949-478-8393
Our Philosophy Is Business Litigation That Makes Business Sense
Mark Chatow handles matters both as a business contingency lawyer and on an hourly-billing basis. Mark spent 20 years in the trenches as a founder, executive, and CEO, before starting Chatow Law and draws extensively on those two decades of actual business experience in every one of his cases.
One of his companies, Roundhouse, grew to $75 million in annual revenue and ranked number 25 on Inc. Magazine’s Fastest Growing Companies.
"I saw first-hand the damage that unnecessary business lawyers and litigation can bring a company in terms of cost, wasted time, and morale. On the other hand, I also saw what can happen when a business or owner is afraid to take necessary legal action when warranted.”
You can see Mark’s complete business history here.
"I believe that business litigation must make business sense and that business litigators must first understand the business behind the business law they practice. My experience with the law from a business perspective allows me to work with you to craft a plan that maximizes your litigation ROI.
In other words, I’ll help you assess your case, costs, and the likelihood of prevailing. That’s business litigation that makes business sense."
Practice Areas
Chatow Law focuses exclusively on business litigation. Areas we help clients with include:
Business Sale Fraud and Misrepresentation >
You did your due diligence, found the perfect company to purchase, and negotiated a fair price. But once you took over the business, you discovered things were different from what the seller represented. Business sale fraud is unfortunate, but happens more frequently than you may think. Too many business purchasers find that the seller has misrepresented essential facts during an asset purchase or stock purchase transaction. This may involve revenues, costs, contracts, customers, or intellectual property.
Legal remedies are available if you have been the victim of business sale fraud. These may include rescinding the purchase agreement or seeking damages for the difference between what you paid and what the business is actually worth. We can help you understand your rights and options under the law as it applies to business sale fraud or misrepresentation and guide you toward a resolution that makes business sense.
Breach of Contract Litigation >
In legal terms, a breach of contract occurs when one party fails to fulfill their obligations under the terms of an agreement. This can happen for several reasons, including failure to pay or failure to perform the agreed-upon work.
If you suspect someone has breached their contract with you, carefully review it. This will help you determine some or all of the following:
- the other party's contractual obligations,
- areas where they have actually breached the contract,
- mediation or arbitration requirements,
- litigation location, and
- whether either side would be entitled to legal fees if they prevail.
Once you've done this, you'll need to decide whether to take legal action. An experienced business dispute attorney can help you make this assessment.
Breach of contract lawsuits can be expensive and time-consuming. However, if the other party has significantly damaged your business or refuses to negotiate in good faith, then pursuing legal action may be your best option.
We help businesses and business owners when someone has breached a contract with them. Call us at 949-478-8393 today to learn how to protect your rights. We can help assess and enforce your business contract agreements.
Owners or members in a Limited Liability Company (LLC) enter a kind of business marriage. And, like a marriage, there can be disagreements. Many LLC operating agreements are poorly drafted. Some are written with contradictory clauses. Others violate California’s LLC laws.
LLC membership agreements can be extremely complicated. This can make understanding members’ responsibilities and obligations to other members hard to understand. If you're facing a dispute with another member of your LLC, it's crucial to thoroughly understand your rights and options under your Operating Agreement and the law. At Chatow Law, we understand the intricacies of LLC law and how to use it to protect your interests. If you’re experiencing an LLC membership dispute, call us today to discuss how we can help.
Business Partnership Disputes >
A business partnership dispute is a disagreement between or among the partners in a business. Mark Chatow has personally been down this road as a founder, executive, and CEO. As a business lawyer, he also knows when a dispute is actionable and can assess possible outcomes based on the facts of your situation.
For example, suppose a business partner is freezing bank accounts, taking assets out of production, cutting off email access, or taking the company name for their own purposes. In these cases, you may have the right to take immediate steps to stop the action and prevent further loss of value or oppression. Call us today for an initial consultation on your rights and options.
Minority Shareholder Disputes >
As a minority shareholder, you may have little protection over how the company operates. However, there are many situations where you can force the majority shareholder to change their behavior. For example, majority shareholders are prohibited from taking excess distributions, paying themselves excessive salaries, irrationally shutting down the business, or using company funds for personal expenses.
In these cases, the minority shareholders may be able to take legal action to stop the misconduct. Results can involve financial recovery, dissolution of the business, or forcing majority shareholder(s) to buy out the minority interest. Call us today to learn how you can fight majority shareholder misconduct and regain what’s rightfully yours.
Trade Secret / Confidential Information Disputes >
A trade secret dispute occurs when somebody unlawfully discloses or steals your company's trade secrets or you are accused of the same. This can happen through industrial espionage or simply by an employee leaving the company and taking confidential information with them.
Suppose your company's trade secrets are disclosed or stolen. In that case, it can put you at a competitive disadvantage and cause severe financial harm. In this case, it is vital to understand how to stop the damages quickly and protect your interests. Call us to learn more about how to address trade secrets issues in your business.
Business Partnership Disputes
Breach of Contract Litigation
Minority Shareholder Disputes