Our lawyers for commercial litigation in Washington, DC from Brown Kiely, LLP have years of experience helping companies with various commercial litigation issues, like partnership disputes and shareholder issues. When you set up a consultation with a lawyer from our firm, we may ask you several questions to better understand your case and then determine the best way to proceed.
Common Types of Commercial Litigation Issues
No matter what type of business you own, there may come a time when another person or entity threatens your company’s reputation or finances. Dealing with a situation like this is never pleasant and may require professional assistance. The lawyers at Brown Kiely LLP may help protect your rights and build a strong case against the defendant. Let’s take a look at the common types of commercial litigation:
Breach of Contract
If a person or business signs a contract with your company but fails to fulfill certain obligations of that contract, you may have a right to initiate commercial litigation and bring forward a lawsuit. A lawyer may help you recover damages from a breach of contract, like nominal and punitive damages. Commercial litigation may include disputes over contracts regarding the sale of goods, service contracts, and distribution contracts. Whatever type of contract dispute your company is facing, the legal team of Brown Kiely LLP may be able to help.
Partnership Disputes
Commercial litigation lawyers businesses can count on may also be necessary in a partnership dispute. This dispute occurs when individuals who do business together want to part ways because of different goals. If you work with an experienced lawyer, he or she may help you get a fair settlement and ensure you do not get taken advantage of.
We can negotiate disputes between principals of all varied types of partnerships, including LLCs, closely held entities, board of directors, and venture capitalists. A commercial litigation attorney may also assist if there is a breach of fiduciary duty because one partner has violated his or her obligation to the company.
Trade Secret Disputes
A trade secret can be very valuable to a business because not many people know about it and it may provide an advantage over competition. However, if a trade secret is stolen by a person or another company, it may cost the business a lot of money. That is why commercial litigation with assistance from a lawyer could become necessary. If your company’s trade secret was stolen, an experienced lawyer may help you recover economic damages.
Business Fraud
There are several areas where a business can be vulnerable to fraud. If this happens to your company, it may become necessary to initiate commercial litigation. Business fraud occurs whenever an individual or other entity uses deceit to gain something of value from a business. This can be done by intentional misrepresentation, omission of facts, or creating a fraudulent promissory.
Unfair Competition
It is not uncommon in the corporate world to discover that a competitor has engaged in misleading or fraudulent business practices in order to steal your customers and/or drive you out of business. Commercial litigation lawyers may stop the activity and hold the competitor liable for any damages they may have caused your company. Some of the more frequent methods of unfair competition are false advertising, deceptive business practices, and violation of confidentiality or non compete contracts. A competitor might even attempt to steal a company’s intellectual property and market it under its own business name.
Employment Law
The majority of companies have employees and there are circumstances where assistance from our Washington, DC commercial litigation lawyers is called for. Some of the most common employment litigation issues include employment contracts claims, wage dispute claims, discrimination claims, and wrongful discharge claims.
Business Dissolution
Whatever the reason for dissolving your business, it is critical to have a solid plan in place in order to make the “closing” of your business as successful as possible. It is also important that the plan resolves any current business issues and also protects you from future liability. This is true whether you are dissolving the business because you have decided to retire or you are being forced to dissolve for other reasons.
COMMON TYPES OF COMMERCIAL LITIGATION ISSUES INFOGRAPHIC
Preparing for Business Litigation
Commercial litigation is very complex, so it is important to prepare before dealing with any complicated issues. The first step you may want to take is to schedule a meeting with a reputable commercial litigation lawyer. He or she may review your case in detail and provide immediate advice. During your initial consultation with a commercial litigation lawyer, be sure to answer his or her questions with as much detail as possible. The more details you provide, the better a lawyer may help you.
At Brown Kiely LLP, we understand just how stressful commercial litigation may be. We want to help you build a strong case and protect your business the best way we can. Our law firm has more than two decades of successfully representing clients in commercial litigation cases. Our clients come from all types of businesses — small, large, everything in between.
Our attorneys use all available resources when advocating for our clients. Our legal team understands that because federal and state business laws are constantly evolving and changing, it is crucial to stay up-to-date on legislative and regulatory changes. You can be assured that when you retain the services of Brown Kiely LLP, you’re working with trusted commercial litigation lawyers that this community can depend on.
