At first, it may not seem like a big deal. A meeting takes place without you. A decision gets made, and you hear about it afterward. Perhaps a vendor relationship changes, an employee is hired, a loan is taken out, or a significant business opportunity is pursued without your involvement. When you ask about it, […]
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The Business Owner’s Litigation Survival Guide: What To Do During the First 30 Days of a Lawsuit
Few events capture a business owner’s attention faster than being served with a lawsuit. One day, business is operating normally. The next day, a process server appears at the office, a Summons and Complaint arrives, and suddenly a dispute that may have been simmering in the background becomes very real. Questions begin piling up immediately. […]
Why Being Right Is Not Enough to Win a Business Lawsuit
One of the more difficult conversations we have with our business litigation clients is explaining that being right does not guarantee success. Most business owners approach litigation with an expectation that they should win. The business owner believes that they have every right to feel that way because, from their perspective, the facts are clear. […]
The Most Dangerous Words in a Business Dispute: “Trust Me”
Business disputes often begin long before anyone realizes there is a dispute. There will be no lawsuit, demand letter, or dramatic confrontation. Instead, the dispute will start with a simple conversation about why books are not ready and why a distribution is delayed. One of the partners will give vague answers about finances and take […]
Your Business Partner Just Hired a Lawyer—Should You Be Worried?
Over the years, we have seen many of our business owner clients experience the same reaction upon learning their business partner has hired a lawyer. There is panic and the immediate assumption that a lawsuit is coming. Further, the business owner begins replaying past conversations and wonders whether to hire a lawyer immediately, stop communicating, […]
The Business Owner’s Guide to Preserving Evidence Before It Disappears
We have learned in our practice that most business owner litigants do not lose important evidence because someone within the company intentionally destroyed it. Rather, more often than not, the business owner loses the evidence without realizing its importance in the first place. As the business dispute begins, tensions rise, and communication becomes strained. It […]
When Should a Business Owner Walk Away from Litigation?
Deciding when to stop fighting can be difficult. Business owners often find themselves making that determination regarding litigation. By the time a partnership dispute, shareholder action, or contract litigation begins, emotions are often running high. Money has already been spent, relationships have been significantly strained or deteriorated, and positions have hardened. Many business owners become […]
The Most Expensive Email or Text You Will Ever Send During a Business Dispute
Business owners often fail to recognize that they are creating adverse evidence against themselves while writing it. It usually starts with frustration. Emotions run high when a business partner you once trusted stops being transparent, or a client refuses to pay, or a vendor breaches an agreement. Leading you to send an email or text […]