two men in suits looking at an iPad

Business Litigation Attorney

A business dispute can affect the security and financial health of a company, making a timely and fair resolution a priority.

A commercial litigation lawyer can provide invaluable legal advice and support if you need to file—or will likely face—a lawsuit.

Hoge Law Firm in San Diego, CA, can help you make critical legal decisions regarding partnership disputes, real estate, and more.

Outside San Diego Office

It's Time to Take Action

Hoge Law Firm Can Help You Start Protecting Your Interests Now

If you are considering initiating business litigation, it's important to know that statutes of limitations apply. However, these vary widely depending on the type of case you plan to file. Consulting a business litigation attorney as soon as possible can help you understand the time frame you are dealing with so you can avoid missing important deadlines.

Meanwhile, if you need—or suspect you may need—legal defense in a business-related matter, it pays to consult a lawyer as soon as possible to assess your situation and start making moves to protect your best interests.

Charlie Hoge is an attorney who has helped clients navigate complex commercial litigation in San Diego for more than 30 years. He can connect you with a lawyer focused on protecting your rights and your business. To request a consultation, send us an electronic message or call now:

Consulting a business litigation attorney as soon as possible can help you understand the time frame you are dealing with.

Why You Should Hire an Attorney

TO HELP RESOLVE YOUR BUSINESS DISPUTE

Charlie Hoge

  • Keep Legal Costs Down

    Business disputes can be expensive. Commercial litigation attorney Charlie Hoge can help you get an analysis of potential outcomes and costs to determine your best course of legal action. Typically, a quick resolution is ideal. But, if your attorney is unable to resolve the matter quickly and out of court, they can proceed with litigation as efficiently as possible.
  • Avoid Costly Mistakes

    Failing to properly preserve evidence—especially electronic evidence such as emails and spreadsheets—as soon as possible can create significant expenses for you in the discovery period (the formal transfer of information between the prosecution and defense). You may also be unaware of a provision in your insurance policy that would cover some of your legal costs. A business litigation attorney can help you protect your best interests and take advantage of all available resources.
  • Avoid Negativity

    Business litigation can have a negative effect on company morale. An attorney can help keep the dispute as private and confidential as possible. For example, an attorney can resolve issues in mediation or arbitration, which can prevent employees, the public, and the San Diego media from having intimate knowledge of the details of the lawsuit.
  • You Can Focus On Your Business

    Business litigation is common, and most business owners need the assistance of a business law attorney at some point. By working with an experienced lawyer, business owners can maintain focus on the day-to-day operations of their business while an attorney handles the details of the case. Hoge Law Firm in San Diego can connect you with the right attorney for your needs.
San Diego Skyline

Hoge Law Firm Can Protect Your Best Interests

With over 30 years in litigation and business law, Charlie Hoge is an attorney who understands what it takes to protect your best interests. Whether you face a dispute involving real estate, contracts, trade secrets or other matters, his firm can connect you with the advocate you need. Southern California is a competitive market when it comes to business law firms. Consult a  practice that has earned its staying power by achieving the right results for clients.

Contact Hoge Law Firm in San Diego to request a consultation. You can reach out to us online or call us at:

Consult a  practice that has earned its staying power by achieving the right results for clients.

Preserving Electronically Stored Information Hoge Law Firm Can Help You Manage This Crucial Step

Person looking at their email

Electronic evidence is extremely delicate.

We live in an era when the vast majority of business communication and documentation is electronic. Emails, spreadsheets, databases, and computer hard drives contain crucial evidence in your case that must be made available during discovery, which is the exchange of information between your attorneys and the opposing counsel regarding evidence and witnesses they will present. Preserving this electronically stored information (ESI) is a delicate process requiring specially trained professionals. Our Southern California firm can help you find a capable vendor.

Cyber security

Don't revisit evidence until it has been properly preserved.

If you are facing legal action or suspect you may be soon, you will probably feel tempted to revisit pertinent documentation, but it is important to resist this impulse. An action as simple as opening an old email changes its metadata, resulting in spoliation (alteration) of the evidence. The cost of retrieving an unaltered version of this evidence can be significant. It pays to get a qualified ESI company involved as soon as possible.

Woman looking at a computer stressed

Your IT personnel are most likely not qualified to handle ESI preservation.

