Resolve it before it needs a courtroom

Most business disputes are not worth litigating, and the ones that are should be litigated by someone who does it full time. What a company needs from its lawyer is the judgment to tell the difference, and the ability to resolve the first kind quickly. I spent four years as a trial lawyer before going in-house, and I have managed commercial litigation from the client side since.

What it covers

• Demand letters and responses. Sent and received. A demand letter should be the last step before a resolution, not the first step toward a lawsuit.

• Collections. Unpaid invoices and customer defaults, handled with a clear escalation path and an eye on whether the money is actually recoverable.

• Breach and performance disputes. A customer refusing delivery, a supplier that cannot perform, a partner that walked away from the deal. Contract analysis, position, and negotiation.

• Settlement. Structuring and documenting resolutions, including mutual releases and multi-party settlements.

• Litigation management. When a matter has to be filed or defended, I select and manage outside litigation counsel, set the strategy and budget, and keep the business informed on what the fight is actually worth.

• Administrative charges. Agency complaints and government inquiries, coordinated with the right specialist when one is needed.

Who this is for

Any company with a dispute that has not yet become a lawsuit, or one that has and needs someone on the client side who understands both the business and the litigation.

How it works

Flat fees for demand letters and standard responses. Hourly for negotiations and litigation management. I will tell you at the start whether the dispute is worth pursuing, what it is likely to cost, and what a good outcome looks like.