Many business disputes appear simple on the surface, but hide deep complexities that can affect your company for years. An overlooked clause in a contract or an unaddressed partnership issue can quickly spiral, impacting your operations and your bottom line. An experienced Illinois business litigation attorney can identify these hidden risks and build a strategy to protect what you’ve built. Contact M&A Trial Lawyers today for a confidential consultation at (847) 786-8999.
Why Choose M&A Trial Lawyers for Your Business Litigation Needs?
You need a law firm that understands the business landscape in Illinois and prepares every case for the courtroom. Our firm provides the aggressive and strategic representation required to defend your company’s interests.
An experienced Illinois business litigation attorney from our team is committed to protecting your business from legal threats.
Strategic Counsel
M&A Trial Lawyers represents clients throughout the state of Illinois, navigating the diverse legal landscapes of various judicial circuits, from Cook County to the courts serving central and southern Illinois.
Our statewide experience allows us to craft legal strategies that account for regional economic factors and local court procedures. We provide the same high level of dedicated representation to every client, whether their business is located in a major urban center or a rural community.
Trial-Ready Representation
We approach every case as if it will go to trial. This preparation sends a clear message that we are serious about defending your position. Opposing counsel knows that our demands are backed by a readiness to argue your case before a judge and jury, often creating favorable settlement opportunities.
Protecting Your Company’s Future
A legal dispute is more than a temporary problem; it’s a threat to your company’s future. Our goal extends beyond winning a single case. We aim to secure outcomes that protect your business’s long-term health, reputation, and ability to grow.
Every legal strategy we develop considers the potential impact on your business years from now. You worked hard to build your company. Let M&A Trial Lawyers help you protect it. Call us at (847) 786-8999 to discuss your case.
Common Business Disputes We Handle
Business litigation covers a wide array of legal challenges that can arise from internal operations or external transactions. M&A Trial Lawyers has the experience to handle these complex matters. We provide decisive action to resolve disputes and safeguard your business.
Breach of Contract Claims
Contracts form the backbone of your business relationships. When a party fails to uphold its end of an agreement, your company can suffer significant financial harm. We represent clients in disputes involving vendor agreements, service contracts, sales contracts, and more.
Our attorneys act to enforce the terms of your contracts and pursue remedies for any breach. An Illinois business litigation attorney from our firm can help you hold other parties accountable.
Partnership and Shareholder Disputes
Internal conflicts pose a serious risk to any business. Disputes among partners or shareholders can disrupt operations and threaten the company’s stability.
We handle disagreements related to:
- Breach of Fiduciary Duty: We address situations where a partner or director acts in their own self-interest instead of in the best interest of the company and its shareholders.
- Management Disagreements: Our firm helps resolve conflicts over the company’s direction and day-to-day operations.
- Buy-Sell Agreement Conflicts: We assist in enforcing the terms of shareholder agreements when a principal decides to exit the business.
- Misappropriation of Funds: We take decisive action when a partner or shareholder misuses company assets for personal gain.
Protecting Intellectual Property
Your company’s intellectual property is one of its most valuable assets. Trade secrets, client lists, and proprietary processes give you a competitive edge. When a former employee or competitor misappropriates this information, you must act quickly to prevent further damage.
Our firm helps businesses protect their intellectual property rights from infringement and theft.
Employment-Related Litigation
Disagreements between a company and its employees can lead to complex and disruptive legal claims. Our attorneys defend businesses against allegations of wrongful termination, discrimination, and harassment.
We also represent companies in conflicts over employment agreements, including breaches of non-compete and confidentiality clauses. Our firm works to protect your business from the financial and reputational damage these disputes can cause.
We aim to resolve these sensitive matters efficiently to minimize disruption within your workplace. A strong defense in employment litigation protects your company’s culture and its future.
Breach of Fiduciary Duty
Corporate directors, officers, and partners have a legal duty to act in the best interest of the company and its shareholders. A breach of this fiduciary duty occurs when an individual engages in self-dealing or has an undisclosed conflict of interest. We pursue claims to hold individuals accountable for these breaches of trust and recover any resulting damages.
Litigation Solutions for Key Illinois Industries
Our firm provides focused legal representation for businesses in the core sectors of the Illinois economy. We understand the unique challenges that companies in these industries face and develop practical, effective legal strategies that protect their internal operations and long-term health.
Manufacturing & Industrial Operations
Illinois’s robust manufacturing sector is an important cornerstone of our state’s economy. Our attorneys handle internal conflicts specific to this industry, from shareholder disputes over capital investment in new equipment to litigation involving the theft of proprietary manufacturing processes.
Technology Sector Conflicts
The technology sector moves fast, and so do the legal conflicts that arise within it. We represent software companies and IT service providers across the state, from the research hubs of Champaign-Urbana to the tech corridors of Chicago.
We handle internal disputes involving departing partners taking source code, breaches of fiduciary duty, and conflicts over the ownership of intellectual property developed during a partnership.
