Business, Commercial & Real Estate
Business, Commercial & Real Estate
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For over 35 years, Walsworth has represented clients in a variety of business, commercial, and real estate transactional, prelitigation, and litigation matters. We have become a trusted resource for our many clients, who include sole proprietorships, partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies, corporations, officers, directors, and managing agents, all of whom seek our services to advance their objectives as efficiently, aggressively, and effectively as possible.

We serve clients across a broad spectrum of industries, including manufacturing, professional services, banking, real estate investment and development, retail, construction, and travel. Here at Walsworth, we have closed over $2 billion in transactions and are skilled in mediations and alternative dispute resolution measures. We have also arbitrated and tried cases to verdict when the occasion calls for our full suite of services.

Litigation

At Walsworth, our business, commercial, and real property litigation team is here to guide you through every stage of your dispute with unmatched expertise. We can thoroughly review your options with you, highlight the potential risks and benefits your matter presents, and craft a tailored strategy to resolve your matter in an efficient and effective manner. Long-standing and new clients alike turn to us to assist with navigating legal challenges in these specialty areas with confidence. Our experience covers a broad spectrum of areas, including, but not limited to:

Business Litigation

  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claims
  • Business Torts (Defamation, Fraud, Misrepresentation, & Interference Claims)
  • Commercial Contracts
  • Consumer Warranty Litigation
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Financial Institution Litigation
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Partnership Disputes
  • Unfair Competition Disputes

Real Property Litigation

  • Board of Association of Realtors Ethics Committee Claims
  • California Bureau of Real Estate Investigations
  • Eminent Domain and Inverse Condemnation
  • Litigation Regarding Purchase or Sale of Real Estate
  • Title, Easement and Lien Disputes

In addition, we have experience in representing auto manufacturers in finance and warranty claims under state and federal law (i.e., Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act).

 

Transactions

Walsworth assists clients with a wide variety of business, commercial and real property matters. Our goal is to assist our clients with achieving their business and real estate goals while advising on legal and other risks.  Our experienced lawyers provide a wide variety of legal services and counseling to businesses of all sizes and in all stages, from helping clients choose the form of legal entity of a business to negotiating and structuring business, commercial, and real estate transactions. We assist our clients with entity formation, entity governance, financing, succession planning, and contractual agreements in every stage of the business.

Our clients range from corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and joint ventures to entrepreneurial sole proprietorships. We represent clients in a variety of industries including manufacturing, professional services, financial institutions, real estate investment and development, wholesale, retail, construction, and travel.

Our services include the following:

Business and Commercial Contracts

  • Distribution and Manufacturing Agreements
  • Licensing Agreements for Intellectual Property and Technology
  • Joint Venture and Strategic Alliance Contracts
  • Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreements
  • Employment and Executive Compensation Agreements
  • Equipment Sales and Leasing Agreements
  • Commercial Loan and Credit Documents and other Secured Transaction Contracts

Mergers, Acquisitions, Reorganizations and Dissolutions

  • Purchases and Sales of Businesses
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Covenants Not to Compete
  • Leveraged and Management Buyouts
  • Entity Reorganizations
  • Entity Dissolutions

Entity Selection, Organization and Governance

  • Entity selection and Formation, Organization, and Continuing Operations
  • Corporate and Entity Governance
  • Shareholder Agreements
  • Partnership and Limited Liability Company Agreements
  • Buy/Sell Agreements

Commercial Real Estate

  • Acquisition and Sale of Commercial Real Properties
  • Purchase and Sale Agreements
  • Escrow Agreements
  • Title Examination and Insurance
  • Option Agreements
  • Financing Documents
  • Commercial Lease Matters Including Subleases and Ground Leases
  • Letters of Intent

Representative Successes

  • Custom Home Theater and Technology Company v. Consultant

    Secured a dismissal with prejudice for Consultant client after a month long trial in which the plaintiff alleged and sought $6M+ in purported damages for claimed fraud, defamation, breach of contract, interference with contract, and unfair competition claims. Discovery in the case involved complicated e-discovery and tax issues.

  • Plaintiff v. Commercial Real Estate Brokerage

    Secured a defense verdict and award of costs in favor of a commercial real estate brokerage accused of professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duties. Plaintiff alleged a commercial real estate transaction involving the purchase of country club and complicated liquor license was thwarted when escrow instructions were not properly completed. Due to thorough cross examination of witnesses and expert testimony, the judge entered judgment in favor of our client immediately after closing arguments and without taking the matter under submission.

  • Plaintiffs v. Real Estate Agency and Listing Agent

    Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a well-known commercial real estate agency and listing agent in a complex real estate investment case alleging intentional misrepresentation. Plaintiffs alleged they were misled when they purchased 4.5 acres of land with two large structures and found out the property lacked certain permits which allegedly made it not suitable for their investment needs. The court ultimately held that our clients properly administered their professional duties and there was no evidence of misrepresentation.

  • Cardinal Collection Educational Foundation v. Museum of Global Antiquities

    Represented plaintiffs in a case where the defendants induced them to loan $4.8 million, and to then invest an additional $2.225 million, in classic violins. At trial, we convinced the jury the investment scheme was a ruse and the main violin at issue never existed. The jury awarded our clients $27 million in damages against the defendants, the Museum of Global Antiquities, and its president.

  • Kummel v. Old World

    Secured a defense verdict in a business tort-contract dispute involving approximately $15 million in assets after a one-month trial.