Business Litigation
Lawyer DC
A lawsuit against your company can change how you operate overnight: the cost, the exposure, the time it pulls away from actually running your business. We give Washington, DC companies trial-ready counsel built for the fight ahead.
Protect what you built. We’ll handle the courtroom.
Litigation Is a Marathon. We Build Strategies That Go the Distance.
Litigation takes time. The strategy starts now.
A bigger company, an insurer, or a former partner with deeper pockets often expects that advantage to be decisive — whether they’re the one being sued or the one filing suit. They’re prepared to wait you out.
We give Washington, DC business owners a litigation strategy built around their specific stake in the outcome, not a generic defense posture. Founder Marlon Griffith has spent his career in the courtroom — which means the attorney advising your strategy is the same one prepared to try the case.
We don’t just represent your company in litigation. We stand with you against whoever is threatening what you built.
Types of Business Litigation We Handle
- A partner stopped honoring the deal you made.
- A former client, competitor or former employee said something untrue about your business.
- Someone outside the agreement pushed a business relationship to fall apart.
- A partner or co-owner put their own interests ahead of the business.
- Another business's conduct caused harm that wasn't tied to a specific agreement.
- You were misled into an agreement based on false information.
- A government contract dispute reached the Court of Federal Claims.
- Our Affiliations
- UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS
Business Dispute vs Business Litigation: What's the Difference?
Every business disagreement starts somewhere short of a courtroom. Missed payments, a broken promise, a partner who stops holding up their end, these are disputes. How they’re handled at this stage often determines whether they need to go further at all.
Litigation begins the moment a lawsuit or arbitration demand is filed, or is clearly on its way. That single shift changes the terrain entirely:
- Court and arbitration deadlines start running
- Discovery obligations, including document production and depositions, take hold
- Financial exposure stops being theoretical and becomes calculable
- What was once a private disagreement often becomes part of the public record
The right strategy depends on knowing exactly where your company stands in that progression, and what’s likely to come next. Sometimes that means resolving a dispute before it ever reaches a courtroom. Sometimes it means being fully prepared to litigate if the other side is not being reasonable.
What to Know About Business Litigation in Washington, DC
Most business litigation in Washington, DC is handled in DC Superior Court. Federal claims — including certain matters involving federal agencies and constitutional questions — are filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The statute of limitations for most business claims in DC is three years under DC Code § 12-301. Missing that deadline ends your right to file regardless of how strong the underlying case is.
Knowing which court, which rules, and which deadlines apply from the start is not a procedural formality — it is the first strategic decision in any case.
- OUR PROCESS
How We Handle Business Litigation
01
Listen and Define Success
We start by getting a full picture of the claim and what a good outcome looks like for you.
02
Evaluate and Strategize
We assess the strengths, weaknesses, and financial exposure of the case, then build a strategy around your company’s goals.
03
Advocate and Execute
We handle every phase of the case, filings, discovery, negotiation, and trial, with the preparation a serious dispute demands.
04
Protect the Long Game
We keep your contracts, operations, and reputation in view, not just the outcome of this one case.
- IMMEDIATE ACTION
What To Do If Your Company Has Been Sued
Whether you’ve just been served, or you’re the one deciding whether to file, what you do in the first few days shapes everything that follows. Litigation doesn’t wait for you to feel ready.
Before you act:
- Don't assume you have more time than you do. Deadlines in litigation are strict, and missing one can cost you the case before it's argued.
- Don't reach out to the other side, or their attorney, without knowing how it could be used.
- Don't wait to see if it resolves on its own. It rarely does.
Bringing us in early lets us look at:
- The strength of your position
- What's already happened procedurally, and what's coming next
- Whether there's still a real opportunity to resolve this before it goes further
The business owners we’ve helped most are the ones who called before they had to.
- FAQ
Common Questions about Business Litigation
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Business litigation is the formal legal process that begins once a lawsuit, arbitration demand, or other formal claim has been filed against or on behalf of a company. It covers everything from the initial filing through trial or settlement.
A business dispute is a disagreement that hasn't yet reached a formal legal proceeding. Business litigation begins once a claim is actually filed, or is clearly about to be, and brings court or arbitration deadlines, discovery, and other formal obligations with it.
If your company has been served with a lawsuit, received an arbitration demand, or is facing a claim that looks headed toward formal proceedings, it's time to bring in trial-ready counsel rather than handling it alone.
Yes. Many cases settle through negotiation or mediation before trial. Preparing a case as if it will go to trial often gives a company more leverage to resolve it early on favorable terms.
In-house counsel often manage day to day legal matters, but active litigation usually calls for outside trial counsel with courtroom experience, especially once a case moves toward discovery or trial.
Most business claims in DC must be filed within three years under DC Code § 12-301. Missing this deadline bars your claim regardless of the merits. Some claims have different limitations periods — the sooner you involve counsel, the sooner you know which deadline applies to your matter.
Ready to Move? So Are We.
Whether you’re facing a lawsuit or weighing whether to file one, the earlier we’re involved, the more options you have. Let’s look at where things stand and build the strategy from there.