Business and Commercial Litigation
Representation for companies and their owners in disputes that affect operations, ownership, and value.
Strategy determined by the record and the client’s objectives.
Assessment before motion practice. We begin by identifying the governing law, the documents and communications that already exist, the realistic financial exposure, and what the client needs the outcome to accomplish. That assessment determines whether a matter is best served by early resolution, provisional relief, or preparation for trial.
Preparation that holds up. Matters are prepared on the assumption that they may be tried. Discovery, expert work, and dispositive motions are organized toward the record required at trial rather than toward volume.
Direct communication about risk and cost. Clients receive candid assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of a position, including where the law is unsettled or the evidence is incomplete, so that business decisions can be made with accurate information.
Contracts and Business Torts
A contract dispute is usually a dispute about money, timing, and what the parties actually agreed. We handle claims involving vendor, customer, and services agreements, payment and non-performance disputes, and related tort claims including fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and interference with contract or prospective economic advantage.
Where an agreement was never reduced to writing, the analysis turns on formation, the statute of frauds, and the evidence created before the dispute arose.
- Breach of written, oral, and implied agreements
- Fraud, misrepresentation, and concealment claims
- Interference with contract and prospective economic advantage
- Payment, delivery, and performance disputes
- Provisional remedies where assets or evidence are at risk
Partnership and Shareholder Disputes
Disputes among owners combine legal claims with governance problems. A deadlock, an exclusion from management, or a disagreement over distributions can halt ordinary business decisions while the dispute proceeds.
We represent members, shareholders, partners, directors, and companies in claims involving fiduciary duty, accounting, control, and the terms of the operating or shareholder agreement, including matters where the existence of the relationship itself is disputed.
- Breach of fiduciary duty and duty of loyalty claims
- Diversion of revenue, assets, or business opportunities
- Records and information demands under the Corporations Code
- Deadlock, dissolution, buyout, and valuation disputes
- Claimed partnerships and joint ventures without written terms
Trade Secrets and Unfair Competition
Claims involving confidential information often arrive with urgency, because the conduct at issue may be ongoing. The early questions are what information qualifies for protection, what was taken or used, and what evidence exists to establish both.
We handle claims under the California Uniform Trade Secrets Act and the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act, along with related claims for breach of confidentiality obligations and unfair business practices.
- Trade secret misappropriation under CUTSA and the DTSA
- Breach of confidentiality and non-disclosure obligations
- Customer, supplier, and pricing information disputes
- Unfair competition and false advertising claims
- Applications for temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions
Commercial Real Estate Disputes
Real estate disputes are commercial disputes with an asset attached. A contested closing, a defaulting tenant, a disputed guaranty, or a title irregularity can affect financing and operations well beyond the property itself.
We handle these matters with attention to the recorded chain of title, the transactional documents, and the remedies required to protect the client’s position while the dispute is pending.
- Purchase and sale disputes and specific performance
- Commercial lease defaults and guaranty enforcement
- Co-ownership, partition, and joint venture disputes
- Title disputes, quiet title, and cancellation of instruments
- Construction and contractor disputes affecting the property
Executive-Related Disputes
Some employment disputes are business disputes. When the person leaving is an owner, officer, or key executive, the dispute may involve equity, compensation formulas, confidential information, and the company’s ability to operate during the transition.
We advise companies and individuals in these matters, including disputes that arise alongside a partnership, shareholder, or trade secret claim.
- Executive separation, severance, and compensation disputes
- Equity, option, and profit-participation disagreements
- Confidentiality and solicitation obligations on departure
- Commission and contractor payment disputes
- Coordination with related owner or trade secret claims
Creditor Rights and Judgment Enforcement
Obtaining a judgment and collecting it are separate problems. Where a defendant may dissipate or transfer assets, the timing of provisional relief can matter as much as the merits.
We represent creditors in enforcement proceedings and in claims arising from transfers made to frustrate collection, and we advise on the statutory requirements that govern prejudgment remedies in California.
- Enforcement of notes, guaranties, and settlement obligations
- Prejudgment attachment where the statutory requirements are met
- Judgment enforcement, examinations, and levies
- Fraudulent transfer and successor liability claims
- Business-to-business collection matters
Speak with counsel about your matter.
Tell us what happened, what is at stake, and what you need to accomplish. A member of our legal team will respond promptly. Initial communications are treated as confidential, but no attorney‑client relationship is formed until confirmed in writing.
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