Corporate Law
What every business owner should know about corporate litigation
Corporate law is a very broad term referring to any legal procedure that seeks to resolve a business-related problem. It encompasses any issues between a business and its customers, vendors, competitors, other businesses, or even government entities.
There are things that every business can do to protect and prepare itself. These measures can reduce the chances of being sued in the first place and position a firm in the best possible way for attaining a just resolution, in or out of court.
The basics
An experienced corporate law attorney can help you protect and prepare your business for any potential legal situation. Joe Gonzalez, PA determines your company's degree of legal exposure and advises you accordingly. For instance, a company making hand lotion has a slightly different set of concerns than an accounting consultancy. The manufacturer of the lotion, must have product liability insurance, and may be called on to demonstrate that the appropriate government agencies approved the product formula for human use.
The various areas in which business litigation can arise include—
- Contract disputes, including breach of contract
- Tortuous interference with contracts or business relationships
- Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) disputes
- Shareholder and partnership disputes
- Breach of fiduciary duty cases
- Disputes over corporate management and control
- Business dissolutions
- Employment disputes
- Disputes over non-compete agreements
- Franchise disputes
- Antitrust and trade actions
- Consumer fraud and consumer protection issues
- Debt collection actions
- Civil RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) actions
Preparation is key
As a first line of defense, then, a company must employ thorough, well-documented filing systems. Keep every important document related to your business, in both electronic and hard copy form, if possible.
It helps to have a paper trail of transactions, communications, and dealings. Make it a point to save and archive all business correspondence, including internal communications such as e-mails, memos, and meeting notes. Similarly, every communication and receipt involving materials, manufacturing, customers, and collections must be saved.
Since there is no telling what may happen in or to your business, you must be prepared in each and every area. As your company grows, you may find that, if you conduct a lot of government business, you need a compliance officer to keep you abreast of all the nuances of dealing with government agencies. There is no better defensive strategy than to be prepared for any eventuality.
Take action now
If you end up being sued, or deciding that you need to take legal action yourself, you do not want to be shopping around for a corporate litigator at the last minute. You need to have an established relationship with an attorney or legal firm, whether you have them on retainer or make some other arrangement.
Joe Gonzalez, PA of Tampa sticks by clients through good business climates and bad. His discretion and expertise go a long way in representing businesses in court and negotiation, and continue after your present legal situation is resolved.
Guard your assets. Save money. Call the firm.
Tampa law firm Joe Gonzalez, PA represents business clients in corporate law and litigation matters. Serving the state of Florida, Mr. Gonzalez represents clients in English and Spanish. For more information on how Joe Gonzalez, PA can help you protect your company, call the firm at 813-418-7382 or contact the office online.
