Business & Commercial Litigation

Businesses face a complex web of legal obligations and challenges. Meeting these challenges requires knowledge of local, state, and federal laws; and vigorous representation in disputes with consumers, vendors, and competitors. Our Chicago business litigation attorneys offer extensive experience and skill in a wide range of legal issues to businesses in the Chicago area and the surrounding regions.

Business Disputes

We represent business owners and business professionals in disputes that may arise with competitors, affiliates, consumers, vendors or vendees, current or former employees, officers or directors, and others. These may include:

• Breach of contract;
• Breach of fiduciary duty;
• Interference with prospective clients;
• Breach of warranty;
• Business fraud;
• Consumer fraud;
• Infringement of trade secrets;
• Infringement of trademark or copyright;
• Disputes between partners, shareholders, or members;
• Disputes arising from a merger or acquisition;
• Joint venture disputes;
• Disputes over the purchase or disposition of capital;
• Disputes over investors;
• Disputes over investments; and
• Real estate disputes.

Real Estate Litigation

Real estate litigation encompasses a broad range of contractual, statutory, and other legal obligations, including landlord/tenant relations, sale or purchase of property, investment, development, and land use issues. We represent businesses who are purchasing, selling, leasing, or investing in real property. We also assist businesses who are experiencing difficulties developing the real property they own, helping them in disputes with contractors, investors, and regulators.

Franchise Litigation

Franchisors and franchisees have a relationship unlike almost any other in business, with a franchisee taking on the obligation to publicly maintain the franchisor’s brand and business goodwill in a particular area. We assist both franchisors and franchisees in disputes over alleged breaches of a franchise agreement, business fraud, failures to make required payments, and infringement of either party’s intellectual property.

Legal Malpractice

Our business litigation attorneys represent Chicago plaintiffs and defendants in claims of legal malpractice arising from legal work performed for a business or in support of business litigation.

Business Disputes in Divorce

Ownership of equity in a family or closely-held business may become a contentious issue in a divorce, requiring appraisals of business property and of the business itself. The parties to a divorce need skilled legal representation, and the business caught in the middle should also have access to legal guidance. We can advise business owners or the businesses themselves of their rights and obligations, and we can retain appraisers and other experts to facilitate the sale or division of equity.

Class Action Defense

Class action lawsuits present different challenges than other lawsuits. They give individual plaintiffs with relatively small consumer or business claims to join with other, similarly situated plaintiffs and bring one large-scale lawsuit. Businesses should not underestimate the leverage the class action system gives to plaintiffs. We have extensive experience defending businesses from class action suits by challenging and defeating class certification, negotiating settlements and dismissals, and representing businesses at trial.

Non-Competition Agreements

Businesses and their employees may enter into non-competition agreements, which restrict an employee from working for a competitor for a defined period of time and within a defined geographic area. Our business litigation lawyers represent Chicago businesses seeking to enforce a non-competition agreement against a former employee, as well as individuals wishing to get out of a non-competition agreement.

Slander, Defamation, Libel, and Cyber-Smearing

A business’s reputation is one of its most important assets, and any false or misleading information made available to the public can cause irreparable damages. False statements regarding the performance or quality of a product, for example, can impact sales and hurt the company’s brand. The internet has further enabled the spread of false information by consumers, competitors, and others. Defamation law allows businesses to hold individuals accountable for the damage caused by statements that they know to be false, or that they made without reasonably inquiring as to its falsity.

Lubin Austermuehle, P.C.’s commercial litigation attorneys have offices in Elmhurst and Chicago, Illinois. We represent clients throughout Illinois, including the Chicago metro area and DuPage County, as well as Indiana and Wisconsin. To schedule a consultation with a Chicago business litigation lawyer, contact us via email, at 630-333-0333.

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