A California business litigation attorney knows that suing your business partner is not something that anyone wants to have to do. When you file a lawsuit against a business partner, you are making a disagreement you are having even more adversarial.
If your business partner breaches their fiduciary duty to either you or the company, it may be necessary to sue. Especially if the conduct is ongoing or severely harmful to the business. Of course, that’s not the only reason why you may need to sue your business partner.
If you are facing a dispute with a business partner, you should consider speaking with an experienced partnership lawyer. An experienced business attorney can advise you of your options and help you protect your business’s interests.
Partnership disputes can be complex and messy. A partnership lawyer will examine your partnership agreement and any other contracts between you and your partner and also determine what state laws might apply to your claim.
While it's never the ideal solution, the answer is yes. Sometimes the only way to resolve an issue with a business partner is through a lawsuit. If your business partner is engaging in conduct that is harmful to the company, or that violates their obligation to the company, a lawsuit may be the only option.
You can sue your business partner if: Your business partner engaged in fraud or theft. If your partner stole money or property from the company, you can file a claim to try to recover the items or funds. Theft or embezzlement is not only a civil matter, but is also a criminal matter.
Remove The Emotional Component. You need to take the emotional component out of the discussion. ... Establish The Facts. ... Find Common Ground. ... Set The Foundation. ... Have An Active Listening Session. ... Release Tension And Have Fun. ... Focus On 'Interests' ... Follow A Conflict Resolution Process.More items...•
Address the Issue Many business conflicts can be resolved or managed through open communication. If you are unhappy with the contributions a partner has made, one option is to simply speak to him about your concerns. Explain what you have observed and how you are feeling, without being accusatory or hostile.
File a Dissolution Form. You'll have to file a dissolution of partnership form in the state your company is based in to end the partnership and make it public formally. Doing this makes it evident that you are no longer in the partnership or held liable for the costs of its debts.
You can take the matter to court if your partner will not sell or negotiate and you wish to remain in the business. In this case, the court will decide the outcome, and one or both parties may be forced to sell.
One popular type of partnership arrangement is the 50/50 split where profits and decision making is split equally. Partners entered into a 50/50 partnership agreement can dissolve the partnership at any time, and when a partner involved in a 50/50 agreement dies, the partnership automatically gets terminated.
The dispute in partnership dispute can be solved by the various methods like arbitration, mediation and negotiation. Court proceeding and awards are also the ways in which a dispute can be settled.
Go to Court The lawsuit lets the courts decide how to terminate the business. The court's decision also includes figuring out how much each partner is owed if you are forced to sell. Keep in mind that legal fees, for both partners, add up quickly and could put you in a worse situation than if you just left.
In most cases, a partner can force out another partner only for violating the partnership agreement or state or federal laws. If you didn't violate the agreement or act illegally, you may nonetheless be forced out of the partnership if a court determines that the partnership should be dissolved.
You can walk away, lose your stake, and risk future liability. There are times when this is a viable option. If the business is small, you won't be walking away from much value and if the rent is on a month-to-month basis, and if there isn't much other debt, you could walk away and take your chances.
And when you observe that your partner is not pulling his or her weight, talk to them. It's when things have gotten bad and past the point of no repair that you should resort to more drastic measures like restructuring the equity or dissolving the business partnership.
There are a number of circumstances that might justify a lawsuit against your business partner. For example: Your partner breaches a fiduciary duty...
If your partner acts negligently, it could affect your business in a number of different ways. For example, your partner may harm the business by n...
If your partner abandoned the business, you will likely need to take action to expel the partner or dissolve the partnership. In most cases, the pr...