In the same fashion that no two clients are alike, no two litigation scenarios are ever quite the same. There are nuances that must be seriously addressed; experienced litigation attorneys know that “The devil is in the details.” Consequently, successful litigation requires the concentrated efforts of business-minded attorneys who understand the practical, daily rigors of transacting commerce, regardless of the specific industry.
At Legal & Compliance, LLC our trial lawyers are well-versed in virtually all areas of litigation, including antitrust, securities, construction, business torts, contracts, labor and employment, government contracts, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, appellate, eminent domain, probate and trust, environmental, product liability, and intellectual property law matters.
Business Experience is Vital to Successful Litigation
A theoretical knowledge of business is insufficient. In order to persevere, savvy plaintiffs and/or defendants require the counsel of a litigation attorney well-versed in business application. When viewed from an economic perspective, commercial and civil litigation is nothing more than a damage-control function. It is not a vengeful or negative practice. Moreso, it is the procedure by which business and financial disputes are resolved and the rights of business entities and the individuals who participate in them are protected and enforced.
Today’s legal landscape includes not only the federal and state antitrust, securities, and trade laws, but also an increasing variety of other state and federal laws dealing with unfair competition, trade secrets, interference with contract or prospective economic advantage, trade libel, enforcement of intellectual property rights, non-competition covenants, marketing practices, licensing, franchising and distributorship agreements and many other subjects.
The attorneys of Legal & Compliance understand the importance of staying abreast of the ever-changing laws and regulations that can affect our clients and their respective businesses. Companies and corporate offices that anticipate such changes typically have an aggressive strategy in place for addressing contingencies before they arise. In most cases, these proactive entities such find themselves in a better position to defend themselves or pursue litigation than those who simply react instead of planning ahead.
We Understand the Economics of Litigation
The attorneys of Legal & Compliance understand that a losing litigation scenario can severely impact our clients’ ability to meet their bottom line. There is nothing more disheartening than seeing a viable company financially decimated or ultimately bankrupted due to the fact that they either ignored or trivialized the importance of retaining competent and aggressive legal counsel to defend an erroneous claim or pursue damages when warranted.
Areas of Expertise Include:
- Arbitration and Mediation
- Breach of Contract
- Breach of Fiduciary Duty
- Business Torts
- Debtor/Creditor Disputes
- Fraud
- Intellectual Property
- Sale of Goods
- Libel, Slander and Defamation of Character
- Secure Transactions
- Trade Secrets
- Unfair Competition
- Shareholder Disputes
- Shareholder Derivative Actions
The Goal of Litigation is to Prevail Financially
Maintaining objectivity during complex litigation can mean the difference between success and failure; success being defined as prevailing from a financial perspective. Due to the fact that Legal & Compliance is a comprehensive corporate law firm, the clients we represent in litigation are invariably the same clients we serviced during entity formation and a myriad of other aspects of their businesses.
Consequently, we possess an overall perspective and a vested long-term interest in the financial success of our clients. In the event they prevail in recovering damages from a vendor who fell short on an obligation or recoup financial losses from an ex-employee who violated a non-compete contract, it means that they will be with us for decades, calling upon us time and time again to assist them as their business prospers and expands.
Retain Legal Counsel Prior to a Crisis
Business savvy professionals realize that the time to retain counsel is before a problem strikes, not during. Fortune 500 companies maintain a legal force at all times. We understand that it is simply not financially practical for most companies to support in-house counsel year-round, but it is feasible for these same business entities to pay a nominal retainer to have a law firm on “stand by.” This retainer is then drawn against should a situation present itself and the attorneys involved are already versed in the dynamics of the client company and potential liability scenarios to be contended with. The end result is a cost effective and more thorough defense or a speedier attack to recoup financial losses.
The attorneys of Legal & Compliance counsel and represent clients, both as plaintiffs and defendants in connection with civil litigation, in state and federal courts, as well as arbitrations and mediations. Our philosophy is to resolve conflicts as quickly and cost effectively as possible so that our valued clientele can get back to doing what they do best, transacting commerce. Where appropriate, we will make recommendations if we believe a dispute can be settled quickly, avoiding the undue expense and unnecessary aggravation of a protracted legal battle.
