date Funds Playing It Too Safe?
By The Financial Poise Editors • August 17, 2026Target-date funds are a cornerstone of American retirement investing. But as Americans live longer, some experts are questioning whether these funds become too conservative too soon.
Tax Strategies for the Rich Are Going Mainstream. But Do They Work for Everyone?
By The Financial Poise Editors • August 16, 2026Stock trading and alternative assets have gone mainstream. Now, so too have the tax strategies once reserved for hedge funds and ultrawealthy families.
Having an AI Story Is No Longer Enough to Impress Investors
By The Financial Poise Editors • August 15, 2026Investors are increasingly rewarding companies that can show tangible results from their AI investments, and punishing those that can’t.
Can You Actually Get AI Out of Your Portfolio?
By The Financial Poise Editors • August 14, 2026Want less AI in your portfolio? It may be harder than you think.
What Can Situational Awareness’s Collapse Teach Investors?
By The Financial Poise Editors • August 14, 2026The fall of Situational Awareness was the talk of Wall Street last month after losing billions in days. Its founder was once hailed as an 'AI prodigy'.
Is Investing in a Franchise Worth It? A Buyer’s Guide to Due Diligence
By Amy Cai and Jonathan Friedland • August 6, 2026Franchises are often promoted as a safer way to own a business, but success can vary widely. Learn to spot 7 key warning signs hidden in the Franchise Disclosure Document…
Relying on AI To Screen Job Seekers? You Could Be Risking Damage to Your Brand
By Paul Brown • July 31, 2026Companies that handle candidates with a human touch are building trust, strengthening their reputation, and creating advocates for their brand.
The USPTO Ends Foreign Pro Se Patent Prosecution
By Adam Baker • July 29, 2026Any applicant or patent owner domiciled outside the U.S. will need a registered patent practitioner to file and respond to the USPTO.
EEOC Moves to End Demographic Reporting—But Employers Should Not Change Course Yet
By Guy Brenner and Laura M. Fant • July 24, 2026The EEOC has taken a significant step toward dismantling one of the federal government’s longest standing employment reporting requirements.
When Should a Prenup Be Revisited? Lessons From Litigation
By Julia Rodgers, Esq. • July 22, 2026Periodic reviews and full compliance with prenup terms can help couples avoid expensive litigation and ensure their prenup remains intact.
Unintentional Delay: USPTO Shortens Threshold for Additional Information Requirement
By Kelsey Wun • July 17, 2026In June the USPTO revised its practice of requiring additional information for certain petitions based on unintentional delay.
Can Hit Songs Make Good Investments? A Primer on Music Royalties
By Amy Cai and Jonathan Friedland • July 16, 2026Can a hit song generate income for decades? Investors think so. Here's how music royalties work, what the risks are, and how to value a music catalog.
Quantum Is Coming – Is Your Data Ready? What the New Quantum Executive Orders Mean for Your Business
By Natasha Allen and Peter Z. Stockburger and Kamyar Maserrat • July 13, 2026In June, the President signed two Executive Orders on quantum technology, representing the most significant federal action on quantum technology in years.
Establishing a Foundation for Successful Negotiations in Mediation
By Michele Schechter • July 9, 2026The strongest mediation outcomes are usually achieved by evaluating risks, selecting the right mediator, and preparing realistic settlement objectives.
Scaling the Bench: Financial Planning for Business Growth
By Chelsea M. Williams • July 9, 2026The businesses that scale without gutting their profits are the ones with the best financial visibility.
How to Get Buy-In for Your Next Big Idea
By Amy Cai and Jonathan Friedland • July 9, 2026Having a great idea is only half the battle. Learn the practical strategies to help you build your case-- before you even present your proposal.
Unlocking the Value of Intellectual Property Assets
By The Financial Poise Editors • July 8, 2026Intellectual property (IP) including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, offers businesses flexibility that few other assets can match.
Should HR Investigations Be Recorded? Privilege Risks in the Age of Teams and Zoom
By Jeffrey S. Kopp • July 7, 2026In most cases, organizations should treat ‘no recording’ as the default rule when privilege and litigation exposure are in play.
Are Luxury Watches Actually A Good Investment?
By Amy Cai and Jonathan Friedland • July 2, 2026Luxury watches can preserve wealth, but most aren't good investments. Here's how to differentiate between collectible hype and financial reality.
