If you have any kinds of legal concerns about your business—especially if those concerns relate to an ongoing or newly arising business dispute—it is important to connect with an experienced Washington, D.C. business litigation lawyer at Eric Siegel Law as proactively as you can. All too often, business owners wait until they either need to file litigation or have been named as a defendant in a litigation-related matter to seek legal counsel. If you find yourself in this position, reach out the experienced Maryland legal team at Eric Siegel Law immediately. But, even if you have not yet reached this legal turning point, it is important to connect with our firm as soon as you can. Why? By being proactive, you may be able to halt the need for litigation before it begins in earnest. Conversely, if litigation is necessary, you’ll provide our team with as much time as possible to build a strong case on behalf of your business.
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In Washington D.C., it is unlawful for a third party to intentionally interfere with a commercial contract that has been agreed upon by two other parties. Indeed, this type of misconduct is known as tortious interference. Victims of tortious interference can bring a legal claim to hold the third party liable for any damages that they have sustained because of the contract breach. The following is a brief overview of tortious interference. If you are having contract issues, contact Eric Siegel Law to speak with a Washington, D.C. business litigation lawyer.
There are two types of tort claims a plaintiff can file if he or she has suffered an injury. A negligent tort is filed when the defendant (at-fault party) owed the plaintiff (the victim) a duty of care, breached that duty of care, and that breach caused the plaintiff harm. An intentional tort is filed when the defendant intended to cause harm to the plaintiff or otherwise knew their actions would cause harm.
As a business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C. can explain, there are two types of tortious interference claims. The first type is called interference with prospective economic advantage (“IWPEA”). There are many acts that fall under the IWPEA umbrella, including contracts. The second type is called interference with contractual relations (“IWCR”). Inducing a breach of contract falls under this type.
Allegations that a third party tried to undermine a valid contract are not sufficient enough to establish liability. In order to prove tortious interference under the law, a Washington, D.C. business litigation lawyer must be able to prove the following five things before the court:
The following is an example of tortious interference:
John owns a widget distribution company. He sells his company to Dave. In the sales contract, John agrees he will not sell widgets anymore, agreeing he is out of the widget business. A couple of years later, John is contacted by Jim. Jim owns a widget manufacturing plant, and he talks John into distributing his widgets. John agrees, even though this is in direct violation of his contract with Dave.
Dave can file a tortious interference lawsuit against Jim because he had induced John to violate his contract with Dave. Jim would be liable for any financial damages Dave suffered from loss of business. Dave could also file a breach of contract lawsuit against John, as well.
If you have a legal issue with your business, then the stakes are high. It is important for you to work with a legal professional who can point you in the right direction. At the same time, there are lots of lawyers from which to choose. What do you need to think about when you are looking for a business litigation lawyer? You should work with an experienced business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C., such as a lawyer from Eric Siegel Law, who can help you sort out your company’s legal problem.
The first thing you should do is think about the specialty of the law firm. Most law firms that specializes in a certain area of the law. Some lawyers make specialize in criminal defense while other lawyers may specialize in personal injury law. If you have a legal issue with your business, you need to hire a law firm that specializes in business litigation. That way, you know you have an attorney with the right experience to assist you.
Before you hire a lawyer, ask about his or her availability. You might have found the best business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C. to help you, but if they are not available, they will not be of much use. Most attorneys will be honest about how much time they have. If an attorney says that he or she is too busy to assist you, ask him or her to refer you to someone else who can help you.
Do not forget to ask about past results as well. Most attorneys should have a list of prior verdicts and settlements you can look through. What types of issues have the law firm handled in the past? What have the results of those cases been? Have the clients been happy with those results? Hire a lawyer who has a long track record of success.
It can be a challenge to find a business litigation lawyer who can help you with commercial legal problems. Always think about the availability of the law firm, and ask for a list of past results before you make a decision. Make sure you find the right business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C., such as an attorney from Eric Siegel Law, who can assist you.
