Get Support From Our Canadian Team of Civil Litigation Lawyers
Running a business can be complicated. Adding employees to the mix can create additional complexity and raise a variety of legal issues. LegalShield is here to help.
Common types of small business lawsuits
- Breach of contract
- Disputes with employees
- Intellectual property infringement
- Product liability
- Partnership disputes
- Bankruptcy or dissolution
- Accidents and injuries
- Violation of a non-compete agreement
If you join LegalShield, you’ll be able to consult with an employment lawyer for an unlimited amount of minutes on an unlimited number of matters. Don’t stress and guess about employment law, call your lawyer.
Settle
Settling disputes before going to trial is typically far less expensive and always less stressful. Here the main benefits of settling before trial.
- You’ll have certainty about the financial outcome as the parties, rather than a jury, are in control
- Your dispute will be over much sooner than if you go through an entire trial
- If you’re owed money, you’ll get it much faster
- Your lawyer fees will be significantly lower
- Settlements can be kept private while details about trials are made part of the public record
Determining whether to settle or go to trial is not a decision that should not be taken lightly and not without the advice of competent legal counsel. If you join LegalShield today, you can be on the phone with a small business litigator and start to develop the right strategy for your specific situation.
Sue
While settling is often preferable, sometimes suing the other party is the only way to get what you deserve. If you’re considering filing a lawsuit, ponder these points.
- Jury’s tend to award larger damages than you might get in a settlement negotiation
- You will have your day in court and, if you win, trials are public record and the defendant will be held accountable
- Winning a trial may provide more meaningful closure for you
- Despite the potential benefits, you risk losing your case and getting nothing
- Also, trials are stressful, can take a long time and cost a pretty penny that may outweigh the potential benefits
Let’s face it, filing a lawsuit is not fun. Before you make a decision one way or the other, you owe it to yourself and your business to at least speak with an experienced lawyer.
Learn more about how you can get legal advice about your case and the pros and cons of taking it to trial.
Defend
If your business is sued by an employee, customer or any other party, you need to defend yourself. When deciding on a defence strategy, you’ll want to discuss the following items with a lawyer familiar with the area of law your case deals with.
- What are the facts?
- Should we try to settle or is defending our business at trial the best way to go?
- Besides, the odds of winning or losing at trial, what other factors should we use to make strategic decisions?
- Even if I have a good chance of winning, would it be better for my business and my stress to settle and move on?
- What documents or other evidence do I need to gather for a successful defence?
- How much will defending my business at trial cost and how long would the trial take to come to a final resolution?
- What are the worst-case scenarios if I lose?
Don’t stress and guess. Contact a lawyer as soon as possible and, at the very least, they can help you understand your options and start taking action to put this problem in your past as soon as possible.
Several of our Small Business Legal Plans include trial defence time at no additional cost.
How a small business lawyer can help you
Making the decision to go to court
Whether you’re a plaintiff or defendant, the decision to file a case or defend yourself at trial, instead of settling, will have a major impact on your business. Speaking with a lawyer to discuss the facts of your situation and make an informed decision is an important step.
- What is my likelihood of success at trial?
- Will the costs of going to trial outweigh the potential benefits?
- How long will it take to go to trial vs. settling now?
- How much time will this take away from me running my business?
- How much stress will each option cause?
A small business plan from LegalShield includes an unlimited number of calls with your lawyer to discuss civil litigation. Should you decide to settle your case, your lawyer can make phone calls and write letters on your behalf to protect your business and get a good deal.
Filing a lawsuit on your behalf
If you’re business has been wronged by a customer, employee or other party and you are planning to file a lawsuit, the basic steps include the following.
- Do everything you are required to do before suing (e.g., like sending a demand letter first)
- Make sure the statute of limitations has not passed and you can still sue
- Identify the legal names of the parties you want to sue and where they are located
- Determine the appropriate court in which to file your lawsuit (i.e. proper jurisdiction)
- Create a complaint that meets all legal requirements and file it with the court
The good news is that by joining LegalShield you can work with an experienced lawyer to make sure everything is done correctly and your business has the best chance of winning, without paying exorbitant hourly legal fees.
Defending your business at trial
If you have been sued, you’ll almost certainly want to work with an experienced litigator to protect your business interests.
LegalShield’s Plus and Pro plans include trial defence hours if your business is a named defendant in a covered civil lawsuit. Before you start gearing up for a fight, it’s best to speak with a lawyer to have them review your case and determine the best strategy to minimize damages and your stress.
Having your lawyer review documents that may be part of the case is included. Also, your lawyer can make phone calls and write letters to make one last attempt at settling your case, at no additional cost.
With LegalShield, your small business gets the power of legal representation for a fee you can afford.
Get civil litigation support by joining LegalShield today
Small Business Plans start at only $49 per month.
Learn about other business litigation topics
BREACH OF CONTRACT
Labour lawsuit
Intellectual property
Bankruptcy
“LegalShield saved me over $300 by writing a letter to my [my internet provider] getting me out of a 24-month contract due to several issues. [My provider law firm] is also helping me out with my Will! Thank you.”
—Micheal B.
LegalShield Member
Key features of our Small
Business Legal Plans
LegalShield’s business plans can help you in the following areas.
Advice,
consultation & reserach
Legal consultation from a provider lawyer on business legal matters, with legal research for each issue, if needed.
Letters or
phone calls
Receive help with business legal matters more efficiently with professional communications issued on your behalf.
Document
review
Put business-related legal documents through legal review.
Collection
letters
A collection letter from a provider lawyer could help you recoup payments more efficiently.
Get started 