When a business dispute puts your company, your ownership stake or your investment at risk, the sooner you understand your options, the more of them you'll have.
Kimura London & White LLP represents business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, investors and companies in complex California business matters â including business litigation, partnership and shareholder disputes, contract conflicts, corporate matters and commercial real estate disputes throughout Los Angeles County, Orange County and the rest of California. Farsi language assistance is available for clients who are more comfortable discussing their matter in Farsi.
Business problems rarely start with a lawsuit. More often they start quietly: a partner stops sharing financial information, a company stops honoring an agreement it signed, money that should be in an account isn't, an owner gets frozen out of decisions, or a relationship that worked for years suddenly doesn't.
The question at that point usually isn't "can I sue?" It's closer to: what's actually happening here, what are my rights, and what's the smartest way to protect what I've built?
That's the conversation KLW has with clients â working through the value of the business, the money at risk, the relationships involved, and what outcome the client actually wants, before deciding on a strategy.
Contact Us Orange County: 949-474-0940 Beverly Hills: 310-361-3889
When a Disagreement Turns Into a Legal Problem
Most business owners hope a disagreement will work itself out, and sometimes it does. But there are warning signs worth paying attention to.
Maybe a partner locks you out of the bank accounts. Maybe the financial reports that used to arrive every month just stop showing up. Decisions get made without you. A client or vendor starts ignoring what they owe you. Someone insists the agreement you signed means something completely different from what you thought you agreed to.
None of these are small things. They can affect who controls the company, who can access cash, how employees and customers see the business, whether you can get financing, and ultimately what the company is worth.
Talking to a business attorney early doesn't mean you're about to file a lawsuit. It usually just means understanding where you stand before you do something you can't take back.
It's worth getting legal advice if:
- A partner, shareholder or LLC member is trying to push you out of management or take control of the company
- You suspect company money, opportunities or assets are being diverted somewhere they shouldn't be
- You've stopped receiving financial information, books or records you used to have access to
- A major customer, vendor, investor or business partner has broken an agreement
- You've received a demand letter, arbitration demand, subpoena or lawsuit
- Someone is threatening to take legal action against you or your company
- A dispute over a commercial lease, development project, construction matter or piece of business property is interfering with your operations
- You're being asked to sign a buyout, release, settlement or ownership transfer while a dispute is still unresolved
In situations like these, what early legal advice really buys you is clarity â what the documents actually say, what the risks are, who has leverage, and what should happen next.
Business Litigation & Commercial Disputes
Protecting the Business, Not Just Fighting the Lawsuit
Business litigation is different from a lot of other litigation because the lawsuit is usually only part of the problem. The company still has to run. Employees still need direction. Customers still need to be served. Contracts still need to get performed. In many disputes, the owners are still working together even while they're fighting over money or control.
That means a good litigation strategy has to account for the business itself, not just the legal claims.
KLW represents companies, executives, investors and business owners in significant California commercial disputes â breach of contract, fights over ownership and control, fiduciary duty claims, fraud, financial losses, corporate governance issues, unfair business conduct and related matters.
Some of these get resolved through a well-timed demand letter or negotiation. Others are locked into arbitration by the contract itself and have to go before a private arbitrator. Mediation makes sense once both sides have enough information to actually evaluate their risk, and a negotiated resolution would preserve more value than a fight would.
And some cases simply require litigation â particularly when money, property, confidential information or control of the company is at immediate risk, which is when it may be worth evaluating whether emergency court relief is appropriate.
KLW looks at each case on its own facts rather than assuming every dispute belongs on the same track.
Partnership, Shareholder & LLC Disputes
When the People Who Built the Company No Longer Agree
Few business disputes are as disruptive as a fight between owners, mostly because it's never really just one disagreement. The same people usually share ownership of the company, access to the bank accounts, responsibility for employees, authority to sign contracts and control over key customer relationships. When trust breaks down, it tends to touch nearly every part of the business at once.
The disputes we see most often involve who actually controls the company, whether profits are being distributed fairly, whether one owner is paying themselves too much, whether company funds are being used personally, whether someone's been wrongfully cut out of management, or whether one side is trying to force the other out entirely.
The first thing we usually want to look at is the company's governing agreement â an operating agreement, shareholder agreement, partnership agreement, bylaws, amendments, purchase agreements, whatever governs the entity. These documents often address voting rights, management authority, distributions, ownership transfers, buyouts, dispute procedures and what's supposed to happen when owners can't work together anymore.
But the written agreement only tells part of the story. Financial records, emails, texts, tax documents, bank records, corporate resolutions and how the parties actually behaved often matter just as much.
If you believe a partner is acting against you: try not to assume the most aggressive move is automatically the right one. Before you send that email, cut off access, move money, or sign a buyout, it's worth understanding the legal and business consequences first.
Sometimes the goal is regaining access to the company. Sometimes it's stopping misconduct. Sometimes it's negotiating a fair buyout, or finding a way to preserve the business while the owners go their separate ways. And sometimes it does come down to litigation. Which path makes sense depends entirely on what you're actually trying to achieve.
