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Commercial, Contract, Business Lawyers
Business law is made up of rules, statutes, codes and regulations that govern commercial relationships. Business lawyers can help you conduct and manage your business within this legal framework. A business lawyer may be able to help you if you are having problems with a breach of contract or or if you have incurred losses due to illegal actions of someone else or another company.
A business attorney can also help with issues such as unfair business practices, defective products, hidden fees, deceptive sales transactions, illegal manufacturing processes, accounting fraud, trade and taxation policies, health and safety threats, labor exploitation, construction defects, and merger, acquisition, and contract practices.
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A business attorney can also help with issues such as unfair business practices, defective products, hidden fees, deceptive sales transactions, illegal manufacturing processes, accounting fraud, trade and taxation policies, health and safety threats, labor exploitation, construction defects, and merger, acquisition, and contract practices.
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Business, Contract and Commercial Law
Business litigation can involve such areas as partnership disputes, collections, mediation, contract enforcement, franchise disputes, enforcement of promissory note, employment agreements, fraud and breach of contract, to name a few.
For example, as a business owner you may have several accounts that require professional assistance to collect funds owed to you. Lawyers can prepare demand letters, file law suits, negotiate settlements, and enforce final judgment.
Lawyers can also help enforce employment and non-compete agreements, and independent contractor agreements.
A business lawsuit might also include such areas as commercial defamation, patent or trademark infringement, interference with contractual or economic relations, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud or misrepresentation, unfair or deceptive trade practices.
As well as litigating on your behalf, business law attorneys can help you with many other ares of business law including banking and finance law, business formation and organization, negotiations, planning, acquisitions, mergers, sale of businesses, environmental, intellectual property, labor and civil law.
For example, as a business owner you may have several accounts that require professional assistance to collect funds owed to you. Lawyers can prepare demand letters, file law suits, negotiate settlements, and enforce final judgment. Lawyers can also help enforce employment and non-compete agreements, and independent contractor agreements.
A business lawsuit might also include such areas as commercial defamation, patent or trademark infringement, interference with contractual or economic relations, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud or misrepresentation, unfair or deceptive trade practices.
As well as litigating on your behalf, business law attorneys can help you with many other ares of business law including banking and finance law, business formation and organization, negotiations, planning, acquisitions, mergers, sale of businesses, environmental, intellectual property, labor and civil law.
Business Law
Business to Consumer
Unfair business practices can include fraud, misrepresentation, scams, hoaxes and oppressive or unconscionable acts or other practices by business, against consumers. Unfair business practices encompass tenancy problems, the purchase of products and services by consumers, insurance claims, and debt collection in cases of default.
Businesses to Business
Unfair business practices may also involve unfair business competition such antitrust, tortious interference, trademark infringement and passing off. In the United States, this form of unfair competition is governed by the Lanham Act. Other unfair business practices include price discrimination, boycotting, conspiring to allocate markets or customers, and monopolization.
Unfair business practices can include fraud, misrepresentation, scams, hoaxes and oppressive or unconscionable acts or other practices by business, against consumers. Unfair business practices encompass tenancy problems, the purchase of products and services by consumers, insurance claims, and debt collection in cases of default.
Businesses to Business
Unfair business practices may also involve unfair business competition such antitrust, tortious interference, trademark infringement and passing off. In the United States, this form of unfair competition is governed by the Lanham Act. Other unfair business practices include price discrimination, boycotting, conspiring to allocate markets or customers, and monopolization.
Commercial, Contract, Business Legal Help
If you you need a commercial, contract or business attorney, please click the link below to send your complaint to a lawyer to evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.Last updated on
BUSINESS LEGAL ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS
Actor Nicolas Cage Could Face Two $3 Million Contract Fraud Lawsuits
Insurance Company to Appeal $15 Million Decision in Business Dispute
Could Huge Commercial Fraud From India Affect US Contracts?
