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We advocate for clients in state and federal courts, arbitration and mediation.
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Personal injury - motor vehicle, work, premises, malpractice |
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Business disputes - involving owners, employees, suppliers, lenders, and customers |
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Commercial - goods, services, leases, products, collections |
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We guide and support clients and recognize that we as lawyers suggest and support, while the client owns the decision whether to settle or proceed.
While most parties voluntarily settle before their case goes to trial or arbitration, we “hope for the best and prepare for the worst” by preparing cases to be resolved by a court or arbitration forum. We believe that this approach results in more cases settling on better terms for clients. Preparing a case for trial increases understanding of the case. Readying a case for trial shows resolve and ability to go forward.
We ask questions of clients, listen to the answers, and make recommendations about proceeding based on those answers. There is no “cookie-cutter” sameness to claims, although there may be a certain amount of recurrence. Since our law firm’s founding in 1990, we have handled a broad variety of litigated and arbitrated claims that help us achieve better results.
We recognize cases can settle at any time: before a lawsuit or arbitration is begun; while a lawsuit or arbitration is in the discovery phase; and even after the discovery phase, including while the case is being tried before a judge or arbiter. The “best” time to settle a case is when the client believes that its interests are advanced the most with the least amount of transaction costs: lawyer fees, expenses of the case, and the client’s own time and circumstances.
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Personal Injury
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We help clients who have been injured by the fault of others obtain just compensation for their damages: economic loss for lost wages; non-economic loss for pain and suffering and diminution of quality of life due to the inability to do what they did before. |
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We have successfully represented clients who were hurt by cars, while working, by doctors and as a result of falls. |
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A personal injury case may last as short as several months or as long as many years. We begin by gathering information, investigating the circumstances of the event causing injury, the nature and extent of the injury, and who may be responsible. Depending on the client’s preferences, we begin to prosecute the claim very soon thereafter or wait until the extent of the injury is better understood. |
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Business Disputes |
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We help business owners prosecute and defend claims involving business dispute.
We evaluate and recommend how to proceed with the prosecution and defense of litigation and arbitration claims.
We have successfully represented shareholders and corporations, members, managers and limited liability companies, partners and partnerships and individuals in business disputes.
Business disputes, particularly where there is a personal relationship between the parties, often are about more than dollars. We recognize that a better outcome from the client’s view may result when the client’s interests are identified at the outset of representation. Those interests often include direct financial issues and less easily quantified issues: control of an entity, certainty as to the meaning of a document, and finality as to an owner’s or employee’s relationship with the business and others. |
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Commercial Disputes
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We help clients who have disputes with vendors, customers and clients, tenants and landlords. |
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A money judgment against the other side usually is not very meaningful unless it will lead to collection of the judgment. Identifying ways to motivate slow payers to perform their obligations can sometimes be accomplished even without having to take a judgment. Affidavits confessing judgment, mechanics liens, and notices of pendency are possible tools to accomplish this result. |
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