Agribusiness and Agricultural Operations
M&A Trial Lawyers represents family-owned farming corporations, agricultural cooperatives, and other agribusinesses in complex internal disputes and litigation. We handle matters involving business succession conflicts, disagreements among members of a farming co-op, and disputes over the misappropriation of company assets.
Healthcare Practices and Administration
The healthcare industry is a major employer throughout Illinois and faces unique internal challenges. We represent medical groups, dental practices, and healthcare administration companies.
Our firm handles partnership dissolutions for medical practices, litigates breach of fiduciary duty claims against board members, and defends healthcare companies in complex employment disputes involving clinical staff.
Professional Services Litigation
We represent accounting firms, consultants, architects, and other professional service providers throughout Illinois. For these businesses, internal stability is critical to client confidence.
We handle sensitive matters like partnership dissolutions, partner expulsions, and legal action to enforce non-competition agreements against former principals.
Emergency Business Litigation and Injunctive Relief
Certain internal threats demand immediate intervention to prevent irreparable damage. Our firm moves quickly to seek emergency court orders when your company faces an urgent risk from within. We act decisively to protect your interests when time is of the essence.
Seeking Temporary Restraining Orders
A Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) can stop a harmful internal action before it starts. Our attorneys petition the court to issue these emergency orders on your behalf.
We may seek a TRO to address these and other urgent issues:
- Stopping Trade Secret Theft: A court order can prohibit a former employee from using or sharing your proprietary information.
- Pausing Asset Transfers: The court can freeze assets to prevent a partner from improperly moving them beyond reach during a dispute.
- Enforcing a Non-Compete Clause: An injunction can stop a former executive from immediately violating the terms of their employment contract.
- Preventing Document Destruction: We can secure a court order to preserve crucial evidence when you suspect misconduct by another principal.
Defending Against Unfair Injunctions
Another party within your business may try to obtain a TRO against you or your management team. Such an order could freeze your authority or halt key operations, resulting in significant disruption. Our firm mounts a vigorous and rapid defense against such motions, protecting your right to conduct business.
A Proactive Approach to Legal Challenges
Not every internal business dispute has to end in a courtroom battle. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods, such as arbitration and mediation, often provide a more efficient and cost-effective path to resolution.
M&A Trial Lawyers evaluates every case to determine the most effective strategy for our clients.
ADR offers several advantages for businesses looking to resolve internal conflicts:
- Confidentiality: Arbitration and mediation are private processes that help protect your company’s reputation from the public fallout of an internal dispute.
- Control: You have more say in the outcome, unlike a court case, where the decision rests with a judge or jury.
- Efficiency: These methods typically resolve disputes faster than traditional litigation, saving you time and money.
- Preservation of Relationships: ADR can sometimes help preserve working relationships that would be destroyed by a contentious lawsuit.
While we’re always prepared for trial, we also recognize the strategic value of ADR. We guide you through the process, advocating for your interests to secure a favorable and lasting resolution.
FAQ for Illinois Business Litigation Attorney
What Constitutes a Breach of Fiduciary Duty in Illinois?
A breach of fiduciary duty occurs when a person in a position of trust, such as a corporate director or a business partner, acts in their own self-interest rather than the best interest of the company. This can include self-dealing, usurping a corporate opportunity, or having a conflict of interest.
Illinois law requires fiduciaries to act with loyalty and care, and a failure to do so can lead to legal action.
How Does an Illinois Business Litigation Attorney Help With Partnership Disputes?
M&A Trial Lawyers approaches partnership disputes by first identifying the core issues and the goals of our client. We analyze the partnership agreement and other governing documents to determine the rights and obligations of each party.
Our strategy often involves direct negotiation to find a business-focused solution, but we’re fully prepared to litigate if a fair agreement cannot be reached.
What Is a Shareholder Derivative Action?
A shareholder derivative action is a lawsuit brought by a shareholder on behalf of the corporation itself. These lawsuits typically target the corporation’s own directors or officers for actions that have harmed the company, such as a breach of fiduciary duty.
Any recovery from the lawsuit goes back to the corporation, not the individual shareholder who filed the suit.
When Does My Company Need an Illinois Business Litigation Attorney?
You should consider hiring an Illinois business litigation attorney as soon as a significant internal dispute arises. Early legal counsel can help you understand your options and may allow you to resolve the issue before it escalates into a full-blown lawsuit.
An attorney can help with shareholder disagreements, partnership dissolutions, employee disputes, or any other internal legal conflict.
What Should I Do if I Suspect a Partner Is Misusing Company Funds?
If you suspect a partner is misappropriating company funds, act promptly but carefully. Gather any available documentation without alerting the individual and immediately contact a business litigation attorney to discuss your options. Your lawyer can launch a formal investigation or seek a court order to freeze assets.
Take Control of Your Legal Dispute
The legal world can feel confusing and uncertain, but you don’t have to face internal business conflicts alone. The first step in resolving a dispute is to create a clear plan of action. Let us help you develop a strategy to protect your interests and achieve your goals.
Contact M&A Trial Lawyers today to regain control of your story at (847) 786-8999.