Discuss a Partnership or Ownership Dispute
Breach of Contract & Commercial Agreements
The Contract Is the Starting Point, Not the Whole Story
Contracts govern most of a business's important relationships â who gets paid, when work has to be done, what happens if something goes wrong, how the relationship can end, and where any dispute has to be resolved.
When a significant contract gets breached, the obvious first question is whether the other side did what they promised. But several other questions usually matter just as much: What does the agreement require before a claim can even be brought? Is there a notice-and-cure clause? Does the contract require mediation or arbitration first? Where does a dispute have to be filed? Is there an attorneys' fee provision? Are damages capped? Has the deal been modified by anything the parties said or did after signing? And what losses can you actually document?
KLW handles disputes over commercial contracts, partnership and shareholder agreements, LLC operating agreements, purchase and sale agreements, vendor agreements, consulting arrangements, service contracts, confidentiality agreements, settlement agreements and commercial leases â and also helps businesses draft and negotiate agreements before problems ever start.
A well-drafted contract shouldn't just describe the deal when things are going well. It should plan for what happens when they don't.
Corporate & Outside General Counsel
Legal Guidance Before Litigation Becomes Necessary
Some of the most valuable legal work happens long before anyone files a lawsuit.
Growing companies constantly face decisions about ownership, contracts, executives, vendors, investors and expansion â decisions that can carry legal consequences well after the deal closes.
KLW provides outside general counsel services to businesses that need sophisticated legal guidance without keeping a full-time legal department on staff. That can mean reviewing major agreements, negotiating contracts, advising on ownership structures, handling corporate governance questions, preparing LLC and corporate documents, or evaluating risk before a big decision gets made.
Outside counsel is often most valuable early, when a problem is just starting to take shape. An attorney who understands the business can often tell whether something should be handled commercially, documented more carefully, escalated, or handed to litigation counsel â before it becomes a much more expensive problem.
Commercial Real Estate & Construction Disputes
When the Property Problem Becomes a Business Problem
For a lot of companies and investors, commercial real estate is one of the biggest financial commitments they'll ever make â which means a dispute over the property can threaten a lot more than just the real estate itself.
A lease dispute can put a company's ability to operate from a critical location at risk. A construction conflict can delay an opening or a whole development. A falling-out among property owners or joint venture partners can put a valuable asset in jeopardy.
KLW represents commercial property owners, investors, businesses, developers, landlords and tenants in significant California real estate disputes, including commercial leases, purchase and sale agreements, construction claims, ownership disputes, development projects, property partnerships, landlord-tenant conflicts, title issues, fraud allegations and disputes over performance under real estate agreements.
Because the underlying economics of the property usually drive the dispute, the right strategy has to account for more than just the legal claims â the property's value, income, financing, timing and the client's long-term goals all factor in.
What Should You Do When a Business Dispute Starts?
Five Practical Steps to Protect Your Position
1. Preserve the record. Don't delete emails, texts, financial records or corporate documents just because they're inconvenient or embarrassing. Hold onto contracts, amendments, invoices, bank records, meeting notes and any communications related to the dispute. Litigation can eventually carry formal obligations to preserve this kind of information â and preserving it early also gives your attorney a much clearer picture of what actually happened.
2. Find the governing agreements. Locate whatever document defines the relationship. For an ownership dispute, that's typically the operating agreement, shareholder agreement, partnership agreement, bylaws or purchase documents. For a commercial dispute, it's the main contract plus any amendments, statements of work, invoices and later communications. Don't assume you remember what the document says â go read it.
3. Calendar anything that looks like a deadline. Lawsuits, subpoenas, arbitration demands and formal notices often come with real deadlines attached. Contracts can too â for giving notice, disputing an invoice, exercising a right, or starting a dispute process. If you receive formal legal papers, don't set them aside just because negotiations are still ongoing.
4. Be careful about what you put in writing. An angry email or text sent in the middle of a dispute can end up as evidence later. That doesn't mean you should stop communicating â it means you should be deliberate about it. Before accusing someone of theft, fraud or other serious misconduct in writing, it's worth getting legal advice first.
5. Figure out what success actually looks like. Business litigation can get expensive and consuming fast, so it helps to know your real objective before choosing a strategy. Do you want money back? Do you want to keep control of the company? Do you want the other owner bought out, or do you want to be the one who leaves? Does certain conduct need to stop right now? Do you need a contract enforced so a deal can move forward? Would a quiet, confidential resolution actually preserve more value than a public fight? A good legal strategy serves your business goal â it shouldn't become the goal itself.
What to Bring to Your Initial Consultation
The clearer the picture at the outset, the more useful that first conversation will be â and you don't need to show up with every document your company has ever produced. Start with what explains the relationship and the dispute.
For an ownership dispute, that's usually the operating agreement or shareholder agreement, formation documents, relevant amendments, recent financials and whatever communications triggered the dispute. For a contract dispute, start with the signed agreement, amendments, invoices, payment records and the key communications about performance or breach. If litigation is already underway, bring the complaint, demand, arbitration papers or court orders you've received.
