If you are running a business, then you probably know that disputes are an inevitable part of doing business here in Pennsylvania. Whether they concern customers, employees, suppliers, vendors, or even your own partners, you are probably going to run into a situation that is not easily resolved by a phone call or a meeting. When these situations happen, you may be facing a possible lawsuit, which is why it is crucial to consider retaining an experienced business attorney to help you guide your business through these rocky times.
Contract Disputes
In operating a business, you are going to have a myriad of agreements you need to sign to keep things running. If you have a physical space, you may have a lease that can lead to a dispute with your landlord over rent, repairs and additional expenses. You may also enter contracts with vendors and suppliers who provide you with the equipment and raw materials that you use to produce your goods and provide your services. Unfortunately, sometimes these items are defective or are of a lesser quality than you expected.
An experienced attorney can help you in many ways. Your lawyer can draft and review contracts before you sign them. In the event of a dispute, your lawyer can help you negotiate a solution with the other party. If the dispute cannot be resolved, then you may face litigation. However, many attorneys will add dispute resolution clauses that require mediation and binding arbitration in lieu of litigation, which can help you save on the cost of resolving the matter.
Partnership and Shareholder Disputes
If you are like most businesses, you may have investors in your company. Whether these are partners or shareholders depends on your entity type, but the disputes themselves can often take the same form. Your investors are unhappy because they aren’t receiving the return on investment that they had hoped. They may be upset because they don’t agree with the direction of the business under your leadership. Maybe they don’t share your vision and goals, or they simply do not like you personally. Whatever the reason, you are going to need to get this resolved with the assistance of an attorney. You can try to compromise on some issues, or even design a buyout of the unhappy investor. Failure to get this resolved can get in the way of your business’s success.
Employee Disputes
Pennsylvania is an “at will” employment state. This means that a company can terminate the employment of an employee with or without cause, unless there is a written employment agreement, such as a collective bargaining agreement with a union. However, even if your employees are not represented by a union and do not have written employment agreements, you cannot terminate them for an unlawful purpose. This means that if you fire an employee, he or she can bring a discrimination claim based on their race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, creed, or color. In addition, businesses can be sued by employees for things like on the job injuries, sexual harassment and other employment law violations.
This is why it is crucial to have an attorney who has experience with employment law in Pennsylvania to help guide you through these types of disputes, and to make sure that your business is compliant with the current laws governing employees in the state. In addition, if you decide to have contracts with key employees, you need to make sure an experienced lawyer carefully drafts them.
Customer Disputes
Many businesses get sued each year by disgruntled customers. If you own a clothing store, shopping mall, supermarket or other consumer-oriented business, you may have a situation where a customer gets injured at your place of business. Even if you do not maintain a brick-and-mortar establishment, you are not immune from claims for defective products, false claims, malpractice (for professionals) and other customer complaints about your goods and services. Your attorney can assist you with these types of disputes ahead of time by making sure your business has adequate insurance protection. Further, having an attorney available to handle these customer disputes when they initially arise will increase the likelihood of getting them resolved in an amicable fashion. One of the worst things that can happen is for a customer complaint to cause irreparable harm to your business reputation.
If You Are Facing a Business Dispute, Call Us Today For Our Legal Assistance
If your business is like most others, then you may be facing a number of different types of disputes. Few businesses in Pennsylvania have never been involved in a dispute with customers, vendors, employees, or partners. The experienced business law attorneys at Jones Gregg Creehan & Gerace, LLP can help you avoid business disputes, and get the ones you are facing resolved in a manner that best protects your livelihood. Contact us today.