December 30, 2009
In the latest legal fiasco surrounding the famous Hollywood actor, Nicolas Cage, the star of such popular films as National Treasure and Gone in 60 Seconds, is facing a multi-million dollar contract fraud lawsuit stemming from a real estate deal gone sour. READ MORE
Insurance Company to Appeal $15 Million Decision in Business Dispute
November 25, 2009
A recent class action lawsuit awarded $15 million to a group of auto body repair shops that charged the Hartford Insurance Company with unfair business practices. The lawsuit may now be heading to the Connecticut appellate court. READ MORE
Could Huge Commercial Fraud From India Affect US Contracts?
October 13, 2009
It may have happened half a world away and it may have been discovered in January, but a $1 billion dollar commercial fraud discovery involving a business with relationships in the US could serve as a warning for any business possessing a contract with any offshore enterprise that provides support. READ MORE
BUSINESS SETTLEMENTS
- NiSource Settles Natural Gas Royalties Case for $380 Million
- DLP Ohio State to Receive $42 Million in Corporate Taxes Settlement
- Flint Energy Services Ltd. $12.2 million settlement reached in taxation dispute.
READ MORE Business Settlements and Legal News
READER COMMENTS
New York
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Anonymous
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I am sick and tired of people getting away with this and nothing being done about it. I thought this was illegal. there would be no need for "brokers" if people didnt buy up all the ticklets then scalp you on the price.somethings got to be done.
its nearly over 1500.00 to see a 200.00 show.and the artist doesnt see any of this extra this money either.
Anonymous
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One phone would not hold a charge, the other had software issues. I exchanged them within two days. Two new phones, same model. One had recessed buttons and you cannot adjust the volume etc., the other more software issues.
This time I am told I will receive refurbished phones. I was very upset. After all I paid full price only two weeks prior and now they want to give me someone else's problem phone!
That was all they would offer. On top of that, one was missing the ring around the camera lens.
I went online and saw many complaint about the Motorola V710; it was clearly a problem phone. I visted a website called Planet Feedback and posted a complaint which is automatically forward to Verizon.
I received a phone call two days later from the corporate office. I was told to go online and pick put any two phones and they would be overnighted to me.
Amazing response. I went back to PlanetFeedback and left a positive review.
Anonymous
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I call 4 more times over the next 4 months. the AOL rep. tells me they cannot locate my account with my name or address something is possibly misspelled. I give them the credit card #, date of charge, and reference # from my charge, I'm then told the ref. # is incorrect and I'm reading from the bill.
basically they continue to tell me they cannot cancel my account because they cannot find it, so I will continue being charged for a service I have not used and will not use, I say that's impossible.
I hang up call my credit card company dispute the charges then I am told by the credit card company rep. that I should file a complaint with the Attorney General and BBB because AOL does this constantly I finally prevailed through my credit card company!!! I know why AOL has so many customers, perseverance is a MUST!!!
Anonymous
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Well one day I came home and my lights were out. I called them and they said we had to pay another deposit before they would reconnect them. We said another deposit. We just paid a deposit when we started the account it was $150.00.
Now they are saying we have to pay another $238.00 deposit because we have been late. Come on a deposit is a deposit. If we are late, they would usually just come and shut the lights out. Why should we have to pay another deposit, we didn't sign anything stating there would be another deposit. But to get our lights back on we had to!!
Anonymous
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So I emailed Starbucks and the Commonweallth of Mass Consumer Affairs Division with this gripe: apple juice often contains high frcutose corn syrup, cider does not. I f I am going to drink apple juice I make sure I drink one without frcucotse. When I see cider on a menu I expect that I am paying for cider.
In Starbuck's defense (HA!)-- if you go to their web site, and hunt out their "cider" they proclaim it to be "100% pressed apple juice." Nice. But here's the problem: who checks out the internet product facts before walking into Starbucks, and who would actually buy something called "hot caramel apple juice"?
Yuck. Starbucks knows it doesn't sound appealing so they use the word "cider" to sell juice. How's that for a venti or grande of fraud? I've probably bought 20 of these over the last year. It would be nice to get my money back.
Anonymous
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AT FIRST HE SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEN HE FOUND A 5% REBATE FOR SIX MONTHS WHICH I TOOK IN APRIL OF 2006.