If your first thought is to turn this duty over to your IT team, you're not alone. After all, they're already on your payroll and have credentialed expertise in electronic communications. But preservation of ESI for legal purposes is a very specific skill that your IT personnel may not have. Consulting an attorney who can place you in touch with a trusted ESI preservation vendor can save you money because you’ll be handling this very delicate aspect of your case correctly from the start. This can also make the legal proceedings less complicated and expensive in the long run.

Woman looking at her phone worried

Don't fall for programs marketed as a replacement for an ESI professional.

Automation is quickly becoming capable of many tasks that used to require a human being, so you may be interested in software marketed as a way to handle ESI preservation at a cut rate. In our experience, this software is not trustworthy. Handling this step correctly from the beginning is incredibly important, and our Southern California firm is here to make sure you hire a provider that has already proven itself capable of protecting the best interests of a business.

You're Making Evidence on a Daily Basis

A business dispute is a living thing, and you need to be aware that you are making evidence on a daily basis. For example, if you send a memo criticizing the opposing party's credibility, it will be made available during discovery. What might seem like a harmless internal exchange will eventually come to light and could affect your case. Getting an attorney involved early in commercial litigation can help you avoid making mistakes that could harm your case.

Happy men shaking hands

Hoge Law Firm Can Make Sure You're Taking the Right Steps

TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR BUSINESS

Business law is complicated, and like most people facing business litigation, you have probably found yourself having to seriously compromise the attention your business needs on a daily basis. As a firm that has helped people like you navigate commercial litigation for more than 30 years in San Diego, we urge you to reach out to an attorney right away. In doing so, you can focus the majority of your time on your business, knowing your advocate is working to help you achieve the best possible outcome. Call us to request your free consultation:

A business dispute is a living thing, and you need to be aware that you are making evidence on a daily basis.

Your Insurance May Cover Some Legal Fees HOGE LAW FIRM CAN HELP YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THE PROVISIONS IN YOUR POLICY

Did you know that many insurance policies provide coverage for some of the legal expenses associated with business litigation? If you are unsure whether your policy provides this coverage, or whether it applies to individuals or the business itself, don't worry—many are left asking themselves this same question when facing litigation. Fortunately, Hoge Law Firm can connect you with a lawyer who will examine your policy to determine what is covered, and can even negotiate directly with your insurance company to agree upon fees.

Moreover, reaching out to Hoge Law Firm in San Diego can help you determine if you need to prepare for legal action regarding a dispute. If your policy covers applicable legal fees, coverage won't begin until you file an insurance claim. Hoge Law Firm can connect you with a lawyer who will help you determine if and when you should file a claim. 

Business Litigation PRACTICE AREAS

Lawyer counseling business partners
  • Partnership Litigation

    Disputes may be governed by the terms of a partnership or LLC operating agreement. Our San Diego firm will help you decide how to approach partnership litigation by connecting you with a lawyer who will review the terms of your agreement, and then recommend if you should renegotiate, dissolve the partnership, or pursue any other legal options.
  • Unfair Competition Practices

    If a company misrepresents itself, its products, or those of a competitor, it may be liable for unfair competition and deceptive business practices. This can involve intellectual property and business law, making it critical to work with an attorney who can guide you through the legal process.

Trade Secrets

Are you facing a dispute regarding theft or misuse of trade secrets? Has a party stolen or misused your trade secrets? Hoge Law Firm in San Diego can help in this practice area. Every industry has its own trade secrets. Examples can include marketing strategies, customer lists, production processes, formulas, and recipes. Most often, these cases involve misappropriation of trade secrets by a former or current employee. If this action violates a contractual agreement, it may warrant litigation.

State and federal laws provide some protection of trade secrets. Some protections are provided by the state of California when it comes to trade secrets created by an employee. In many cases, the employers own what their employees create. But a trade secret created on an employee's own time without his employer's resources may belong to the employee. The Uniform Trade Secrets Act provides other protections. Let Hoge Law Firm in San Diego help you protect what's yours and safeguard your best interests.

