Tampa Business Litigation Attorneys
When your company is sued, or someone owes you, you need trial counsel, not a form-filing firm.
Your business is being sued. What happens next.
Once your company is served, Florida gives you 20 days to respond. The response is either an answer to the complaint or a motion directed at it, and the clock does not pause while you look for a lawyer. A missed deadline can mean a default judgment on whatever the plaintiff asked for.
A motion to dismiss asks the court to throw out some or all of the complaint before you answer it. It is the right first move when the complaint does not state a valid claim, names the wrong party or was filed in the wrong court. It can also buy time to get the full picture of the dispute.
Do not contact the plaintiff or their lawyer directly. Anything you say can be used in the case, and a well-meant explanation often becomes an admission. Route every communication through counsel from the day you are served.
Send us the complaint and the summons, the contract or agreement the dispute is about, and the correspondence that led up to it. HD Law Partners takes over the response from there. We calendar the deadline, decide between an answer and a motion, and tell you what to preserve.
Disputes we handle
Litigation only. We do not handle business formation, employment compliance, OSHA or securities matters.
- Breach of contract, on the plaintiff or the defense side
- Partnership and shareholder disputes
- Commercial landlord-tenant disputes, for landlords
- Business interruption insurance claims
- Vendor and supplier disputes
- Non-compete and trade secret enforcement
- Fraud and misrepresentation claims
- Premises liability defense for business owners
Why HD Law Partners
HD Law Partners is a trial firm. We prepare every business case as if it will be tried, because cases resolve on better terms when the other side can see the file is ready. We do not settle by default.
We work from one office in Tampa and represent businesses in state and federal courts across Florida. Craig Zyburo leads the business litigation practice.
What it costs
Business litigation is an hourly engagement. We discuss the retainer on the first call, once we know what the case involves and how quickly it has to move. For defined-scope matters, such as responding to a demand letter or a single motion, flat-fee options may be appropriate, and we will say so.
Common questions
How long do I have to respond to a lawsuit in Florida?
In most Florida civil cases, a defendant has 20 days from the date of service to file a response. The response can be an answer or a motion directed at the complaint. Missing the deadline risks a default, so the date you were served is the first fact we need.
Can I countersue?
Often, yes. If the party suing you also owes you money or breached the same contract, those claims can usually be brought as a counterclaim in the same case. We review the contract and the history between the parties before the response is due so nothing is left on the table.
What if the contract was never signed?
An unsigned contract is not the end of the question. Florida law can enforce agreements shown by emails, invoices, payments and the way the parties actually performed. What you can prove about the deal matters as much as the paper.
Do you represent plaintiffs or defendants in business disputes?
Both. We defend businesses that have been sued and we bring claims for businesses that are owed money or need a contract enforced. The same trial preparation applies on either side.
Do you handle cases outside Tampa?
Yes. The firm works from one office in Tampa and represents businesses in Florida state and federal courts statewide. Most of a business case happens in writing and by phone, and we travel for hearings, depositions and trial where the case requires it.