§ Practice area 01
Business and commercial litigation
When a deal, a partnership or a company breaks down, the dispute often decides what the business is worth. Andre represents companies, owners and investors on both sides of those fights — in state court, federal court and arbitration, and on appeal.
When a business relationship breaks down
Most business disputes start with a document — a contract, an operating agreement, a promissory note, a deed — and a counterparty who reads it differently. Andre represents companies, owners, members and investors on both sides of those disputes: in circuit court, in federal court and in arbitration, and on appeal when a trial result has to be defended or challenged.
The aim is the same in every case: understand what the business needs when the dispute is over — payment, control, an exit or simply certainty — and build toward it from the first letter.
Matters we handle
- Breach of contract, unpaid invoices and broken payment terms
- Disputes among partners, shareholders and members of limited liability companies, including freeze-outs and demands for an accounting
- Non-compete, non-solicitation and trade-secret claims
- Fraud, conversion and civil theft
- Real estate, title and lien disputes, including quiet title actions and forged or fraudulent instruments
- Commercial landlord and tenant conflicts
- Merchant cash advance and business loan disputes
- Cross-border contract disputes involving parties outside the United States
How a case moves
From first review to final judgment.
- 01
Review
We read the documents, map the deadlines and identify the leverage on each side before anything is filed.
- 02
Demand and negotiation
Many disputes resolve on a well-built demand. When one does not, the groundwork carries straight into the lawsuit.
- 03
Litigation
Pleadings, discovery, depositions, motions and mediation, with a clear plan for each stage.
- 04
Trial, appeal and collection
If the case is tried, the record is built for appeal. If a judgment is entered, it still has to be collected.
Common questions
What business owners ask first.
How long does a business lawsuit take in Florida?
It varies with the court, the amount of discovery and whether the case settles. A case that goes through discovery to trial commonly takes a year or more, and an appeal adds time. At the outset we map the realistic schedule for your case.
Can I recover my attorney’s fees?
In Florida, each side usually pays its own fees unless a contract or a statute says otherwise. Many commercial contracts include a fee clause, and a properly timed proposal for settlement under Florida law can also shift fees to the other side.
Our contract requires arbitration. Do we still need a litigator?
Yes. Arbitration is still a contested proceeding, with witnesses, evidence and a binding award. Whether the clause covers your dispute, and whether it can be enforced, is often the first question to resolve.
What should I bring to the first meeting?
The agreement itself, the key emails and messages, invoices or account statements, and any letters from the other side or its lawyer. A short timeline of events is especially helpful.
Facing a business dispute?
Start with a conversation — in English or Russian, in Boca Raton or by video.