IN JUNE I CALLED AT&T AND SPOKE TO ASHLEY AND ASKED WHY NOTHING WAS SHOWING ON MY STATEMENT AS FAR AS A REBATE CREDIT. SHE PUT ME ON A LONG HOLD AND CAME BACK AND SAID IT WAS AN ERROR OF OMISSION AND IT WOULD BE ON MY NEXT STATEMENT.
NINE DAYS LATER SHE CALLED AND SAID I RECEIVED MY $100 AND NO OTHER REBATES WOULD BE COMING. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT REGARDING THE $100.
I HAD USED THIS CARD FOR ALL MY PURCHASES AND RAN UP AT LEAST $20000. FOR WHICH I WAS GETTING 5% OR I WAS UNDER THAT IMPRESSION.
LETTERS AND PHONE CALLS GOT ME NO WHERE. I GAVE THEM THE ORIGINAL OPERATOR I SPOKE WITH WHOM MADE THE OFFER. IT IS LIKE TALKING TO A WALL DEALING WITH THEM. THEY ARE RIGHT AND I AM WRONG THAT IS THEIR FINAL WORD
Anonymous
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Identity thieves have had easy access to the sensitive personal information on motorists who tripped the city's red light camera since last February.
A citizen noticed the problem when he searched for a name on Google and found the the photos, name, date of birth, address and sometimes Social Security Numbers of ticket recipients in the results.
Red light cameras capture more than just a photo of you and your car when you pass under their view. The information is cross indexed with even more private information contained in the state's massive databases.
The private data was published on the Internet because the city web server failed to implement the most basic security measures.
Unfortunately, those pictures and video, along with personal information, was accessible to anyone who searched for them for a seven-month-long period. All available just by searching for someone's name through Google.
Despite the massive error, the city maintains that its computer systems, "currently have up-to-date security measures, devices, and software to protect confidential information."
Thousands of miles away, photo enforcement vendor Affiliated Computer Services is facing bribery charges involving attempts by ACS to land a $90-million twenty-year no-bid contract to operate photo radar and red light cameras for the city of Edmonton, Canada. Court documents suggest ACS offered more than just technical services to the city's officials.
According to a letter the City of Savannah issued to the 8800 victims, "At this point we have no evidence that confidential information was read. downloaded or used in any manner. No one has reported any problems to the City of Savannah, or any other state or local authorities."
This statement offers little comfort to affected motorists who will have to watch over their shoulders for the rest of their lives.
According to a recent court case in Florida, a person whose driver's license information is exposed becomes a victim by the act of exposure even before the information is used for unlawful purposes.
In an important victory for privacy rights, Florida's 11th Circuit Court of Appeals held that individuals suing under the Drivers Privacy Protection Act can qualify to receive monetary damages even if they did not suffer financial harm.
In that case, the court ruled, "Damages for a violation of an individual's privacy are a quintessential example of damages that are uncertain and possibly unmeasurable. To us, the plain meaning of the statue is clear -- a plaintiff need not prove actual damages to be awarded liquidated damages"
In a similar case, hundreds of thousands of motorists in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Broward counties, Florida are due to receive a $50 million class-action settlement with Fidelity Federal Bank & Trust of West Palm Beach.
The bank ran afoul of a federal anti-stalking law, sparked by the 1989 murder of TV actress Rebecca Schaeffer in California, that makes it illegal for companies to buy driver records from state governments
For more information on local government and their corporate partners exposing citizens to identity crime, please go to www.findmyid.com
Anonymous
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On March 24, 2006 someone posted a false and defamatory posting accusing our company of overcharging and over wetting their carpets.
On March 29, 2006 we contacted Kudzu to bring this to their attention. After a few days and not hearing form anyone we cancelled the display advertising. The sales representative acknowledged the cancellation. We were told that someone would get back to us and that the problem was currently under review by a committee. After waiting several weeks and making several attempts to make contact someone in the Kudzu customer service and months later with no response we finally contacted someone in upper management. We contacted the president of Cox Enterprises which went from the vice-president where we were contacted by the director. Before we even begin to discuss the issue of the defamatory posting this executive wanted us to acknowledge that we had received statements for the display advertising. I was a little put off at her demeanor but I explained to her why the statements had not been paid and was she aware of the notice of cancellation. After what we thought would be an investigation and removal of the defamatory posting they decided they would leave it and stated that they didn’t feel as though it has caused any injury to our business.
