PROFESSIONAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION

We are business lawyers and litigators who handle trials, appellate work and mediation.

We help clients with business cases, financial issues, real estate matters, professional concerns and a range of other business legal issues. Phil Brown has defended clients all the way up to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Below are some sample scenarios we help resolve. Not sure you have a case? Run it by us.

Real Business Cases

• Can the seller of a golf business be held liable for oral statements about the company's revenues?

• Does an idea for a waste removal business qualify as a trade secret?

• Did parties account for billings properly in a television ad campaign?

• How do you value a medical practice when there is a dispute between shareholders?

• Are promises made in a letter of intent to sell a snack food company binding?

• How can I stop a former employee from using my trade secrets?

• Does a landlord have control over what a subtenant wishes to do with commercial property?

Financial Industry Issues

• Are misstatements about the holdings in a hedge fund actionable under securities laws?

• Is a custodian bank liable for losses in a client's account?

• How should a public company respond to a securities fraud class action lawsuit?

• How does a financial advisor negotiate a U5?

• Is an accountant liable to a third party for signing off on false statements made by the accountant's client?

• What do you need to do to collect on a promissory note?

Real Property Issues

• Does a neighbor have a right to access a beach across your property?

• Can a town block a theater owner's right to show midnight movies?

• What can a property owner do when a construction project does not meet the specs and goes over-budget?

• Can you block a church from building a parking lot in an historic district?

• What can a property owner do if a Zoning Board denies a special permit to renovate a house?

• What can a land developer do to build affordable housing under M.G.L. c. 40B?

• Can a commercial tenant sublease property and then grant the subtenant permission to make alterations that the property owner does not want made?

Real Individuals

• A van Gogh painting that was in my family was stolen by the Bolsheviks in 1918, is there anything I can do to recover it?

• My boss demanded that I sign a non-compete and I did, what are my obligations?

• I am a minority shareholder in a closely held business, what rights do I have?

• I shared my idea with a group and they subsequently forced me out, can I get the rights to my idea back?

• I was denied a license by a state licensing agency, do I have any recourse?

Real Legal Issues

• When is the act of state doctrine applicable?

• When does a court have personal jurisdiction over an out-of-state corporation or person?

• What are a debt collector's obligations under the Fair Debt Collection Act?

• How do you force an insurer to provide coverage?

• What conduct qualifies as unfair and deceptive?

• What obligations does a public entity have to respond to a public records request?

• How do you respond to a trial subpoena that asks you to bring documents?

• How does a party preserve a right to a jury trial in the Massachusetts Land Court?

• Are there any instances when you can recover your attorneys' fees and costs?