Business litigation dispute resolution in San Diego and throughout California can be time consuming, expensive, and drain critical business resources and focus.  How can substantive business disputes be resolved quickly and cost-efficiently?  What are the alternatives to an extended and expensive litigation?  The commercial dispute attorneys at the Watkins Firm offer a unique approach to resolving business disputes in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

Key Takeaways About Business Litigation Dispute Resolution in San Diego and Throughout California:

• Business litigation doesn’t have to be time consuming, expensive, and drain critical business resources and focus.
• Look for an experienced California business litigation dispute resolution firm with extensive experience in negotiation, the filing and defense of lawsuits, settlement conferences, business mediation, arbitration, and trial.
• Though the vast majority of cases are resolved long before they reach trial, the proven experience in Court adds strength to your side of the equation, communicating your seriousness to resolve the matter in an effective manner, while seeking a cost-effective and timely resolution.

How Does The Watkins Firm Resolve Most Business Disputes

It may come as a surprise to learn that the Watkins Firm is able to accomplish most of our business litigation dispute resolution matters in San Diego and throughout the State of California through effective, leveraged negotiation.  This is the fastest and least expensive path to resolve any business dispute while protecting our client’s goals and objectives.

The earlier in the process we can resolve the dispute, the better it is for our clients.  Costs are contained, and the underlying business has a much better opportunity to survive and thrive.  Our attorneys work to understand our client’s objectives for the dispute, and work to quickly review all associated documentation, communications and, when necessary, financial records, in order to create a thorough, well-documented chronology of events.

The next step is an analysis and mastery of the potential for damages. This information, combined with a thorough chronology, provides genuine strength at every step of the process and is ultimately the key to gaining the other party’s attention and opening fruitful negotiations.

Mediation and Arbitration

When negotiations cannot resolve every issue associated with the dispute, one of the parties usually files a lawsuit.  A settlement conference is a requirement of California Courts before the matter can proceed through the process to trial.

Mediation and arbitration are the next most common venues for business litigation and dispute resolution in San Diego and Southern California.  Mediation provides a confidential and private option which keeps your business and financial information out of the public record while fostering an environment for resolving the matter at hand.

Arbitration is often specified in underlying contracts as an alternative to trying the case in a Court of Law.  While arbitration is much more complex than mediation, it allows the neutral arbitrator flexibility to streamline the process of gathering testimony and evidence before issuing what is most often a binding ruling.

Pro-Tip: “Knowing the facts, the damages, the law of the damages is key, because that gives your lawyer the ability to predict what would happen if you went to trial tomorrow and you won, what would you win? That’s it, that’s the number. Because in civil court, we’re only looking at dollar amounts,  getting there, and understanding human nature. Preparation for my clients has to do with damages, the law and damages and the chronology of events, the facts, getting all the facts down and then informing my client.

We want to get the facts down and we want the evidence they have in chronological order, because that’s the best way to communicate to the other party, to a third party, to anyone is in chronological order. That’s how we think. Then I want to help our clients analyze the damages. Whether you are feeling like they owe you something, they’re not complying with the agreement or vice versa. So I want something more from you than just to analyze the damages, we need to analyze what it’s going to cost to fight. And also look at the future business. Whether we can salvage this relationship, all of those important things should come into play, so that we can give good advice.

If you’re going to stay in business with each other, then you’re going to want additional clauses and assurances that this thing won’t happen again, you’re going to want to give some kind of compensation or power, change the structure, do something to improve the situation. Those things we can handle because we have a transaction team here too. So when we acquire business, we’re already putting those kinds of clauses in. So you might be in a business dispute with a partner because you didn’t have those types of clauses in your agreement to begin with. And perhaps the resolution of your lawsuit will include having proper corporate documents to go forward.” – Dan Watkins, Founding Partner

Over Four Decades of Experience with Business Litigation and Dispute Resolution in San Diego and SoCal

The Watkins Firm has over four decades of experience with business litigation and dispute resolution in San Diego and SoCal.  We employ a unique strategy specifically designed to resolve business disputes in a timely and cost-effective manner.  If you are in the midst of a dispute with a business partner we invite you to review our podcast, Episode 11 – Resolving Business Disputes, as well as the strong recommendations of our clients and contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511 for a complimentary consultation today.  It may be hard to imagine a path through this dispute, but our attorneys have decades of experience and expertise in these matters.  We provide insight, counsel and supporting legal services and strategies to resolve or settle your dispute, so that you can move forward.

Meet Daniel Watkins:

Daniel W. Watkins is a true people person who sincerely listens. He cares deeply about what others are going through.  Dan enjoys digging into the facts and finding creative solutions to problems.  He contributes his insights candidly and constructively.

Dan’s interest in people make him deeply invested in every relationship and his exuberant personality makes him a true litigator. Dan fights for his clients with a fierce and calculated commitment.

Dan has practiced in the areas of business, medical practices and healthcare business, high tech/science, real estate and employment defense law since 1987. He is a trusted litigation strategist and true trial attorney with over 50 jury and bench trials to his credit. Dan has successfully represented both large companies and individuals and achieved substantial victories in well-publicized trials throughout California and the U.S.

He is experienced in business and corporate formation and administration, as well as all forms of alternative dispute resolution, including binding arbitration and mediation.

THE ROAD TO BECOMING A BUSINESS LAWYER AND LITIGATOR

Dan has almost 40 years of experience working with, for and against some of the largest insurance companies in the country. He has successfully tried and litigated cases in the areas of Healthcare Compliance, Commercial Litigation, Unfair Business Practices, Fraud, Breach of Contract, Battery, Premises Liability, Product Defect, Medical Malpractice, Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Construction Defect, as well as Unfair Competition, Defamation, and Trade Secrets.