We have made every attempt to show these people why it was defamatory and why it should be removed.
In our next attempt to remedy this situation we went directly with our concerns for the second time to the president of Cox Enterprises (Jim Kennedy)who only forwarded the information to their attorney who promptly advised them to terminate their relationship with us. They immediately removed our listing without notice and all this was done in violation of their own agreement. Our business is now down by at least 70% and the goodwill testimonials that we have developed over the last year have been deleted.
We have forwarded our complaint to the Governor's office of consumer affairs.
Anonymous
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Our address is Mount Vernon, Wa. Could you possibly waive any penalty fines and/or fines from the Skagit county Planning and Permit center. We can get the home plans into the permit center by September 1, 2006, but we cannot afford any penalties or fines. We are also being threatened with a Notice to Abate order also. This has been and still is a total nightmare for us! Can you please help us?
We are working on litigation with our attorney in Mount Vernon, but almost two years later we still haven't received a dime.
Our home was left in a "state of demolition" according to a housing inspector who witnessed the demolition. This is what our home looked like after the "con" tractor left without even letting us know about two years ago.
I got this home as part of my divorce settlement and later discovered the home was in complete disrepair due to neglect from both my ex husband and the property management company who was supposed to be taking care of our home as we were out of state owners and the home had been a rental for many years.
This has been an absolute nightmare for both my husband and myself! It has been almost two years now. The home looks better now than it did in these pictures, but we are still without a working kitchen, bath and do not have any floor coverings. The electrical and plumbing needs to be inspected by the Skagit county inspection team and then replaced with materials up to code standards. This is because the dishonest "con" tractor did not get any permits or inspections for anything he did to our home. We paid the contractor to get the permits, but to our horror we later discovered that he didn;t get any permits. He left us without running water, no kitchen or bath and live wires just stuffed behind the sheetrock and wrapped around a post in the main living area. He attempted to do his own plumbing and electrical, but was not licensed to do either. Labor and Industries shut down his company in December 2004 after seeing the damage he did to our home. He had been licensed and bonded at the time he worked on our home.
To whom this may concern,
I have tried to contact HUD, but I am told we are "over income" by their guidelines. My husband is a disabled veteran who will need to have major surgery very soon. I am also disabled from a medical treatment , but still pending a social security hearing and have no income at this time. We are trying to live off one disability income.
This the way we live now, in a tent, in the house.
I think this whole ordeal began because we got married and that made us "over income" by HUD and other government standards. We can't make it much longer. Our credit cards are mounting rapidly just trying to keep this place, buy food and attempting to pay the bills.
My husband now (boyfriend then) hired a licensed and bonded contractor, since I was awarded this home from a divorce settlement and then found out the foundation was caving in and the fireplace was unusable.
We have heard that after Washington state Labor and Industries suspended the contractor's license in mid December 2004 after several members of L & I and a person from the Mount Vernon permit center came to our home to see the horrible condition the contractor us to live in.
The contractor left our home in a "demolition state" without a kitchen, bath or even running water. We are currnetly living in a tent in the main living area since the contractor took the wallheaters out. The contractor lost his contractor license mid December 2004 and now has fled the state.
We can't get financing to do the desperately needed repairs to make our home safe and up to current codes, since the house is not finished and we don't have enough income. We are the victims of a horrendeous crime yet we can't get any help from anyone.
The contractor did not get any building permits nor did he build anything up to current standards, most of the materials were used or substandard. The roof is not structurally sound and the electrical and plumbing, is not up to code and poses a risk to us as occupants. If we can't live here or get any help from someone, we will be homeless and disabled.