With one of our skilled lawyers by your side, you may be able to manage your business concerns quickly and effectively. If you are in need of help, contact Brown Kiely LLP at (410) 625-9330.
At-Risk of Eviction? The Time to Act Is Now
When you began renting a commercial space, you likely signed a rental agreement. This rental agreement serves as a contract. As a result, it is generally subject to the rules of contract law. If you are in violation of that contract, it is possible that your landlord could legally act to evict you. However, there are likely any number of x-factors at play. It is possible that you did not sign a formal rental contract.
If you did sign a rental agreement, it is possible that its terms are unenforceable or that your landlord is also in violation of your agreement. It is also possible that you followed the terms of your rental agreement to the letter and your landlord is simply seeking to evict you illegally.
Because there are so many factors in play during a potential eviction scenario, if you are currently at-risk of being evicted from your commercial rental space, please consider scheduling a consultation with an experienced commercial litigation firm today. This area of law is complex, nuanced and varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
It is possible that the knowledgeable commercial litigation firm of Brown Kiely LLP can help to prevent you from being evicted. It is also possible that our firm can help to protect your rights in other ways and, depending on the unique nature of your situation, may even be able to help you obtain any additional compensation you may be entitled to under the circumstances.
Next Steps if You Are At-Risk of Eviction
If you are at-risk of eviction, please bring your rental agreement to your legal consultation. If your landlord has provided you with any other documentation (warnings, threats, notice of eviction, etc.) please bring these items to your consultation as well. In order to properly advise you of your current legal options, our commercial litigation firm will need to be able to evaluate all documentation relevant to your situation.
In the meantime, please do not lose your temper with your landlord. It can be difficult to remain calm right now, but losing your cool will not help your situation.
Tips for Commercial Litigation Mediation
For legal practitioners, mediation can be a useful tool in the matters of business litigation. If all parties involved in the business dispute are willing to engage in mediation for hopes of a reasonable solution each party approves of, then it can be worth the time and effort. When people think of a dispute, they imagine one side winning over the other. And while we want the best possible outcome for our clients and will fight relentlessly for that, we know that there are times when mediation is an influential and positive experience.
With mediation, a neutral third party helps the parties sort out the disagreement. The goal is for the parties to find a solution that gets them back towards an ongoing relationship, or at the very least, see it through to the end of the contract. Here are tips that your lawyer from Brown Kiely, LLP may discuss with you during an appointment:
Gather All Necessary Documents
Prior to the mediation session, it will be imperative that you gather necessary documents. If you are not sure what these are, your lawyer can advise you and help obtain them. Additionally, each party in the dispute must bring paperwork that is influential to the session in tangible form as well. It can cause things to get disrupted or at stand-still if certain documents are not readily available to review.
Listen with an Open Mind
We know that going into a mediation session with the other people in the dispute can be terrifying and awkward, especially if you are not comfortable with confronting issues head-on. To stay in the moment, listen with an open mind. You may not like what the other parties have to say, but in order to reach a resolution, everyone has to be willing to hear arguments on all sides. If something is confusing or you aren’t sure, just say so. You don’t have to know everything about law or be perfect, you just have to show up prepared and ready to listen, while knowing what outcomes you’re hoping for in the end.
Try to Minimize Stress
If you are stressed out during mediation, you may not be able to focus and make sound decisions. For many, too much stress causes them to shut down and they are not able to think clearly. When conflicts arise between businesspeople, powerful ones in particular, every person wants to question the authority of the other. If you’re going to spend hours with these people, tension won’t help. Your lawyer can give you tips on how to reduce stress, so that you feel confident walking into the room.
Legal Guidance Is Available
If you are concerned that you may be at risk of commercial or residential eviction, please do not hesitate to speak with our law firm today. Regardless of whether your own behavior has contributed to a risk of eviction, your rights under the law are extensive. Speaking with an attorney can help to ensure that those rights are clarified so that you can make an informed decision about your situation. If taking any kind of legal action is appropriate under the circumstances, an attorney can help to provide support and experienced guidance as you navigate whatever process is relevant to your circumstances.
Our firm has handled eviction cases for years and we would be happy to answer any questions you have at this time. Should you schedule a consultation, please know that our conversation will be kept confidential and does not commit you to taking any action whatsoever. Please consider connecting today. Our legal team looks forward to speaking with you.
A lawyer for commercial litigation in Washington, DC from Brown Kiely, LLP is ready to take your call.