Shareholder disputes, Corporate Dissolutions, Business Litigation

CALIFORNIA LITIGATION SERVICES

Since 1992, David H. Ricks & Associates has been dedicated in providing quality legal services for residents and businesses of Southern California’s Inland Empire. The Inland Empire is filled with individuals, small and medium sized businesses faced with similar legal issues as large businesses, yet they lack the same legal budget and resources as their larger counterparts. Nearly all of those businesses were developed by industrious individuals that know their industries well, but still need legal help to succeed. Lawyers that clearly understand the needs of small businesses can meet those needs and provide quality legal services at a fair price. David H. Ricks & Associates is a California law firm ready to meet the needs of Southern California’s residents and small businesses.

Practice Areas

Inland Empire Lawyers Handling Contract Disputes, Shareholder or Partnership Disputes and
Business Tort Claims

The Rancho Cucamonga Attorneys of David H. Ricks & Associates Bring More than Two Decades of Experience in Resolving Business Disputes and Claims

During the life of a business, there will be times when the owners, officers, management, partners or shareholders need a lawyer they can turn to in order to resolve a difficult challenge. A business might be faced with uncollected invoices, contract violations, delayed shipments, internal disputes between partners, owners or shareholders. Other times, a business may have employees that leave only to steal the trade secrets of the business or unfairly compete with the former employer. The challenge may come from competitors that are violating the law in order to get an unfair advantage in the market place. Some of the present tactics are the use of illegal or undocumented workers being paid below the minimum wage laws, or selling products for below cost or fraudulent advertising or wrongly disparaging a competitor's product.

Most of the troubles faced by local small businesses include:

1. Breach of contract lawsuits

2. Business and commercial contracts

3. Real Estate disputes

4. Partnership and Shareholder disputes

5. Employment contracts

6. Violations of insurance contracts

7. Trade Secret violations

8. Unfair Competition claims

9. Property contracts, including real estate and construction contracts

10. Collections

11. Breach of Fiduciary Duty

12. Embezzlement

These troubles in business can often be resolved only with the assistance of a quality attorney that understands business law and is an effective trial lawyer. Not every lawyer can handle business litigation matters. For the most effective representation, you need a lawyer that understands the business world, economics, competition and government involvement, as well as an attorney that can use the court system to enforce or protect the rights of a business all the way through a jury trial, if necessary. At the same time, that lawyer must understand, appreciate and comply with the financial restraints that may be imposed in the prosecution or defense of these business litigation disputes. It does no good for a lawyer to win the case while bankrupting his or her client along the way.

The economic challenges of our time is being felt by every business owner, financial company or market in California. David H. Ricks & Associates understands this very real fact. That is why our lawyers are prepared to assist in fighting the ever increasing costs of doing business in California. Our attorney's fees are reasonable and are often far less than other firms in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Handling your Inland Empire lawsuit or business dispute through David H. Ricks & Associates is a good way to keep the legal budget under control while receiving excellent legal representation.

For more than two decades, Rancho Cucamonga attorney David H. Ricks and his team of legal professionals have been resolving problems for businesses throughout the Inland Empire, often for far less than his competitors. Clients have been pleased with the quality of services provided and the associated cost. These services have spanned a wide range of legal problems including those listed above, as well as others.

Whether you are in a lawsuit now, need representation in an arbitration or mediation, or want to commence a civil action against someone, a consultation with David H. Ricks & Associates is well worth the minimal consultation cost associated with your first meeting. Call us today at 909-481-0100 for a consultation convenient to you and for an evaluation of your case or your legal needs. If we agree to represent you and we accept your case, we will advise you of your legal options, give you a reasonable fee schedule and begin our work on your behalf. We believe our value and ethics are what set us apart. Alternatively, you may contact us by e-mail at davidr@ricksassociates.com (put "Request Legal Representation" in the subject line) or you can submit your case online from this website.

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If you are a business owner or someone wronged by a business in the Inland Empire, including San Dimas, Glendora, Claremont, Pomona, Chino, Chino Hills, Ontario, Upland, Diamond Bar, Corona, Norco, Mira Loma, Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma, Etiwanda, Fontana, Rialto, Bloomington, Highland, Colton, San Bernardino, Grand Terrace, Redlands, Loma Linda, Yucaipa, Riverside, Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Crestline, Blue Jay, Mt. Baldy, Wrightwood or any place in between, a business trial lawyer from David H. Ricks & Associates is a good person to have on your side.

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FAQ

What is a mechanic’s lien and how does it work?

Before we get to the mechanic’s lien we have to talk about a 20-day preliminary lien notice. Except for a contractor that is directly contracted with the property owner, this notice must be sent to the property owner to notify him/her of a subcontractor’s or supplier’s contribution to the property. The notice should be sent within 20 days from the time work began by that contractor to secure all the work performed. If it is filed later, it will only reach back 20 days from the date of the notice. If the document has not been sent (whether or not received) no mechanic’s lien can be enforced.

WHAT DO I NEED TO PROVE FOR A BREACH OF CONTRACT CASE?

Civil Code section 1549 provides: “A contract is an agreement to do or not to do a certain thing.” Courts have defined the term as follows: “A contract is a voluntary and lawful agreement, by competent parties, for good consideration, to do or not to do a specified thing.” (Robinson v. Magee (1858) 9 Cal. 81, 83.)

A breach of contract is when one or more parties fail to perform the agreement entered into prior to the performance of the specified thing.

CAN I RECOVER ATTORNEY FEES IF I WIN MY BREACH OF CONTRACT CASE?

This is probably one of the most often asked questions of me when I start my review of a breach of contract case. Whether a case proceeds to litigation often depends on the ability to recover the cost of attorney’s fees from the opposing party. I often see businesses or individuals that are owed $20,000.00 or less from someone that did not pay for the services or did not pay on a loan.

What is a "Preliminary 20-day notice" and as a California contractor, material supplier or subcontractor do I have to serve one to protect my rights?

First, the preliminary 20-day notice is a written notice from a contractor/subcontractor/material supplier that is given to an owner, the general contractor, lender and/or construction financer of a property, advising them that the individual or company is either delivering supplies or performing construction related services on a particular parcel of property or on a building.

If I have a signed purchase contract, and the seller tries to back out and sell the property to another for a higher price, what rights do I have?

This problem was prevalent in the time period when the property values were skyrocketing. In fact, there was a lot of litigation between buyers and sellers because we were seeing property values rise weekly and sellers were trying to capture the highest price regardless of the consequences to the buyer and his or her family.