The decision before the filing
Not every dispute should become a case. We start with what you are trying to achieve, what the agreement between the parties says about how disputes are handled, and what recovery would realistically look like against this particular counterparty. A strong claim against a party with no assets is still a difficult matter. Arbitration clauses, forum selection, notice requirements, and step-by-step dispute procedures written into a contract often decide the first move for you. Sometimes a well-prepared demand and a short negotiation end things at a fraction of the cost of a filing.
What to do as soon as a dispute is real
Preserve records before anything else: suspend automatic deletion, keep the relevant email and messaging threads, and hold on to drafts and internal notes as well as final documents. Stop commenting on the dispute in writing inside the company, since internal messages are often the material the other side finds most useful. Collect the contract with all amendments, the invoices or purchase orders, the performance and delivery records, and the correspondence in date order. If the claim might fall under an insurance policy, notify the carrier rather than assuming it does not.
How a matter tends to run
Commercial cases move in phases, and most of the cost sits in the middle, where documents are exchanged and witnesses are questioned. Timing depends on the court, the complexity, and how the other side litigates, so we talk in ranges rather than dates. The large majority of business disputes end in a negotiated resolution, and a case often becomes easier to settle once each side has seen what the other has. We will tell you what we think a matter is worth pursuing, and revisit that view honestly as the facts come in.