Mixing Exempt and Non-Exempt Work? Here’s What Employers Need to Know
By Stephanie Goldfeld and Jennifer M. Trulock • June 29, 2026Exempt status depends on the overall character of an employee’s job — not whether they occasionally perform non-exempt work.
Why Your Organization’s Culture May Be Stifling Creativity
By Amy Cai and Jonathan Friedland • June 25, 2026Nearly every company values innovation, but few create the conditions for creativity to thrive. Here’s why organizational culture is the biggest barrier to innovation, and how leaders can change it.
5 Strategies for Reinforcing Supply Chain Cybersecurity
By Samuel D. Goldstick and Lauren L. Hudon • June 24, 2026Technologies like AI and robotics deliver efficiencies, but also increase exposure to cyber threats, particularly within complex, global supply chains.
AI Governance Is Not Just a Policy Problem – Your Contracts Matter
By Kathryn M. Rattigan • June 22, 2026If you want to understand an organization’s AI governance posture, read its contracts.
Using Your Assets for Good: Incorporating Charitable Giving Into Your Financial or Estate Plan
By Rhonda Ducote and Megan Schwab • June 19, 2026Charitable giving is a rewarding process, but donors should be aware of the tax implications (and benefits) of each philanthropic approach.
A Checklist for Due Diligence When Hiring a Financial Advisor
By Amy Cai and Jonathan Friedland • June 18, 2026When it comes to vetting a financial advisor, Googling their name is not enough. Here’s a checklist of questions you need to ask and red flags to watch out for.
States Take Aim at AI in Employment Decisions: Illinois’s Disclosure and Anti-Discrimination Requirements, Enforcement Gaps Under NYC’s Local Law 144, and Connecticut’s New AI Law
By Jennie Cunningham and Amanda Witt • June 17, 2026As employers integrate AI into employment decisions, state and local regulators are accelerating efforts to impose transparency and accountability.
The Risk Landscape- Legal, Operational, and Ethical Risks in AI Vendor Engagements
By Mayukh Sircar • June 16, 2026Contracting with AI vendors requires a clear-eyed understanding of the risks at stake.
Reducing Legal Exposure When Managing Employee Performance Issues (US)
By Melissa Legault • June 12, 2026There are several practical steps employers can take to manage performance issues effectively while reducing legal exposure.
The Sequence of Return Risk: A Retirement Red Zone
By Amy Cai and Jonathan Friedland • June 11, 2026A market downturn just before you retire can do disproportionate damage to your retirement savings. Here’s what investors can do to protect themselves.
Loose Lips, Large Language Models: What Your NDA Is Missing in the Age of AI
By Chad J. Gottlieb • June 5, 2026Today, a vulnerability is emerging around the use of AI that most NDAs do not adequately cover, and that dealmakers have not fully considered.
What Makes a Great Manager?
By Amy Cai and Jonathan Friedland • June 4, 2026What actually separates great managers from average ones? Research has an answer – and isn’t their charisma, technical capabilities, or their time-management skills.
Risk Management Basics
By Michele Schechter • June 3, 2026Business owners spend a lot of time thinking about growth, but many companies fail because they overlook something less exciting: risk management.
The Valuation Gap: Why Litigation Demands a Different Model
By David Orth and Rob Stutz • June 1, 2026In litigation, valuation is not an academic exercise. It is evidence under attack.
The Cyber Brief: What Every Board Needs to Know About Cyber Risk Oversight
By Ericka Johnson • May 29, 2026Cybersecurity is an enterprise risk that requires active Board?level oversight.
The Case for Investing in Climate Adaptation and Climate Migration
By Amy Cai and Jonathan Friedland • May 28, 2026The issue of climate change has been politically charged for years. Here we discuss the reasons for investing in climate adaptation and climate migration and some investments to consider if…
When Marriage Becomes a Business Liability: Lessons from Celebrity Divorce Battles
By Julia Rodgers, Esq. • May 26, 2026Whether it’s reputational spillover, financial exposure, or ownership risk, marriage can directly impact the value and control of a business.
Approaches to Green Investing
By The Financial Poise Editors • May 22, 2026For investors seeking to implement an environmentally conscious approach, it is important to understand several parallel investment strategies.
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