We Aggressively Protect our Clients
When necessary, we take cases to the highest courts, yet we also have a track record of fending off claims, saving companies millions of dollars in pay-outs. We try cases that should be tried, and aggressively seek alternative solutions when they should not. We will settle when doing so is in our client’s best interest, or provide alternatives to costly litigation altogether through arbitration and mediation.
However, in the event that it becomes necessary to launch a strong legal defense or initiate an aggressive effort to recover damages from the opposition, our litigation attorneys are more than prepared to go the distance to achieve the desired outcome for our clientele. In the process we will make every effort to insulate our clients from the inherent difficulties and aggravation that litigation can present so that they may continue to focus their efforts on their businesses or chosen professions.
Areas of Expertise Include:
- Arbitration & Mediation
- Breach of Contract
- Breach of Fiduciary Duty
- Buy Sell Agreements
- Dissolution of Business
- Employment Disputes
- Fraud
- L.L.C. (Limited Liability Company) Member Disputes
- Officers and Director’s Liability
- Partnership Disputes
- Shareholder Disputes (including Shareholder Derivative Actions)
- Trade Secrets
- Unfair Competition
- Wrongful Termination
Shareholder Disputes
Legal & Compliance has successfully represented both shareholders and corporate entities in disputes involving small, family owned corporations, large privately held corporations and public entities. There are many issues that may arise between shareholders and the company’s in which they own an interest in, including freeze-outs, option disputes, breach of shareholder agreement issues and many other matters.
Legal & Compliance represents shareholders and shareholder groups in dissenters rights issues, including both enforcement and valuation disputes. In addition, Legal & Compliance has an expertise in the enforcement of shareholders rights to information, receive reports, and attend annual shareholder meetings for the purpose of electing the directors which control the corporate operations. Inversely, we defend corporations against vindictive insider shareholders intent on harming a company from which they have become estranged.
Legal & Compliance defends as well as prosecutes actions for violations of the SEC reporting requirements for small public companies. Our litigation attorneys have the experience and the resources necessary to fully analyze the complex issues that may exist within your shareholder dispute and determine what the most advisable course of action should be for your situation.
Real Estate Litigation
Legal & Compliance represents clients throughout the state of Florida foreclosing mortgages, judgment liens, construction liens or other security interests against both real and personal property. Our representation ranges from simple residential mortgage foreclosures to complex commercial foreclosures. Our attorneys and staff are well versed in the applicable laws affecting priorities and perfection of security interests.
Legal & Compliance represents clients in residential and commercial foreclosures, commercial and residential landlord-tenant litigation, homeowners associations and condominium law, title insurance litigation, eminent domain, inverse condemnation litigation, and quiet title litigation. In addition, Legal & Compliance represents both buyers and sellers in breach of sales contracts for the purchase and sale of residential and commercial properties.
Construction Litigation
Legal & Compliance offers a full range of construction litigation services to developers, owners, general contractors, subcontractors, sureties, construction managers, engineers, architects and material suppliers.
Legal & Compliance construction litigation matters include:
- Negotiation and Preparation of Contracts
- Project Dispute Resolution Procedures (Including Mediation & Arbitration)
- Breach of Contract Claims
- Claims for Extras, Delay, Acceleration, Loss of Productivity, Disruption and Out of Sequence Work,
- Construction Lien and Bond Disputes, Claims alleging Design and Construction Errors and Omissions
- Loss of Profit Claims
Contingency Cases
Select cases involving complex commercial litigation may be handled on a contingency fee basis, which means our firm will receive a percentage of the amount actually recovered. The percentage will vary depending upon the facts of a particular case. Out of pocket expenses such as filing fees, deposition costs, expert fees, exhibit preparation costs, etc. may be advanced by the attorney when appropriate, but all expenses are the ultimate responsibility of the client. The terms are detailed in the attorney-client contract that both the firm and the client will be required to execute.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Our goal is to achieve fast, equitable resolutions to all litigation matters. In many instances Alternative Dispute Resolution can achieve an equitable outcome faster, more cost-effectively, and with greater confidentiality and control than traditional litigation. Alternative Dispute Resolution is especially appropriate for resolving disputes between parties who wish to continue their business relationship, such as suppliers, joint-venture and merger partners, subcontractors, and franchisees.
