Resolving Complex Contract Disputes

Business contracts spell out how business partners, an employer and its employee, or a vendor and a client are supposed to work together. When contract disputes arise, the parties’ business relationship may be threatened and legal action may be necessary. A plaintiff in a breach of contract suit can sue for damages — including lost profits — so the consequences of a breach of contract suit can be significant for the defendant. Prior to embarking with litigation, it is often worthwhile to consider a restructured contractual relationship or some other resolution designed to avoid expensive and protracted litigation.  As an experienced alternative dispute resolution neutral, Mr. Betts has extensive experience in formulating creative solutions to business disputes.

At Michael J. Betts LLC, attorney Michael Betts has more than 35 years of experience as a business litigator, mediator and arbitrator. He is available to evaluate a contract before you sign it and can represent you if a breach of contract occurs.

How Contracts Can Go Wrong

While many contracts are drafted with honorable intent, it is possible for the language to be unclear, overly technical or filled with loopholes. If the contract governs a sales transaction, valuable income can be withheld or critical products can remain undelivered if the dispute continues unresolved. If the contract outlines the relationship between an employer and an employee, a disagreement can decrease productivity and lead to poor morale and even dismissal of the employee — which can open the door to wrongful termination claims against an employer.

Mr. Betts understands business law and is particularly experienced with financial services, commercial litigation matters and employment litigation cases. He can help you proactively avoid contract issues, including reviewing employment contracts before they go into effect or drafting contracts that require alternative dispute resolution methods before proceeding to litigation.

Know Your Available Options

Once a contract dispute arises, the parties involved have various options, including attempting to resolve the matter directly through their respective legal counsel.  If the dispute is not resolved, several options remain:

  • Mediation – in which a neutral third party helps the parties in attempting to reach a settlement
  • Arbitration – in which an arbitrator hears evidence from both sides and issues a binding and generally non-appealable decision
  • Litigation – in which the parties present their respective positions (claims and defenses) in the civil court system (federal or state)

Mediation and arbitration are often more cost-effective and less stressful than litigation, but in certain cases litigation may be the only way to provide you with the outcome you deserve.

Do Not Let Contract Disputes Disrupt Your Business

Call our firm’s offices in Pittsburgh at 412-935-7073 or contact our firm online to set up an appointment. We serve clients throughout western Pennsylvania.