Business Counseling and Dispute Resolution

Conflicts are commonplace when you run a business.  While lawsuits are often used to resolve business and real estate disputes, they are not always the best way to achieve a satisfactory resolution to a problem.  Additionally, many internal disputes that grow into lawsuits could have been mitigated or avoided altogether.  Hartnett, Smith & Paetkau assists businesses, individuals, law firms, accounting firms, and others with legal counseling and mediation strategies to prevent or resolve:

• Co-ownership and governance disputes for businesses and real estate
• Employment and labor disputes
• Contract, unfair competition and trade secret and trust disputes
• Business negotiations, including international negotiations
• Business formation and strategy.

Employer Counseling

We provide day-to-day employment counseling on personnel policies and procedures, employee handbooks, workplace investigations, employee discipline and termination matters, corporate restructuring, immigration, employment contracts, protection of trade secrets, employee leasing, the use of temporary employees, and employment benefits issues.

Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution

Mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) can often resolve conflicts more quickly and inexpensively than litigation.  Mediation and ADR tend to be less contentious than litigation, which allows the disputing parties to continue to have a working relationship after the case has been resolved.  In mediation, disputing parties may be able to resolve their differences and come up with a mutually satisfactory agreement. We work together with our clients to find solutions.

Seek Experienced Legal Counsel

If you are faced with an internal dispute within your business, or you are interested in learning about strategies for avoiding potential disputes, seek advice from experienced legal counsel.  Hartnett, Smith & Paetkau has a proven record of success in helping our clients solve problems.  We work with law firms, accounting firms, and other businesses in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, as well as throughout the Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.  Whether your situation calls for counseling, ADR, or litigation, we can provide trusted advice and outstanding legal representation.  Contact Harnett, Smith & PaetKau today.