Business Disputes and How an Attorney Can Help (or Not)
Should I hire an attorney to help settle a business dispute?
It is an unfortunate reality that many partnerships end up in some form of dispute. This may be because the business plan didn’t work out as well as anticipated, there was some form of unethical behavior, or the personalities of the involved parties just didn’t mesh. Regardless of the reason, we at Fargo Patent & Business Law, PLLC have seen these issues firsthand and can relate to the struggle.
Navigating Uncertainty During Business Disputes
One of the biggest emotional challenges those involved face is the uncertainty that comes with the changes in the business. In some cases these changes mean the company must file bankruptcy, lawsuits must be filed, a demand letter must be sent, or a settlement must be signed. These situations are typically complicated and emotionally charged. Our goal is to try and help find an amicable solution.
It is also unfortunate that when parties in a dispute decide to bring in lawyers the dispute only gets worse. As attorneys we have to be very aware of the impact we may have on finding a solution. Some of the problems that attorneys can create include:
- Fighting over unimportant technical issues
- Slowing or completely stopping amicable communication
- Importing attorney egos into the emotionally charged situation
- Increasing the anxiety precipitated to the parties by the dispute
“We fight for what is important to our client, not what is important to us. “
Helping You Identify Issues In a Business Dispute
To try to mitigate the urge to fight over unimportant technical details, we at Fargo Patent & Business Law focus on identifying the most important issues to our clients. Ultimately, we understand that we are not our client and that our client may have a perspective that isn’t what we would think. We fight for what is important to our client, not what is important to us. For example, some clients simply want an apology for being wronged; they don’t necessarily want a huge settlement.
Efficiently Respond to Inquiries Regarding Business Disputes
Secondly, it is important for us as your attorneys to efficiently respond to inquiries by the opposing party and from our clients. We can control our actions, but we cannot control the opposing party’s actions. By efficiently responding and encouraging the other party to respond, we can help ensure a timely resolution. When it comes to attorneys and government action, resolutions can be painfully slow. Most clients wish to resolve their issue as soon as possible. Our focus on communication can help achieve efficient results.
When attorneys become involved it is important to keep our egos out of the situation. Our role is to resolve our client’s issues, it is not just to chalk up “wins.”
It is understandable that a dispute involving attorneys can increase anxiety. Clients are likely experiencing some uncertainty and don’t fully know how to move forward. What attorneys can do is clearly layout the options and the possible ramifications to those options. It is our job as attorneys to help calm our clients’ anxiety by helping reduce the level of speculation our clients contemplate.
All of our attorneys have experience running businesses and understand business. This unique trait can help bridge the gap between the needs of business and the needs of the legal system.
