When a dispute breaks out between the shareholders of a corporation contact the experienced and proven California shareholder dispute resolution attorneys at the Watkins Firm. We take a unique approach to resolve business disputes such as shareholder disputes expediently and in a cost-efficient manner. The experienced business litigation attorneys at the Watkins Firm have more than four decades of expertise resolving shareholder disputes here in San Diego and across the State of California. Our extensive trial expertise and corporate business experience provides our clients with practical and legal insight into the dispute. We provide alternatives informed by decades of experience resolving similar disputes while working with the parties to focus on resolution of core issues.
Efficient and Effective California Shareholder Dispute Resolution Attorneys
It may surprise you to learn that Watkins Firm is able to resolve the vast majority of our shareholder dispute cases through effective, leveraged negotiation. This is the fastest, and most cost-effective strategy to resolve these types of business disputes.
Your Watkins Firm attorney works to quickly develop a thorough, well-documented chronology of events as well as a mastery of available damages. These tools provide the leverage needed to gain the attention of opposing parties and their counsel, and drive the matter to a successful conclusion while accomplishing our client’s goals and objectives.
Business mediation and arbitration are efficient alternatives to a trial that resolve the dispute in a shorter time frame with less cost. Mediation and arbitration are structured environments where Watkins Firm attorneys can advocate and influence the ultimate outcome on behalf of our clients. We prepare every case as is if it going to trial. Our extensive successful trial record and reputation in San Diego provide strength to your position in the dispute. The other parties in the dispute know you are represented by proven counsel who are prepared to take the matter all the way to trial if necessary. This provides incentive for opposing counsel to avoid the cost, time and risk of a trial and work cooperatively with our Watkins Firm attorneys to resolve the matter.
Pro-Tip: “When you have lawyers representing those who hold strong positions, you get a better chance of settling. Now you bring in former Superior Court Judge Jones, and he’s looking at us, the lawyers, and he knows BS when he sees it. And we don’t want him to get off on a bad start, especially when our clients want us to fight hard. So he’s going to have some control over the lawyers from over-valuing this dispute and from over-posturing, just being aggressive for this sake of impressing our clients.
And he’s going to go back and forth and have the purpose of settlement on his mind, which is what we both want. And a lot of times here’s the thing: they don’t settle. I’d say 50% of our cases don’t settle at mediation, but after a good mediation a month or two later, it’ll settle because of the process of mediation. Some mediators actually call us a month after mediation is concluded and say, Dan, what can I do? Do you want me to call the other side? I’ll say, yeah, good idea. Call the other side. And then he’ll call the other side. And they’ll have their clients calmed down. They’re relaxed and we’ll settle. We have to get to that 95% somehow. So there’s a lot of different ways using the ADR formula – alternative dispute resolution systems, using them to your benefit. Understanding them gives you the best result in 95% of the cases, which is how they resolve.” – Dan Watkins, Founding Partner
Shareholder disputes distract key players from the principle focus of managing the profitable operations of the company. Deeply rooted disputes may involve concerns regarding executive decision making or the direction of the company. In these cases Watkins Firm attorneys can bring a derivative lawsuit on behalf of the corporation. Shareholder derivative actions are much more legally complex than direct shareholder actions. In a derivative lawsuit, the shareholder is stepping into the shoes of corporate executives or the board and bringing suit on behalf of the corporation.
If you are concerned about your rights as a shareholder or need the advice of experienced and proven San Diego shareholder dispute resolution attorneys we invite you to review our podcast Episode 12 – Resolving Business Disputes Part 2 as well as the strong recommendations of our clients and contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511 for a complimentary consultation today.