San Antonio Contract Dispute Lawyers
Representation for breach of contract and other business disputes in San Antonio and Texas
Contracts exist to protect your company from unreasonable demands and failures by others. When another person or business fails to fulfill its contractual obligations to you or your company, you may suffer significant financial losses. An employee, supplier or client who violates their contract could cause real damage and disrupt your daily operations.
If you have already checked your contract and know that the situation constitutes a significant breach of the terms you previously set, you can potentially take the other party to court. The San Antonio attorneys at Grable Grimshaw PLLC can help. We will examine the details of your case and determine the right course of action, whether through mediation, negotiation, or litigation. Whatever the circumstances surrounding your contract dispute, we are here to provide experienced legal representation.
What Our Clients Are Saying
What types of contract disputes does your San Antonio firm handle?
Contracts are the backbone of the business world. They are binding documents outlining the terms of a business relationship and the obligations each party has to the other. A good contract adds trust, honesty, and transparency to the business relationship. However, if things go awry in spite of this document, you may need to get a lawyer involved.
At Grable Grimshaw, our attorneys take on a wide variety of contract and business disputes. We protect our clients’ business interests in legal conflicts including:
- Breach of contract
- Terms of employment
- Non-disclosure agreements
- Non-compete agreements
- Landlord/tenant contracts
- Real estate disputes
- Business or service contracts
- Contract coercion or fraud
- Disputes with vendors or suppliers
- Commercial lease disputes
Whether you need to assert or defend your contractual rights, we can help.
We are also able to assist you before any issues arise. If you are interested in entering into a contract, contact the San Antonio attorneys at Grable Grimshaw PLLC to assist you in drafting and negotiating contracts. Having a lawyer assist you with this process will help you avoid pitfalls and be aware of potential issues that could arise. Planning ahead will save you headache and stress in the event of a future contract dispute.
What are some common reasons for contract disputes?
Our San Antonio attorneys understand that conflict can occur at any stage of a business relationship. Although disputes often arise during the implementation stage of a project, problems can happen at any phase. Typically conflicts begin because one party believes the other is not acting in everyone’s best interests. Common reasons include:
- Ambiguous language or clauses that can be interpreted in multiple ways
- Clauses that are absent altogether, leading each party to interpret the contract differently
- Unrealistic expectations or invalid assumptions
- Inadequate or inappropriate allocation for unexpected events or disasters
- Failure to remedy unresolved or unaddressed issues
- Fracture of the business relationship
Contract disputes can have just one or multiple causes and contributing factors. Talk to our attorneys if you have questions about your contract – we can help.
What is a breach of contract?
The most common type of contract dispute is a breach of contract, often categorized as “minor” or “material” breaches.
- A minor breach of contract occurs when you, as the client, don’t receive your service or goods by the due date outlined in your agreement. An example of this would be a retail store ordering a shipment of designer bags for a shopping event, and the bags not showing up on time, causing the store to cancel their event.
- A material breach occurs when the client receives something different than stated in the contract. Using the example above, perhaps the store received the designer bags on time, but they are the wrong designer and wrong color.
Breaches of contract can further be broken into an actual breach, where one party refuses to fulfill the terms of the contract, or an anticipatory breach, where one party states in advance that they will not be fulfilling the contract.
The lawyers at Grable Grimshaw can help if you are on either side of a breach of contract situation. We prosecute and defend breach of contract claims. Our goal is to find the most effective route to a resolution while protecting our client’s position and interest.
What are the possible ways to address a breach of contract?
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to take the other party to court to seek redress. If the judge rules in your favor, there are several legal solutions that could help, including:
- By ending your contractual obligations. A violation or breach of one part of a contract does not necessarily invalidate the rest of the document. If you no longer trust the other party or want to do business with them, however, this solution can be a way to end your obligations.
- By seeking declaratory relief. If there is a disagreement on the meaning of a term, or the contract is being applied inconsistently, then you could seek a declaratory judgment which would allow a court to identify what the term or contract states. It is important to understand that judges cannot rewrite contracts. However, they can declare whether a contract is vague and confusing, or if it is straight forward. This process may also entitle the prevailing party to attorney fees.
- By seeking specific performance. Sometimes, the other party’s failure to follow through with their obligations can leave you in a bind. The courts can sometimes require that a company or person make good on their contractual obligations. A judge ordering specific performance compels the other party to complete their end of the contract.
- By asking for damages. If you incurred provable losses because of the other party’s breach, you can ask the courts to award you damages. You will generally need documentation to prove financial damages related to a breach of contract claim.
- By asking for attorney fees. Generally, a prevailing party in a contract dispute may be entitled to reasonable and necessary attorney fees. There are a lot of factors that apply here, so be sure to ask our San Antonio attorneys whether attorney fees could be available to you.
What are my options for solving a contract dispute?
When our San Antonio attorneys take your breach of contract case, we attempt to avoid litigation whenever possible. However, if your dispute cannot be amicably settled, we are prepared to take your case to court and aggressively fight on your behalf while doing everything possible to protect your interests. Potential resolutions for contract disputes may include:
Out-of-court negotiations
If you and the other party believe you can come to an agreement without resorting to litigation – which can save both time and money – working to come to an out-of-court settlement can be beneficial for you both. With the help of your respective business dispute attorneys, mediation or arbitration may be good alternatives to court.
These methods are legally binding procedures that can help each party come to agreement on the terms of their dispute, settling their conflicts outside of the courtroom. Not only is this process more amicable, it’s also generally less time-consuming, less expensive, and keeps your business affairs out of the public eye. If either (or both) parties are unwilling or unable to settle their contract dispute through alternative negotiations, however, they may have to move on to litigation.
Litigation
When a contract dispute ends up the courtroom, a judge or jury will look closely at the terms and wording of the contract and the obligations of each party. It’s imperative you have the assistance of an experienced San Antonio lawyer on your side to represent your best interests. This type of business litigation is complex and the civil litigation attorneys at Grable Grimshaw understand how to collect evidence to prove your case. Our knowledge of business and contract law is top-notch, and we can help ensure your reputation doesn’t suffer.
Contract dispute attorneys serving San Antonio
The civil litigation attorneys at Grable Grimshaw PLLC help clients with breach of contract and other disputes. We work to settle these types of conflicts out of the courtroom whenever possible, with the least amount of disruption to your business. However, we are prepared to take your case to trial if that’s what it takes to successfully resolve your dispute. To talk about your case, contact us today for a consultation and find out how we can help you. Call us at our San Antonio offices at 210-963-5297 or fill out our contact form. We’re proud to serve clients throughout Texas.