Business Lawyers in Columbus, Ohio
By Andrew Randol - April 5, 2019 - Corporate & Business
If you’ve never had the pleasure of being in litigation before (lucky you), some of the terminology and scope of business litigation can be confusing. You often hear the terms “commercial litigation,” “civil litigation,” and “business litigation.” As applied to Ohio business litigation cases, these terms, practically speaking, can mean the same thing.
Breach of contract lawsuits come in all varieties. Perhaps the other party did not perform according to the terms of the contract. Or, perhaps there was only partial performance (partial breach) – some obligations were fulfilled but others were not. Breach of contract is one of the most common causes of action found in a business lawsuit.
Examples of breach of contract lawsuits can include cases involving supply contracts, real estate agreements, vendor agreements, asset purchase agreements, stock sale agreements, commercial leases, non-compete agreements, or non-disclosure agreements.
Whether you’re a real estate developer, a supplier, a contractor, an architect, or a subcontractor, you may inevitably find yourself in construction litigation. Construction lawsuits can help address issues related to poor performance, mechanics’ liens, construction delays and defects, environmental issues, contract disputes, bond claims, false claims, warranty claims, and job abandonment.
No one starts a business, so they can someday sue their business partner. The unfortunate reality is that some business relationships can deteriorate over time. One party may be failing to meet their obligations or may be outright breaching your partnership-related agreements.
Whether your business is a corporation or an LLC, there can be a number of grounds for partnership litigation. These can include theft or misuse of intellectual property, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, theft or embezzlement of company funds and assets, or breach of employment contracts. But most often, business partnership litigation tends to ensue when one owner decides to leave the business and there isn’t a sufficient operating agreement to determine the payout the departing owner should receive.
Typically, in business litigation one party is suing another party for damages; the party that was wronged is seeking to recover some monetary amount that helps pay for the wrong that was done.
Monetary damages can indeed help make the aggrieved party whole again, but there also instances where a party needs the other party do stop doing something or to take a specific action. Injunctive relief (also referred to as equitable relief) is when a party asks a court to issue an order that forces a party to do or stop doing something. In legal parlance, the primary forms of equitable relief are temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, and permanent injunctions. One common example of equitable relief is a company suing to enforce the terms of a non-compete agreement by requesting a court order to force the violator to cease operation of a competing business.
If your business finds itself in a major dispute with a government agency or former employee, employment and business litigation may arise. From breach of employment contracts, discrimination suits, and wage and hour claims to governmental disputes with the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, our business lawyers vigorously defend businesses of all sizes from predatory plaintiff’s lawyers and government agency issues.
A core part of your business may lie in your company’s intellectual property. From infringement issues with other businesses to misuse, abuse, or theft of trade secrets, trademarks, or copyrights, our business litigation lawyers are experienced with intellectual property and business litigation.
Our business litigation lawyers have years of experience with every stage of litigation including pre-trial and case investigation, pleading, discovery, jury and bench trials, settlement, and appeal. Contact us today to see how we can help guide you through business litigation.