I feel that we are "falling between the cracks" of a system that is supposed to help people during their time of need. I am at the point almost giving up, since we cannot get help from any government agency. Is there anyone in our local building industry or housing agency who can help us? Thanks
The rest of the story....Yes, it was and still is a nighmare for us!!!
We did not even see a contract until about three weeks into the job. He was just too eager to start. That should have been our first clue. The good contractors are busy in the summertime.
The contractor began in July 2004 and he was last seen at the on October 23,2004 by the logger. Their truck was parked in the driveway and workers were seen working outside the main house and the unfinished garage and studio.
At the time we were staying at Studio 1 in the Marysville area. He called us at the Studio 1 room and was very angry threatning to come find us. He was upset because he had lost his 5 star rating from Service Magic. He again asked for more money. We said he would not get any more money until he finished at least one project. He told Ed Foote that he and one of his workers planned on coming to the residence on Monday October 25th to "finish the roof and build stairs". He never showed up on that Monday, October 25th.
On October 20, 2004. we received a fax to the hotel again asking for more money. That was week 13 or 14 of the project which was supposed to be done in an estimated 7-10 week completion date. At this point he was charging us for work he hadn't even started working on.
The last three weeks both Ed and I witnessed people putting siding on the main house and one or two people working in the "master disaster" of the main home. The ?head worker cut out the main supporting beams and also opened up the front wall even more than it had been.
This room that was supposed to be the master suite is still open to the elements and only covered with a tarp. The cap of the roof was not put in place on either the main house or the unfinshed studio above the garage. There were multiple leaks in both the main house and the studio apartment. The so called skylight in the main house was only covered by a piece of plywood.
Due to the moisture and leaks there is now black mold forming on the sheetrock and the insulation of both buildings. No steps were ever built to the front door or the unfinished studio. The sheetrock in the studio and the main home was put in place before any electrical or plumbing inspections could be done. Now all this has to be removed and inspected. There live wires in both the main house and the studio. He was seen by my husband and myself doing his own plumbing and electrical work, or at least attempting to do so. He literally stuffed the live wires anywhere he could and/or covered them with sheetrock. He received a citation from Washington State Labor and Industries, to redo the electrical work and have it inspected, but of course he never did.
Labor and Industries also cited him for failure to disclose lien information to us. No permits or inspections were done by them and nothing is built up to code standards. In his own words, he did substandard work on the main house to attempt to get the studio finished in a reasonable timeframe, but of course he did not. He blamed everyone, but himself!!!
The contractor and his employees did not frame the garage correctly and that was his area of expertise. He and his workers did not put the siding up correctly and the job wasn;t completed either.
All the sheetrock has to come down to get the electrical work inspected. Everything room he touched he and his crew demolished and has to be redone. One of his main employees told us that he quit because of his "game playing".
We hired a house inspector, and he stated that the contractor had left our home in a "state of demolition".
He basically left us to live in a death trap. We lived in a tent all last winter to keep from freezing to death. He had taken the wall heaters out and then he then just stuffed the live wires behind the sheetrock. a state of shock when we saw how he left it. He took a livable home and made it unlivable. We realized about halfway through the project that everything he said were lies.
We gave him over 70K to demolish our home. The only project that was completed (I think) is the foundation work. There still isn;t a garage floor and there are no steps to the unfinished apartment. He left the cabinets that were supposed to be installed in the apartment were left outside to rot. Live wires were stuffed were behind the sheetrock and also wrapped around a main post in the living room.
Washington Labor and Industries are the ones who suspended your license, not us. They were appalled by the demolition you did to our home. A private home inspector stated he left our home in a "state of demolition".
Anonymous
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Wrong!!!! This son started working behind his back and even wired money out of the company account to his personal account. Then he started making contracts with investors and forging his father's signature on the agreements.
When we found out what was happening, we confronted him. That is when his son became unglued and called a Board of Directors meeting to have his father removed from the company and to put himself in as President.
He then took control of everything and has not paid his father even one dime! My husband worked very hard to build this company up and just when we were on the verge of getting some good oil production, my husband's son did this adverse and hostile takeover.
His son even told his dad not to call him son anymore! This whole thing is pure evil in action.