When a Business Dispute Is Costing You Money, You Need an Attorney Who Understands Business
When a contract goes sideways or a partner stops pulling their weight, you're not just dealing with a legal problem — you're dealing with a threat to something you've built. We handle business disputes throughout Louisiana with the kind of experience that only comes from spending decades on both sides of the table: drafting the agreements and litigating them when the relationship breaks down.
Our approach starts before the lawsuit. A well-crafted demand letter from experienced counsel resolves more business disputes than most people realize — and at a fraction of the cost of full litigation. We'll tell you upfront what your situation is worth, what it will likely cost to pursue, and which path makes the most sense for your business.
Business Disputes We Handle for Louisiana Clients
We represent businesses and individuals across Louisiana in a wide range of commercial disputes. Whether you're dealing with a partner who has stopped performing, a vendor who walked away from a signed contract, or a former employee violating a non-compete, we evaluate your situation against both the governing agreement and Louisiana law to determine what remedies are available to you.
Common Business Dispute Types We Handle
A signed contract is only as strong as your willingness to enforce it. When the other party stops performing, misses payments, or delivers something entirely different from what was agreed, you have legal options — and the sooner you act, the more of your losses you can recover. We handle breach of contract claims from the first demand letter through trial, including requests for preliminary injunctions when ongoing harm needs to be stopped immediately.
Breach of Contract
A signed contract is only as strong as your willingness to enforce it. When the other party stops performing, misses payments, or delivers something entirely different from what was agreed, you have legal options — and the sooner you act, the more of your losses you can recover. We handle breach of contract claims from the first demand letter through trial, including requests for preliminary injunctions when ongoing harm needs to be stopped immediately.
Partnership and LLC Member Disputes
Louisiana LLC law governs what your operating agreement doesn't cover — and most business owners don't realize how much that is. When a partner exceeds their authority, diverts business opportunities, fails to contribute what they agreed to, or simply refuses to cooperate, we evaluate both the operating agreement and Louisiana's business entity statutes to determine what your rights are and what remedies are available. Not every partner dispute needs a lawsuit. But you should know what your options are before things escalate.
Non-Compete Enforcement and Fiduciary Duty Claims
Louisiana has specific and narrow rules governing non-compete agreements — and courts here scrutinize them carefully. If a former partner, employee, or contractor is violating a non-compete or soliciting your clients in breach of a fiduciary duty, we can move quickly to enforce those agreements and seek damages for what you've lost. We also represent defendants who believe a non-compete is overbroad or unenforceable under Louisiana law.
Why Dennis Pennington's Background Matters in Business Litigation
Most litigation attorneys read a contract after a dispute starts. Dennis has spent more than 50 years drafting them. That distinction matters in a business dispute because the strongest litigation strategy often turns on understanding what a well-written agreement looks like — and identifying exactly where the contested contract departs from standard practice. When you've handled mergers, LLC formations, asset sales, and commercial agreements across five decades, you bring a different set of eyes to a breach of contract claim than an attorney who has only ever seen contracts in discovery.
How We Approach a Business Dispute
Step One: Understand the Full Picture
We start by reviewing the governing agreement, the business relationship, and the conduct at issue. In most cases, we can give you a clear read on your legal position in an initial consultation — including whether the conduct constitutes a legal breach and what damages or remedies Louisiana law makes available.
Step Two: Explore Pre-Litigation Options
Litigation is not always the right answer, and we'll tell you when it isn't. A formal demand letter from experienced counsel often brings the other party to the table without a court filing. We identify settlement and demand strategies that may resolve the matter faster and at lower cost than a full proceeding.
Step Three: Litigate When Necessary
When the other side won't negotiate in good faith, we're prepared to take the matter to court. We handle business disputes in Louisiana state courts across all 64 parishes, and in federal court when the parties are from different states and the amount in controversy meets the threshold for diversity jurisdiction. Dennis is admitted to practice before the Eastern, Middle, and Western U.S. District Courts of Louisiana, as well as the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — so federal court is a real option, not an afterthought.
Step Four: Pursue Collections When You've Already Won
Winning a judgment is not the same as getting paid. If you hold a judgment against a business or individual who hasn't satisfied it, we can help pursue collection through Louisiana's available enforcement mechanisms.
Talk to a Business Dispute Attorney in Baton Rouge
Winning a judgment is not the same as getting paid. If you hold a judgment against a business or individual who hasn't satisfied it, we can help pursue collection through Louisiana's available enforcement mechanisms.