If you have a vendor, customer or partner that has breached a contract, consult a business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C. Breach of contract cases are the most frequently disputed cases for law firms such as Eric Siegel Law. These cases may include disputes in goods delivered, pay for a service or raw material or receipt of damaged goods. Whether you wrote out a contract that detailed every part of your deal or you have a verbal agreement, your case can be litigated if one party experienced a financial loss due to the breach. If you have suffered, you can file a breach of contract lawsuit with your attorney.
You probably need a business litigation attorney when a contract you’re a party to is breached. Breach of contract disputes are the most common reason for working with a business litigation attorney in Washington DC.
There are different kinds of law typically involved in business litigation. They are breach of contract, intellectual property, ownership disputes, and labor disputes.
Breach of contract is the most common. It simply means that someone who is party to a contract has violated its terms. Often this ends up in court and having the right business litigation attorney can make all the difference.
When you’re involved in intellectual property you may need a business litigation attorney. If you or your business develops software or other intellectual property like music, writing, art, etc. and another company uses it without permission or a license to use it, you need a business litigation attorney like Eric Siegel Law in Washington D.C
If you become involved in an ownership dispute, you are likely to benefit from working with a business litigation lawyer. Such a need might arise in a disagreement between co-owners over who owns how much or what part of a company other kinds of ownership disputes.
Labor law disputes in Washington DC include such issues as gender and race discrimination, failure to adhere to a non-compete agreement, cases where a former owner is making additional claims and disputes between employees and the company over benefits and other issues.
If you own the rights to intellectual property, you choose who uses that property. For example, if you have developed valuable software to use in your company, you can choose to lease or sell licenses to other companies, but if a company begins using your software without your permission, you have an intellectual property claim. Intellectual property claims include copyright infringement, trade secret abuses, or damage to intellectual property. For example, you cannot steal another company’s logo, business processes or customer list. If you have been a victim of these disputes, you should seek the help of a business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C.
If you aren’t a sole proprietor, you may have a dispute with your business co-owners at some point. For example, you may have a disagreement with your shareholders, business partner and even your board of directors. These disputes often revolve around how the business is being managed. However, you typically have contracts with your fellow business owners. Therefore, you do have legal recourse if you are operating according to the contract terms. A business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C., e.g., Eric Siegel Law, can help you sort out the contract terms and mediate the disagreement, and if a resolution cannot be negotiated, this attorney can also litigate the case in court.
Labor disputes are complicated. These disputes may arise from current or former employers who are trying to make a claim against the business. These disputes may include an employer’s unwillingness to fulfill employment contract terms, such as benefits. They may also start with an employer who is trying to ensure that its rights are upheld by an employee. For example, a former employee may have violated a noncompete clause. Discrimination claims also fall under labor disputes. In these cases, you should seek the help of a business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C.
Settling a business dispute can be a complicated process, making it important to call a business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C. for the best possible outcome. Business transactions or contracts can involve several parties, take into account multiple laws or cover several legal issues. Because they are so complex, these disputes often require an excess of solid evidence if you want a verdict in your favor. Even though you can collect the bulk of the evidence on your own, you will get crucial direction from Eric Siegel Law. Here’s how to improve the chances of winning your case.
Prior to going to trial, there will be a period of discovery. This is where both parties in the lawsuit are informed of the data that is relevant to the case. There is a legal right to this information unless some of the information falls under attorney-client privilege. This information collected is what is used as evidence later on in the trial. Any documentation, recordings and witness testimony that you can collect regarding your case should be organized and preserved. There are deadlines and requirements for the discovery period, which your business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C. will keep up with. Possible evidence includes:
While you are waiting to go to trial or if you are in settlement talks, don’t do anything that could possibly hurt your case. Don’t destroy evidence you think might look bad on your account. Don’t verbally attack or insult the other party; stay away from them altogether. Don’t post the details of the lawsuit or your testimony on social media channels or share your story with the media. Through the guidance of your attorney, always cooperate with investigators or court orders.
While counsel from Eric Siegel Law will handle the official interviews or depositions of those who have a part in the case, you need to come up with a list of witnesses to present to the lawyer. Your list should have the contact information for each individual. If these individuals do not willingly decide to testify, a lawyer may be able to issue a subpoena to compel them to an out-of-court interview.
