Contract Law

Contracts are the most effective legal tool your business uses, or can be the most damaging. Before entering into a contract with another party, be sure the contract represents your interests and that you understand the obligations you are agreeing to. Changes may be made to the original contract through change orders, memos or verbal agreement that may significantly alter the extent of the contract.

Our lawyers draft and review business contracts to help businesses avoid disputes down the road. We represent businesses in all types of business disputes, including breach of contract claims such as the following:

• Employment contract disputes
• Violation of noncompetition agreements
• Misuse of trade secrets such as customer lists or product specifications
• Misrepresentation or fraud in a sale of a business or real property
• Failure to perform under a contract
• Failure to pay under the terms of a contract
• Partnership and shareholder disputes
• Commercial lease disputes
• Real estate and escrow disputes

When one side in a business contract does not carry out its side of the agreement, the other side may have several remedies. For example, it may seek compensation for damages suffered as a result of the breach of contract, force the other side to perform under the contract or cancel the contract.

Before you proceed with any business litigation, it’s important to determine if the outcome you seek is worth the potential cost of litigation. Some contracts allow for attorney fees, which can be a double-edged sword. The other side would be forced to pay your legal fees if you win, but you would be required to pay the other side’s legal fees if you lose.