Disputes are an inevitable part of business life in Florida. With competing interests at play and often complex relationships involved, it is no surprise if two companies do not see eye to eye.
How you resolve these disputes is important and may have a great impact on the future of your business.
While litigation may end up in the Florida civil courts with a judge deciding on who wins and loses the dispute, there are generally other alternatives to explore first.
Collaboration, negotiation, mediation, and arbitration are all options that can help prevent lengthy and expensive litigation through our court system.
The business litigation attorneys at Bennett Legal Group have extensive experience in helping Florida businesses in the construction industry and beyond resolve disputes in their favor.
What is business litigation?
Business litigation involves lawsuits that arise from disputes involving commercial and business relationships.
With business litigation, one company usually claims damages or losses from another. Because of competing interests, these disputes can be complex.
Most business disputes involve the following types of situations:
- Breach of contract
- Breach of fiduciary duty
- Payment disputes
- Trade secret disputes
- Insurance disputes
- Partnership disputes
- Fraud/deceptive trade practices
Disputes such as these generally require the assistance of legal counsel to file the necessary documents with the court, build a case, conduct communications between the relevant parties, and negotiate or mediate a solution.
If the dispute cannot be settled out of court, it will proceed to trial where business litigation attorneys from both sides will present evidence, examine witnesses, and attempt to persuade a Florida judge to rule in their client’s favor.
Understanding the industry and the nature of claims is paramount in such cases. Most of the business litigation cases we handle involve construction or construction-related businesses. Our business litigation attorneys have vast experience in this field and have represented businesses large and small around Florida.
Because lawsuits are a matter of public record, the ensuing court case can create reputational issues for businesses as well as being expensive. For these reasons, alternative dispute resolution methods are usually preferred to trials as the details remain private.
With most business disputes, early intervention is essential to prevent costs from mounting and spending unnecessary time in court.
Our business litigation attorneys are ready to help early on in a dispute to assess your risk, protect your interests and prevent a major negative impact on your business.
What types of commercial litigation cases do we handle?
The Bennett Legal Group can represent your business in commercial disputes in federal, state, or local courts. These disputes may be with vendors, clients, independent contractors, or other parties.
Typically, they involve the following:
Breach of contract
This is the most common cause of business litigation as contracts are the “currency” of business relationships. Lawsuits can be brought against vendors, clients, contractors, employees, business partners, or other parties.
Payment disputes
If agreed payments have not been made, business litigation can help you collect past due amounts from clients or other businesses.
Breach of fiduciary duty
These disputes usually involve the abuse or misuse of trust by people in positions of authority, such as shareholders, accountants, corporation directors, etc.
Insurance disputes
Insurance disputes between businesses can take the form of professional liability insurance coverage disputes, product liability, surety bonds, etc.
Trade secret/IP disputes
Misuse of intellectual property is a common issue between businesses and, sometimes, the only way to settle these matters is with business litigation.
Fraud/deceptive trade practice disputes
Misrepresentation or deception in advertising or contracts is a common cause of disputes between businesses, as are alleged fraudulent practices.
Disputes between partners can threaten the existence of a business and it may end up in dissolution unless resolved effectively.
Do you need a business litigation attorney?
Many businesses fail to take timely legal advice and find that it leads to deeper (and more expensive) problems later on.
If you seek legal advice early on in a dispute, you are more likely to resolve it without the need for intervention by the Florida courts.
The truth is that few businesses are set up to handle serious business disputes and by attempting to negotiate without full knowledge of your legal position, you may make expensive mistakes.
A skilled and knowledgeable business litigation attorney can help you protect your business from unnecessary risk and defend its security and financial wellbeing.
In summary, early intervention by one of our business litigation attorneys can help you:
- Negotiate properly the first time: we will take the necessary steps to negotiate a settlement in your favor the first time asking – rather than having to correct someone else’s missteps, which can be more time-consuming.
- Save money: in litigation, time is money. If you can save time, then you also generally save expenses. Besides, trying to negotiate without legal assistance takes up time (and money) that you probably could put to better use.
- Lower stress levels: litigation can be a stressful experience for business owners, especially if you have never been involved in a legal dispute before. Guidance from a seasoned attorney can help prepare you and put your mind at ease.
- Focus on your business: your business doesn’t stop because of litigation. Our attorneys will look after the legal issues while you work where your business needs you without distractions.
Book a consultation with a commercial litigation attorney in Florida
If you book a consultation with us before your dispute gets out of hand, we may be able to prevent the problem from escalating.
After learning about your business, the nature of the dispute, and your preferred outcomes, we can advise you on your legal position. In commercial disputes, we partner with you to develop the most cost-effective and goal-oriented strategy.
Our attorneys take a proactive and creative approach to dispute resolution. While we are equipped and prepared to defend you aggressively at trial, we will seek alternatives if they are in your best interests.
Our practical, real-world experience in major cases can be a major advantage for your business in commercial litigation.
In our experience of working with companies of all sizes in Florida, most business disputes can be resolved without the need for a trial – and this is generally in everybody’s interests.
Call us today at 407-734-4559 to arrange a consultation or complete a short form and let us know the nature of your issue.
