How long do I have to file a breach of contract claim in New Jersey?

The statute of limitations for written contract claims in New Jersey is six years from the date of the breach under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-1. For oral contracts, the same six-year period applies in most circumstances. In New York, the statute of limitations for contract claims is also six years under CPLR Section 213. Although six years is a longer window than personal injury statutes, waiting creates practical problems: witnesses' memories fade, documents become harder to locate, and the business impact of the breach compounds. Attorney Nguyen advises on the specific limitations period applicable to your dispute and the strategic implications of timing during the initial case assessment.

Can I recover attorney's fees in a commercial dispute in New Jersey?

New Jersey follows the American Rule, meaning each party generally pays its own attorney's fees unless a contract, statute, or court rule provides otherwise. Many commercial contracts include fee-shifting provisions that allow the prevailing party to recover fees, which can significantly affect the economics of litigation for both sides. New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act provides for mandatory attorney fee shifting to successful plaintiffs, making CFA claims particularly valuable when the facts support them. New York follows similar principles. Attorney Nguyen identifies every fee-shifting provision or statutory basis for fee recovery at the outset of every commercial engagement.

What if my business dispute involves a partnership or shareholder conflict?

Partnership and shareholder disputes are among the most acrimonious in commercial litigation because they involve people who trusted each other and the breakdown of that trust. Claims commonly include breach of fiduciary duty, improper exclusion from management, diversion of business opportunities, and minority shareholder or partner oppression. New Jersey's Revised Uniform Partnership Act and the New Jersey Business Corporation Act provide frameworks for these disputes, including the right to seek judicial dissolution of a business in cases of deadlock or persistent oppression. These cases require careful handling because the business itself is often the most valuable asset at stake. Attorney Nguyen approaches them with both legal rigor and practical business judgment.

Should I try to settle my commercial dispute before filing a lawsuit?

In most cases, yes, but negotiation is most effective when it is backed by a credible litigation threat. A well-drafted demand letter that identifies the legal claims, quantifies the damages, and demonstrates that counsel is prepared to file resolves many commercial disputes without formal litigation. The economics of commercial litigation, including discovery costs, expert fees, and management time, make early resolution attractive to both sides in many cases. That said, some defendants only respond to a filed complaint, and some disputes involve conduct that requires injunctive relief that only a court can provide. Attorney Nguyen advises on the most efficient path to resolution in every engagement.

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Commercial and Business Litigation

Commercial and Business Litigation Attorney in New Jersey and New York Business disputes move fast and the stakes are real. A breach of contract that has disrupted your operations. A business partner who violated a fiduciary duty. A vendor who failed to perform and left you holding the costs. A competitor whose unfair practices are…

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Injury from Roof or Window Collapse

Roof and Window Collapse Injury Attorney in New Jersey and New York When a ceiling collapses onto a tenant, when a window falls from a high-rise onto a pedestrian below, when a parapet crumbles and debris strikes someone on the sidewalk, the cause is almost always the same: a property owner who deferred maintenance, ignored…

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Elevator Accidents

Elevator Accident Attorney in New Jersey and New York Elevators are required by law to be regularly inspected, maintained, and certified as safe for public use. When building owners, property managers, and elevator maintenance companies fail to meet those obligations, people are seriously hurt. A sudden free fall. Doors that close on a passenger before…

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Injury from Mold, Lead, Toxic Exposure, Fire, Hazards

Mold, Lead, Toxic Exposure, Fire, and Hazard Injury Attorney in New Jersey and New York Some of the most serious injuries caused by property negligence are invisible until the damage is already done. Mold growing behind walls for months while a landlord ignores complaints. Lead paint in a pre-1978 building that was never disclosed or…

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Construction Site Injuries

Construction Site Injury Attorney in New Jersey and New York Construction sites are among the most dangerous workplaces in the country, and New Jersey and New York consistently rank among the busiest construction markets in the nation. Falls from scaffolding. Equipment struck-by accidents. Electrocutions. Trench collapses. Falling objects from upper floors. When these accidents happen,…

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Negligent Security

Negligent Security Attorney in New Jersey and New York Property owners and businesses have a legal obligation to provide reasonably safe conditions for the people on their premises. That obligation includes protecting visitors and tenants from foreseeable criminal acts when the risk of crime is known or reasonably apparent. A parking garage with broken lighting…

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Slip and Fall Injuries

Slip and Fall Injury Attorney in New Jersey and New York Slip and fall accidents are one of the leading causes of serious injury in New Jersey and New York. A grocery store aisle where a spill went unattended for twenty minutes. A hotel lobby where a recently mopped floor had no warning sign. A…

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Sidewalk Injuries

Sidewalk Injury Attorney in New Jersey and New York Sidewalk injuries are among the most common premises liability claims in New Jersey and New York, and among the most frequently contested. A lifted concrete slab from tree root growth that catches a pedestrian’s foot. A crumbling curb edge that gives way underfoot. Ice that accumulated…

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Injury at Rental Property, Apartments

Rental Property and Apartment Injury Attorney in New Jersey and New York Tenants and their guests have the right to live in and visit rental properties that are reasonably safe. Landlords who ignore maintenance requests, allow hazardous conditions to persist in common areas, fail to repair broken stairs or railings, or leave dangerous conditions unaddressed…

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Injury at Sport/Recreation Events

Sport and Recreation Event Injury Attorney in New Jersey and New York Attending or participating in a sporting or recreational event carries inherent excitement and some understood physical risk. What spectators, participants, and attendees do not assume is the risk of preventable negligence. A bleacher that collapses because it was never inspected. A foul ball…

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