It also helps to be ready to answer a few basic questions: What happened? When did you first realize there was a problem? How much money or business value is at stake? What has the other side actually done? And what outcome are you hoping for? Those answers usually matter more at the start than a stack of unsorted paperwork does.
Is KLW the Right Firm for Your Matter?
KLW's business practice focuses on significant commercial matters rather than every disagreement that comes up between businesses. As a general matter, the firm typically doesn't take on partnership disputes involving less than $100,000 in damages, since the cost of sophisticated litigation can end up outweighing the potential recovery.
That's a real consideration in any business case â a lawsuit can be entirely valid on the merits and still be a poor economic decision. It's worth thinking not just about whether you have a claim, but about the dollars at stake, the value of the company or asset involved, what pursuing the dispute is likely to cost, and the business consequences of each possible strategy.
For higher-stakes matters, though, having counsel who can handle the dispute from negotiation all the way through trial, if it comes to that, can make a real difference.
Farsi Language Assistance
Clear Communication When the Business Issues Are Complex
Business disputes tend to involve complicated relationships, financial records, contracts and high-stakes decisions. You shouldn't have to master every legal term in English just to explain what happened to your company.
KLW offers Farsi language assistance for clients who'd rather discuss their situation in Farsi, so they can communicate the facts clearly, understand how the intake process works, and work effectively with the legal team. Because the specific language support available can depend on the matter and the attorneys involved, it's best to ask about Farsi assistance directly when you contact the firm.
Business Counsel for Los Angeles & Orange County
KLW is headquartered in Irvine and represents companies, executives, investors and business owners throughout Southern California, with offices in Irvine, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, San Diego and San Francisco, as well as Manhattan.
Farsi-speaking clients in Los Angeles County can reach the firm's broader California litigation and corporate team through the Beverly Hills and Pasadena offices. Orange County clients are served out of the Irvine headquarters, covering matters throughout Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Anaheim and the surrounding communities.
KLW's attorneys appear regularly in Orange County Superior Court, Los Angeles Superior Court, and state and federal courts across California.
Why Kimura London & White LLP?
KLW is a litigation-focused firm built to handle serious, high-stakes disputes. Its attorneys have tried hundreds of matters to completion and represent businesses, executives, commercial property owners and entrepreneurs in everything from ownership conflicts to complex commercial litigation.
The firm has been recognized among the Top 100 Law Firms in Orange County, and founding partners Joshua M. Kimura, William O. London and Darrell P. White were each named to the Orange County Business Journal's 2026 Top Litigators & Corporate Lawyers list.
But credentials shouldn't be the only reason you choose business counsel. Before you hire anyone, you should have straight answers to a few questions: Who's actually handling your matter? What strategy are they recommending, and why? What happens next? What's the real business objective here? And when does it make sense to settle versus fight it out?
Good business representation should help you answer those questions â not just win the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have Farsi-speaking business lawyers? KLW provides Farsi language assistance for clients who prefer to communicate in Farsi. Because the professionals involved vary by matter, it's best to contact the firm directly to confirm what language assistance is available for your case.
Does contacting KLW mean the firm represents me? No. Reaching out or discussing a potential matter doesn't, on its own, create an attorney-client relationship. Representation begins only once the firm's engagement requirements are met â including signing a Legal Services Agreement and paying any required initial deposit. Until then, don't assume KLW is responsible for any court appearances, filings or deadlines in your matter.
Can KLW help before a lawsuit is filed? Yes. A lot of business matters start with reviewing contracts, understanding leverage, building a demand strategy, or trying a negotiated resolution before litigation ever begins. Getting counsel involved early can also help you avoid moves that weaken your position later.
Does every business dispute have to go to court? No. Depending on the contracts, the facts and what you're trying to accomplish, a matter might be resolved through negotiation, mediation or arbitration. Others require litigation, and some situations call for immediate court intervention.
What should I do if I've just been sued? Hold onto the papers you received and note when and how you were served. Don't ignore the lawsuit just because you think the allegations are wrong or because settlement talks are underway. Contact counsel promptly so any deadlines and immediate risks can be evaluated.
Can KLW handle disputes between business owners? Yes. Partnership, shareholder, LLC member and ownership disputes make up a significant part of KLW's business litigation practice.
Does KLW handle commercial real estate disputes? Yes. KLW represents commercial property owners, developers, investors, landlords, tenants and companies in significant commercial real estate and construction disputes.
Speak With a California Business Law Team
A serious business dispute can put years of work at risk â your ownership, your investment, your cash flow, your property, your relationships, your ability to keep the company running.
The first step doesn't have to be filing a lawsuit. It can just be understanding the problem.
If you're a Farsi-speaking business owner, executive, entrepreneur, company or investor facing a significant business matter in Los Angeles County, Orange County or elsewhere in California, contact Kimura London & White LLP to discuss your situation. Farsi language assistance is available.
Request a Consultation Orange County / Irvine: 949-474-0940 Beverly Hills: 310-361-3889 Pasadena: 626-609-4354
This page provides general information only and is not legal advice. Every matter depends on its individual facts and circumstances. Contacting Kimura London & White LLP does not, by itself, establish an attorney-client relationship.