With so much at stake in a business dispute, it’s best to let a business litigation lawyer in Washington, D.C. handle your case. Legal action can help move through mediation or on to trial.
A skilled business litigation lawyer Washington, D.C. clients recommend from our firm can help. At Eric Siegel Law, we have extensive experience drafting and reviewing business contracts, as well as litigating contractual disputes. To set up your free business law consultation, please contact us today.
This category of alternatives includes:
As a Washington, D.C. business litigation lawyer can explain, alternative dispute resolution provides a fast resolution to disputes, cost savings for both parties, allows the preservation of business relationships, protects confidential information, and allows for more creative solutions to complex issues.
Choosing to use the legal system to solve your business contract dispute will generate a winner and loser, and judgments rendered by the legal system may not solve the problem and are usually inflexible. If you decided to pursue litigation, many of these benefits of alternative dispute resolution will not be realized and you will destroy business relationships as well as expose your proprietary information to misappropriation.
Disputes are costly, no matter which avenue you choose to travel when resolving yours. Alternative dispute resolution provides you with a fair, quick, and amicable resolution that will protect your business and relationships.
According to the American Bar Association (ABA), The average cost of business litigation in the United States is $300,000. This includes the cost of legal fees, expert witnesses, and other expenses. The cost of litigation can vary depending on the complexity of the case, the number of parties involved, and the jurisdiction in which the case is filed.
In a perfect world, business owners would communicate regularly with legal counsel in order to prevent legal issues from arising in all but the most unexpected and/or extreme circumstances. However, many business owners understandably do not have this luxury. Therefore, a good rule of thumb is that you should connect with a lawyer—at an absolute minimum—when you have concerns that a given business matter or dispute may lead to litigation. Essentially, if you think that a matter may end up in court—either because you have filed a case or another has filed a case—it is time to speak with a lawyer.
Our firm’s Washington, D.C. business litigation lawyer team manages a host of different kinds of business litigation. Among the most common kinds of issues for which we provide legal guidance and support are contract issues, employment disputes, and partnership/stakeholder disagreements. However, the area of business litigation is far-reaching. Therefore, it is important to avoid making assumptions about whether the experienced team at Eric Siegel Law can or cannot assist you with whatever your legal troubles may be until you’ve attended at risk-free consultation with our firm.
In today’s world, business or contract disputes arise in a variety of forms. Business disputes can range from unfair competition to violations of trade secrets. Contract disputes often involve breach of contract, rescission, reformation, and even subrogation, among other issues. A Washington, D.C. business litigation lawyer knows that many businesses are unaware of the several alternatives to filing a lawsuit to settle such a dispute.
These alternatives are broadly referred to as “alternative dispute resolution.” These methods are available to entrepreneurs and consumers alike without the need for initiating the costly process of litigation. This may be the perfect choice for businesses where proprietary information, trade secrets, and various other confidential information are at issue and the business does not want the public or media having access to such information and/or allowing for competitors the opportunity to misappropriate the confidential information.
Business litigation lawyers are well-versed and experienced in all areas of both traditional litigation and alternative dispute resolution. If you would like to learn more, contact our firm today to speak with a member of our dedicated legal team.
If you are not sure of whether you need to seek legal guidance at this time, it is far better to be safe than to be sorry. Schedule a risk-free consultation with a Washington, D.C. business litigation lawyer today to learn more about your legal rights and options. Whether you may need to file litigation or respond to litigation filed on behalf of another, our firm can provide you with the experienced, knowledgeable, and reputable representation that you and your business deserve.
If you are involved in a business contract dispute, a skilled Washington, D.C. business litigation lawyer can evaluate your situation and advise you on what legal options you may have to reach the best outcome possible based on the circumstances of your case. Call Eric Siegel Law today to schedule a free and confidential consultation.
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“Attorney Siegel was very responsive and thorough in his analysis of the issues which was presented. I liked his calm and professional demeanor. I would definitely recommend him to anyone seeking competent legal advice.”
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