In today's business world, many businesses are forced to deal with legal liability and the threat of litigation at some point. The Katz Law Group represents corporations of any size, from family-owned businesses to Fortune 500 businesses. We handle all types of business disputes that arise within a corporation or between corporations. We pursue action against wrongdoers or competitors to hold them accountable if they engage in improper practices against our clients. We pursue litigation or defend lawsuits to preserve our clients' legal rights and to protect the client's brand, reputation, and goodwill in the marketplace. We know what can be at stake in these actions and we use our experience, knowledge, and technology to achieve favorable outcomes for our clients.
Litigation is not always the preferred method to solve business problems or disputes. It is, however, necessary in some situations either because (1) it is in the best interests of the company; or (2) it has been forced upon the company. When business, corporate, and contract litigation is necessary, the Katz Law Group is prepared to represent and counsel clients throughout the entire proceedings. The Katz Law Group has nearly 40 years of proven experience handling sensitive legal matters in a successful, timely and cost-effective manner. We know the law. We know the court procedures. We know how to get desired outcomes efficiently and effectively.
Business Law in Massachusetts
Business law is a broad, multi-faceted, complex area of law that includes a wide range of corporate, contract and tort claims. Regardless of whether your business is small and local or multi-national, you can experience legal complications that can harm your business' bottom line and negatively impact your reputation and brand. The Katz Law Group can guide your business through its many legal concerns, and if a dispute or legal issue arises, we are prepared to advocate for your interests in negotiations, alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation or arbitration, or through full-blown litigation.
There are four general fields in business and contract litigation:
- Contract disputes
- Unfair trade practices
- Employment litigation
- Business credit law
Additionally, there are some common factual situations that arise that, while they are not necessarily distinct legal issues, present complicated problems in business litigation. Some examples include:
- Contract disputes surrounding a business that is closing
- Vendor disputes
- Contracts involving small businesses
- International business issues
- Breach of fiduciary duty
Contracts
Contract disputes can arise in a number of different areas. We have the background in expertise to assist our clients in the following matters:
- Breach of contract
- Modification of contract
- Assignment of contracts
- Oral or verbal contracts
- Void contracts
- The Statute of Frauds
- Insurance coverage disputes
- Non-compete agreements, including garden leave clause issues
- Consulting agreements
- Indemnity agreements
- Defenses to a breach of contract claim, like impossibility or impracticability
- Release and settlement agreements
We have also walked clients through legal issues stemming from common contract provisions, such as:
Even if there was no written contract but an agreement was made and then broken, we can help you recover what you deserve through a quantum meruit claim.
But not all of our legal representation happens after the contract is signed or the agreement made. Much of our work in this field is spent reviewing contracts for clients before they sign them. There are numerous reasons why you should get a contract reviewed by an experienced lawyer before you finalize it, including:
- Contract analysis - Your lawyer will understand what each provision means, what it does, and how it fits into the agreement, and can translate the legalese to plain English
- Risk assessment - Your lawyer can point out potential threats to your interests in the contract
- Risk mitigation - Once the risks have been isolated, your lawyer can offer options to avoid or at least reduce them
- Legal research - Lots of contracts have provisions in them that are not legally enforceable, and an experienced lawyer will be able to spot them and offer suggestions for how to move forward
- Negotiation strategy - Your attorney can help you negotiate with the other party by offering you suggestions for modifying the contract, or can negotiate on your behalf
Getting a contract reviewed before signing it is especially important when there is a lot at stake.
Unfair Trade Practices
Unfair trade practices are illegal in Massachusetts. However, the law is intentionally vague on what it means to be "unfair" or "deceptive." Our attorneys can help with:
- Unfair trade disputes
- Filing Chapter 93A complaints or responding to 93A demand letters
- Fraud
- Unfair competition
- Trademark infringement
- Massachusetts' consumer protection law for businesses
Employment Law
Employment law is business and contract law that deals with employment issues. Some of the most common situations that our lawyers handle are:
- Employment contract disputes, including those arising under the employee handbook or social media policy
- Severance and separation agreements
- Employment litigation defense
- Independent contractors and worker classification issues
- Non-solicitation agreements
- Non-disclosure agreements
- Executive contracts, including executive compensation agreements
Business Credit Law
Legal issues abound when a business seeks credit. Whether you need a loan or a line of credit to pay for unforeseen costs of running your business or to expand your operations, or if someone owes your business money, our lawyers can help with:
- Credit agreements and applications
- The rights of a business creditor
- Commercial collections
- Collections demand letters
Massachusetts Business and Contract Lawyers at the Katz Law Group
The Katz Law Group takes unique approaches to resolve each of these claims. The factors that are considered as part of this strategy include the client's business culture, client's expectations, the facts of the case, the applicable law, and creative, innovative legal analysis. David Katz has a reputation for combining sound and savvy business judgment with nearly 40 years of experience preparing clients for a trial or helping them avoid one.
We pride ourselves on getting to know our clients and, through that knowledge, bringing creative and tactical ideas to our legal strategy and representation.
Contact the Katz Law Group today for a consultation, or call us at (508) 480-8202. While we focus our practice in the Worcester, Framingham, and Marlborough region, we accept clients throughout Massachusetts and beyond.