Breach of Contract

A breach of contract occurs when one party fails to fulfill responsibilities to the other party under the agreement. Many litigation disputes arise over non-compete agreements, confidentiality, and trade secret agreements. San Diego attorney Charlie Hoge can connect you with a lawyer who can handle breach of contract disputes involving:

  • Operating agreement disputes
  • Vendor contract disputes
  • Construction contracts
  • Licensing contracts
  • Violation of confidentiality agreements
  • Asset-purchase agreements
  • Business debts and repayment agreements
  • Commercial real estate leases
Let Hoge Law Firm in San Diego help you protect what's yours and safeguard your best interests.

Damages IN BUSINESS LITIGATION CASES

In many business law cases, there is potential to receive monetary damages or equitable relief from companies that have harmed your business:

  • Monetary damages may compensate you for your actual losses and any damages that you incurred.
  • Equitable relief may either require the other party to fulfill his end of the contract or may absolve all parties of their responsibilities.

Trial vs. Arbitration vs. Mediation

If a settlement cannot be reached, your case will proceed in one of three ways: trial, arbitration, or mediation. In some instances, contracts can dictate which one is used in your case. Here is a look at how these proceedings differ:

Trial

In traditional litigation, a judge and a jury will ultimately decide the outcome of your case. You may have to wait longer for a trial to begin, and there may be a greater investment of time and money involved in this option. Some parties may wish to avoid trial because it takes place in a public courtroom, but a distinct advantage of traditional litigation is that there are more avenues for appeal.

Arbitration

A decision will be reached by an arbitrator (a neutral third party, often a retired judge) in a private hearing. From filing to reaching a decision, arbitration can often be completed within a matter of months, while commencing a trial can take a year or longer. Parties can choose their arbitrator, but they cannot choose their judge. Arbitration offers far fewer avenues for appeal than a trial.

Mediation

A neutral third party will help both the plaintiff and defendant reach an agreement to resolve their dispute. Like arbitration, this process takes place in private, and is usually a more efficient process than traditional litigation in terms of both time and money. If it is believed that both parties can come to an agreement, mediation may be a good option. If things are more contentious, arbitration may be a better fit.

Which Approach Is Right for My Case?

Charlie Hoge in San Diego can place you in touch with an attorney who can determine if a trial, arbitration, or mediation is the right approach, or if a specific approach is dictated by a contract. After more than 30 years of practicing business litigation, Charlie Hoge knows that presenting before an arbitrator is a skill unto itself, and he can coordinate representation that possesses this important skill. Whether your case involves real estate, trade secrets, contract disputes or other matters, Hoge Law Firm in San Diego can help. To request your consultation, please write to us or call:
Presenting before an arbitrator is a skill unto itself. Charlie Hoge can coordinate representation that possesses this important skill.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you believe you need to initiate legal action or suspect you may be facing legal action soon, the importance of contacting a lawyer as soon as possible cannot be overstated. To help you arrive at your consultation with a working knowledge of some key points, we have provided answers to frequently asked questions regarding business litigation:

Is insurance available to defend my business litigation case?

Some policies will cover these expenses, and will specify whether they cover either individuals or businesses as a whole. Hoge Law Firm in San Diego can connect you with an attorney who can help determine what your policy covers, and negotiate legal fees directly with the provider on your behalf.

Is there a statute of limitations at play?

It depends on the type of business litigation case. The best way to determine the timeframe you are dealing with is to consult an attorney as soon as possible. Hoge Law Firm in San Diego can put you in touch with the right lawyer for your needs.

Can't my IT team or special software handle ESI?

Properly preserving electronically stored information is a specialized skill that your IT team may not have, and is too important to entrust to preservation software that may not be adequate. Talk to an attorney who can put you in touch with a reputable and proven ESI preservation vendor — reach out to Hoge Law Firm in San Diego.

Why shouldn't I revisit emails and other electronic records pertaining to the case?

Because doing so before this evidence has been properly preserved can change its metadata, making it invalid for discovery. Reverting this evidence to its unspoiled state is expensive. To protect yourself, ensure an efficient proceeding, and save money, talk to an attorney who can help you arrange ESI preservation. Once this evidence has been duplicated, you can review the copies without harming your business litigation case.

Contact Our Practice

By sending the form, you agree that your e-mail will not create an attorney-client relationship and will not necessarily be treated as privileged or confidential. You should not send sensitive or confidential information via this e-mail service. The firm may choose not to accept you as a client. Please fill out this form completely to contact us.

Rate, Review & Explore

Social Accounts Sprite