Practice area
Business law
I work with small and mid-sized businesses on contracts, collections and company matters. Many disputes can be resolved with a well-documented demand letter, and the ones that cannot are easier to win when the paperwork was right from the start.
What I handle in this area
- 01Service, supply, vendor and confidentiality agreements
- 02Demand letters and collection of unpaid invoices
- 03Breach of contract claims
- 04LLC and corporation formation
- 05Operating agreements and buy-sell terms
- 06Disputes between owners or partners
What steps come before a collection lawsuit?
Most collection matters start with a written demand that states the amount owed and a deadline to pay. In Texas, a party that prevails on a written or oral contract claim may recover reasonable attorney's fees in many cases, but the claim must first be presented to the other side (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 38.002).
The best path depends on the documents behind the debt, the chance the other side will dispute it, and the limitations period. A four-year limitations period applies to many debt and contract claims in Texas (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004).
What do I look for when drafting a contract?
When a dispute arises, the first clauses everyone reads are payment, delivery, warranties, termination and limitation of liability. I write those clauses around how the business actually operates and add the procedural terms, such as venue, notice addresses and dispute resolution.
Off-the-shelf templates are often written in favor of one side. A review before signing usually takes less time and money than a lawsuit afterward.
Related calculators
- Interest calculatorEstimate simple interest on an unpaid amount between two dates at a rate you enter.
- Contingency fee calculatorSee how a contingency fee percentage and case expenses affect what the client receives.
- Mediation preparation checklistA step-by-step checklist for before, during and after a mediation session.
Related legal guides
What to do if you are sued for a debtServed with a debt collection lawsuit in Texas? How the answer deadline works, why ignoring it leads to default, and which defenses and options to discuss.- What a demand letter is and when you really need oneWhat a demand letter is, when Texas law requires written notice before suing, how to send one so it can be proven, and when it is not worth the effort.
How mediation works, step by stepWhat a mediator does, when Texas courts send cases to mediation, what happens in the session, who pays, and how a signed settlement binds you.
Appointments
You can schedule an appointment to talk about your business law matter. Bringing the documents above to the first meeting makes the review easier.