Tampa Business Litigation Blog

Has defamation put your company's reputation at risk?

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. on Friday, January 17, 2020.

When you first started your Florida business, you wanted it to become a success. You knew that you would have to gain the trust of investors, employees, clients and customers in order to reach that success. Fortunately, over the years, you have been able to ensure that your company has a standup reputation and an image that people can trust.

Because a company's reputation can make or break it, you do what you can to make sure that nothing unseemly takes place within your company and that you handle any issues promptly and effectively. However, the competition can sometimes be unscrupulous, and another company may have attempted to tarnish your company's good reputation.

Gym owner files breach of contract claim against former coach

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Monday, January 13, 2020.

Business contracts can include terms that cover a multitude of factors, some of which could be intended to provide protection against actions that could otherwise prove harmful to a company. When individuals in Florida feel that the actions of another party violated the terms of such an agreement, they could choose to take every possible measure to protect their interests. The owner of a gymnastics facility in another state has recently filed a lawsuit accusing a former coach of breach of contract.

According to reports, the owner of the gym filed a lawsuit against the former coach after claiming to have learned he took steps to open his own facility while still employed at the gym. The owner claims to have received information indicating the man used gym contacts to find and purchase equipment for the new facility. The owner also says he attempted to harm the company by cancelling practice sessions and sending out emails trying to get clients to break their contracts with the facility.

Restaurant closes amid noncompete agreement disputes

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Trade Secret And Non-Compete Disputes on Monday, January 6, 2020.

A business contract between two or more parties in Florida and across the nation could include terms that cover a multitude of factors and scenarios. Due to the complex nature of similar types of arrangements, any disputes that stem from such contracts can be highly debatable matters. A restaurant owner in another state says she was recently forced to close down her business after being accused of violating a noncompete agreement.

The woman says she had recently taken over operations of a restaurant formerly known as Amighetti's and had changed the name to Colino's Cafe and Bakery. According to reports, the person who owns the rights to Amighetti's recipes and brand recently filed a lawsuit against the restaurant, accusing the owner of being in violation of a noncompete agreement. The man asserts that the woman and her husband had both worked for Amighetti's, and states that some of the changes that were made did not align with Amighetti's brand.

Apple files breach of contract claim against multiple parties

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Sunday, December 29, 2019.

When companies in Florida or elsewhere hire another company to provide any type of service, they expect the other party to adhere to the terms of the business contract. Should either party feel the actions of the other company are in violation of the agreement, intense legal disputes may ensue. Apple has reportedly filed a lawsuit accusing multiple companies for breach of contract after claiming to have discovered that items intended for recycling were being sold for profit.

According to reports, Apple says it hired a company known as Allan and Associates to perform a variety of recycling-related tasks. Apple says the other company was instructed to break down used products for metals. However, Apple asserts that it recently discovered the company was allowing employees to take used products and sell them for personal gain.

University accuses former athletic director of breach of contract

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Monday, December 23, 2019.

A business contract between two or more parties in Florida and elsewhere may include terms that depict how to handle a variety of potential future scenarios. One such provision could pertain to a buyout agreement should one party wish to end the arrangement prior to the agreed upon date, and should either party violate the terms of such an agreement, intense conflict may ensue. A leading university in another state has reportedly filed a breach of contract lawsuit against its former athletic director, claiming he violated the terms of his buyout agreement.

According to reports, the man began working as athletic director for the universiity after signing a five year contract in 2015. Nearly one year later, he reportedly received another offer to become athletic director as Georgia Tech. Since there were still several years remaining on his prior contract, he reportedly negotiated an agreement to buy out his contract over time so he could accept the offer.

Apple accuses former employee of breach of contract

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Contract Disputes on Thursday, December 19, 2019.

There may be a variety of scenarios in which a company in Florida or elsewhere may feel that a former employee has violated the terms of his or her business contract. The disputes that arise from allegations of a breach of contract can be highly complex matters that could leave all parties involved in seek of guidance on what to expect from the subsequent process. Apple has recently filed a lawsuit against a former chip designer accusing him of breach of contract.

According to reports, the incident began after the man started taking steps to form his own chip development company. The lawsuit asserts that he started the company while he was still working as a chip designer for Apple. Apple claims that he used his knowledge of and access to sensitive company information to help further his goals.

Has a partnership dispute arisen from breach of fiduciary duty?

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. on Wednesday, December 18, 2019.

Running a business takes a tremendous amount of work. You may have known from the beginning that taking on this endeavor alone was not the way to go, so you enlisted a business partner. This person may have been someone you had known most of your life or someone you met more recently but who had impressive business acumen from what you had seen.

At first, you and your business partner may have gotten your company off the ground and well on the way to success without any serious issues. However, you may have become more concerned about your partner's actions recently. In fact, you may believe that he or she is no longer acting in the company's best interests.

Protections for trade secrets do not always prevent disputes

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Trade Secret And Non-Compete Disputes on Monday, December 9, 2019.

Running a company is a difficult endeavor. Not only do Florida business owners need to ensure that their companies operate correctly, but they also need to find ways to set their businesses apart from the competition. Many companies do this through the use of trade secrets, which are important to protect.

In some cases, trade secrets cannot obtain protections, like patents, to help keep them out of the hands of other companies. Still, it is important to take steps to protect those secrets as best as possible. This information often has economic value, and if they fall into the hands of the competition, a company may suffer losses as a result.

Riot Games reaches settlement agreement in discrimination lawsuit

On behalf of Barker & Cook, P.A. posted in Employment Law Disputes on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.

Workplace equality continues to be a goal for many individuals in Florida and elsewhere, employers and employees alike. When allegations of unfair treatment arise, all parties involved may feel it is in their best interests to seek guidance on all available options to help resolve the issue in the most effective manner. Riot Games has reportedly agreed to pay a substantial settlement in relation to a lawsuit in which the company was accused of gender discrimination.

According to reports, the incident began when two female employees at Riot Games filed a lawsuit, accusing the company of discrimination in 2018. In the lawsuit, the two claimed that they had been subjected to harassment and discrimination on a routine basis. They also assert that Riot had violated the terms of the Equal Pay Act of the state involved.

Restaurant owner accuses former chefs of breach of contract

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

When business owners in Florida or elsewhere feel that certain employees have continually failed to uphold the terms of their contracts, they may choose to take action to rectify the situation. Should these employees feel that they have been wrongfully accused of wrongdoing, they may wish to gain insight on the available options to help protect their legal rights. Two former chefs at a high-profile restaurant in another state were recently fired after the owner of the establishment accused them of breach of contract.

According to reports, the incident began after a co-founder of the restaurant Noosh filed a lawsuit accusing two chefs of breaching their contracts. The man claims that an investigation uncovered evidence suggesting the two had misappropriated company funds for personal gain. He has also accused the two of providing false information to the media about company operations.