You may be a pro at providing top-notch products or services to your customers, but are you prepared to handle a legal dispute that could put everything you've worked for at risk? Steinberg Law, LLC helps New Jersey business owners in a wide range of industries ensure their companies remain on a solid legal foundation. Our business law attorney provides the help you need to safeguard your investment from a wide range of legal threats—including contract disputes, theft of intellectual property, antitrust activities, consumer fraud, fines for non-compliance with government regulations, and much more.
No Business Is Immune From the Threat of Litigation
You may think that your business is safe from legal troubles because you only have a handful of employees, the company has been in your family for generations, or you enjoy an outstanding reputation within the community. Unfortunately, any business—regardless of industry, size, length of operation, or professional reputation—can fall prey to litigation that jeopardizes its future.
While you should contact a business attorney immediately if you're facing a lawsuit, the best approach is to be proactive in managing litigation risk. You don't need to have a lawyer on retainer, but it's smart to develop a relationship with someone you can trust to provide sound legal advice. Experienced attorney Frank Steinberg can advise you on how to maintain compliance with relevant government regulations, what insurance you may need to protect the company's assets, and if there are steps you should take to avoid placing your personal assets at risk.
Contract Disputes Must Be Dealt With Promptly
Breach of contract claims occur when one party doesn't live up to the terms and conditions outlined in the agreement. Common examples of breach of contract claims faced by business owners include:
A supplier who failed to deliver materials for a project
A subcontractor who missed key project deadlines
A customer who didn't pay for services rendered
An employee who violated a non-compete or non-disclosure agreement
Effective contracts are written with clear and unambiguous language. Contacts that are one-size-fits-all templates with boilerplate language can have unintended consequences. Always have an attorney draft the contracts for your business's important transactions or review any contracts you've been asked to sign.
When a contract dispute is resolved in court, there are three possible remedies: damages, cancellation, and specific performance. Damages are the most common remedy—including compensatory damages that restore the injured party to their position prior to the breach, punitive damages that punish a wrongful act, and any liquidated damages specifically indicated in a provision of the contract.
It's Essential That You Take Steps to Safeguard Your Intellectual Property
One common mistake business owners make is neglecting to protect the value of their intellectual property. It's obvious you need to safeguard your office location and the equipment you use to perform your duties, but intellectual property such as software code, design schematics, or downloadable website content also needs to be protected from competitors who might try to infringe upon your company's rights to gain a competitive advantage.
We can ensure you have the appropriate trademarks, copyrights, and patents necessary to protect your brand identity, increase the commercial value of your company, safeguard key revenue streams, and create strong partnerships with businesses that can help you advance your goals. Protecting your intellectual property can also involve taking steps to secure your computer system or to pursue litigation against former employees and others who have attempted to gain unauthorized access to trade secrets and confidential information.
What Other Risks Are You Facing?
No two businesses are exactly alike, which is why it's critical that you take the time to proactively anticipate the legal risk associated with different activities. This might include:
Antitrust laws
Allegations of consumer fraud
Fines for non-compliance with government regulations
Discrimination complaints from former employees
Damages resulting from data breaches or computer hacking
Our firm can assist you in identifying potential risks while minimizing damages when litigation does occur.
Get Advice You Can Trust From a New Jersey Business Law Attorney
At Steinberg Law, LLC, we believe in building relationships based on trust, honesty, and mutual respect. No matter what legal challenge you're facing, you can count on us to help you evaluate your options and determine the best way to move forward. We serve clients throughout New Jersey and are well-equipped to represent your interests in federal court if necessary.
Contact us today to request a free case review.