Tampa Business Litigation Blog

Dealing with zoning disputes for your new business

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. on Sunday, November 17, 2019.

You and your business partners have explored many corners of Florida, and you have finally found the ideal place to build and run your business. You have plans for a modern building with all the amenities to maximize the success of your company and draw clients and talented employees from near and far.

While you believe you have followed the rules related to commercial property in the area, you are surprised to learn that someone has filed a complaint against you with the zoning board. Do you know how to handle such complaints and what your best options are to avoid jeopardizing the plans for your new venture?

Contract disputes erupt between PennyMac and Black Knight

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.

The sudden end of a business relationship may affect the futures of each company involved in various ways. In some cases, the termination of a contract could leave a business in Florida facing the possibility of significant financial loss, while others may feel that a similar scenario could open up opportunities for expansion and growth. Mortgage companies Black Knight and PennyMac Financial Services have reportedly engaged in contract disputes following the recent end of their business relationship.

According to reports, Black Knight created a mortgage servicing bank account program that has been used by a variety of lending companies over recent years. The company states that PennyMac was among this list and asserts that the other party recently chose to terminate its contract after developing a program of its own. Black Knight asserts that the other company used access to its own program to steal sensitive company information and it has since filed a lawsuit accusing PennyMac of breach of contract and violation of antitrust laws.

Sweep accuses Blue Duck Express of breach of contract

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Thursday, November 7, 2019.

Upon entering a business agreement with another party, companies in Florida and elsewhere may expect their new partners to be capable of holding up their end of the arrangement. Allegations of failure to comply with the terms of a contract can lead to intense disputes that can have a significant impact on the future of all companies involved. A company that performs charging services for electric scooters has recently filed a breach of contract lawsuit accusing another party of misrepresenting its capabilities.

The company Sweep says the incident began when it reached an agreement to provide housing and charging services for electric scooters for Blue Duck Express. Sweep says it was to provide these services after Blue Duck sought to expand operations to a new area. However, the company claims that the expansion was placed on hold after Blue Duck failed to take the necessary steps to obtain permits for the operation.

Epic Games files breach of contract claim against game tester

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Wednesday, October 30, 2019.

When it comes to protecting sensitive information, product designs and operation procedures might not be the only concerns for companies in Florida and elsewhere. In some cases, a company may also wish to safeguard its plans for the future and the unauthorized release of such information could prove detrimental in various ways. Epic Games has recently filed a lawsuit accusing a game tester of breach of contract under similar circumstances.

According to reports, the man was given access to upcoming content for the popular game Fortnite nearly a month before the content was set to release. Epic asserts that he signed a nondisclosure agreement that prohibited him from sharing any information pertaining to the content prior to its release. However, the company claims he disclosed information about some of the game's new features shortly after he began testing it.

Anheuser-Busch accuses MillerCoors of theft of trade secrets

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Trade Secret And Non-Compete Disputes on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

Protecting sensitive information is a goal that many companies in Florida and elsewhere may feel is vital to the success of a business. When a company feels that another party has sought to gain access to its trade secrets, it may wish to know more about the available options to help safeguard its interests. Anheuser-Busch has recently filed a theft of trade secrets lawsuit against MillerCoors accusing the company of stealing information on product recipes.

According to reports, the allegations of a potential theft of trade secrets is the latest complaint during an ongoing feud between the two companies. In the complaint, Anheuser-Busch reportedly claims to have discovered evidence indicating that former employees who now work for MillerCoors took measures to obtain recipes on two popular brands from current employees. The company asserts that these individuals then proceeded to share this proprietary information with their new employer.

Evidence of discrimination prevention measures may be necessary

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. on Thursday, October 17, 2019.

As an employer, it can be difficult to keep everything on track. Nonetheless, you have the responsibility of ensuring that your employees act appropriately in the workplace and do not feel as if they are the subject of any type of unlawful treatment, such as discrimination. Of course, you cannot fully control all of your employees, and claims of such mistreatment could come about.

Understandably, you may worry about legal action coming against your company due to discriminatory actions. Even if you believe that you and the company took the proper steps to address a complaint, a disgruntled employee could still file a claim. How can you protect yourself and the company?

Demotion leads to allegations of breach of contract

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Thursday, October 17, 2019.

There could be a variety of scenarios in which a company in Florida or elsewhere might decide to make changes to its available positions of employment. In some cases, a similar decision could affect the careers of current employees and leave them in search of guidance on how to protect their interests. A former assistant chief at a fire department in another state has recently filed a breach of contract lawsuit after claiming he was unlawfully demoted.

According to the lawsuit, the incident stems from a recent meeting in which city officials decided to remove the position of assistant chief at a local fire department. This decision was reportedly part of an effort to address budgeting concerns within the department. The acting assistant chief claims that once the vote was passed, he was subsequently demoted to shift captain.

Rick Fox accuses business partners of breach of contract

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Wednesday, October 9, 2019.

The world of professional gaming is constantly growing and evolving and continues to attract the attention of many successful business owners in Florida and elsewhere. With so much at stake in a field of heated competition, issues are bound to arise in one form or another. Former NBA player Rick Fox has recently filed a lawsuit accusing two business partners of breach of contract and fraud after being informed of an intent to remove him from his management position with esports team Echo Fox.

According to reports, Fox filed the lawsuit against two of his business partners after accusing them of making unlawful changes to the team's operating agreement. Fox asserts that these changes are what allowed the other parties to remove him from his management position via vote instead of being forced to pursue the action through legal means. He also asserts that the two have taken unauthorized withdrawals from company funds.

Company claims breach of contract, theft of trade secrets

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Wednesday, October 2, 2019.

There may be a multitude of scenarios in which the sudden end of a business relationship could have a detrimental impact on the future of company. A similar scenario could increase the risks a company in Florida might suffer substantial financial loss or significant damage to its reputation. A software company has reportedly filed a lawsuit accusing a county in another state of breach of contract after claiming the sudden termination of its contract led to concerns over a possible theft of trade secrets.

According to reports, software company Medir Government solutions says it had initially entered a contract to provide data storage services to the county in 2015. Medir asserts that the county's board of supervisors recently decided to terminate the contract and switch to another service provider named DuProcess. Medir claims that the county ended the arrangement for unjust reasons and states that it failed to notify the company of the decision.

Construction company files breach of contract claim

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Thursday, September 26, 2019.

Once a company in Florida or elsewhere enters a contract to perform a major construction project, it may choose to devote all of its efforts into ensuring the project goes as planned. Should the other party choose to allocate a portion of the contracted work to another entity, the resulting loss of work could place the initial company under substantial financial strain. A construction company in another state has recently filed a lawsuit accusing a city of breach of contract under similar circumstances.

According to reports, the incident began when the city hired P and D Construction to perform a variety of demolition projects over a period of one year. The lawsuit states that the contract gave the company the right to perform all demolition services throughout the duration of the agreement. However, the company claims that the city proceeded to allocate certain demolition projects to another party.