For unpaid invoices, partner fights and broken deals
Business disputes
A clear look at your options, what each one costs and the honest odds, before you spend a dollar fighting.
- Example from $500
- Written budget per phase
- Reply in 1 business day
Disputes matter
Example- Stage
- Options memo
- Next
- Decide: letter or mediation
- Attorney
- Hallie Brandt
- Fee
- Budget per phase
How we handle it
Most business disputes end without a trial. They end with a letter, a negotiation or a mediation, and a signed agreement nobody loves but everyone can live with.
We start with an options memo: what you can do, what each path is likely to cost, how long it takes and what could go wrong. Sometimes the right answer is to fight. Sometimes it's to write the loss off and fix the contract. We will tell you which, and we never promise a result.
Call us when
- A customer owes you money and stopped answering
- A vendor didn't deliver and won't refund
- A partner is locking you out of decisions or accounts
- A former partner or employee took clients with them
- You received a demand letter or were served with a lawsuit
What's included, and what it costs
Always included
- A case assessment call with the attorney who'd handle it
- A written options memo with a cost range for each path
- Demand letters and negotiation
- Mediation preparation and attendance
- Litigation and arbitration, quoted by phase
Example fees
Examples, not quotes- Case assessment and options memo Written, with costs for each path $500 to $900
- Demand letter Drafted, sent and followed up $600 to $1,500
- Negotiation or mediation Flat fee per phase $3,500 to $9,000
- Hourly work Litigation phases we can't fairly flat-fee $285 to $365/hr
Example fees. Disputes are the one area where some work has to be hourly. When it is, we give you a written budget for each phase and update it before it's passed, not after.
Get your fee in writingExample outcomes
How disputes tend to end. Not always how you'd like.
Please read: Example outcomes are illustrations written for this demo, not real cases. Every matter turns on its own facts. Past results do not predict or guarantee a future result.
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Paid in installments
Unpaid invoice from a commercial customer
A landscaping company was owed for a season of work. A demand letter and two calls led to a written payment plan, paid over four months.
Example outcome for illustration only.
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Mediated buyout
Two partners who stopped speaking
Co-owners of a fitness studio deadlocked on every decision. One mediation day produced a buyout with payments over two years. Neither got everything they wanted.
Example outcome for illustration only.
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Settled for less
Equipment vendor that didn't deliver
A bakery settled for a partial refund, less than it hoped for. Going to court would have cost more than the gap, and the client chose to move on.
Example outcome for illustration only.
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Lost at hearing
Non-compete against a former manager
The court declined to enforce a retailer's non-compete as written. The client rewrote its agreements for current staff with our help.
Example outcome for illustration only.
How it runs
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1
Assessment call
Bring the contract, the emails and the timeline. We listen first.
Day 1
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2
Options memo
Every path, its cost range, timing and risks, in writing.
About 5 business days
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3
Letter and negotiation
Most disputes we handle are resolved, or not, at this stage.
2 to 8 weeks
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4
Mediation or court
Only when it makes sense, with a budget for every phase.
Months, not weeks
Two things owners ask us about
Read the guides-
Keep everything
Save emails, texts, invoices and contracts, and don't delete anything once a dispute starts. Courts take missing records seriously.
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Put it in writing, calmly
A short, factual email about what was agreed and what happened helps later. An angry one usually doesn't.
Not legal advice. These tips are general information for small business owners. Facts matter, so talk to a lawyer about your situation before acting on them.
Disputes questions
Still wondering? See every FAQ or call (208) 555-0164.
Can you guarantee we'll win?
No, and be careful with anyone who does. Every dispute turns on its own facts, the documents and the people involved. What we can promise is an honest read of your odds and costs before you decide.
I was just served with a lawsuit. What now?
Call us the same day. The deadline to respond can be short, and missing it can mean losing by default. Don't contact the other side about the case until you've talked to a lawyer.
Is it worth chasing a small unpaid invoice?
Sometimes. A demand letter often works and costs far less than the debt. For very small amounts, small claims court may make more sense, and we'll tell you so.
Other practice areas
Talk it through before you fight.
- Free 30-minute call
- Flat fee in writing
- Work starts on your timeline