BUSINESS LITIGATION / TRANSACTIONS

At the Law Offices of Richard Sax, we assist corporate and individual clients in day-to-day business activities and in the ongoing operation of their business, with the goal of preventing present and future legal problems. We help our clients avoid later disputes by assisting in the preparation of contracts; with corporate compliance; with sales and acquisitions; and with proper planning and documentation. Through this approach, our clients usually avoid litigation altogether. But if litigation is necessary, we represent our business and individual clients in federal and state courts, administrative hearings, arbitrations, and mediations.

$1,000,000.00 settlement in a personal injury and breach of contract case. We represented plaintiffs, members of a Native American tribe, in an action against tribal leaders for personal injuries and breach of contract. The tribe, represented by an international law firm specializing in Native American law, asserted the defense of sovereign immunity. The federal court upheld plaintiffs’ complaint, referring the case to the Tribal Council for further meetings according to Native American law. At the same time, the matter preceeded through formal mediation conferences in the District Court before Magistrate Choi. After numerous Tribal Council meetings and mediation conferences, the matter was put up to a vote of the Tribal Council. Plaintiffs prevailed, obtaining a very high percentage of the Tribal Council’s vote and a $1,000,000.00 settlement.

Successful resolution of a case involving a $3,000,000.00 theft of intellectual property. We represented plaintiff in a case involving the theft of intellectual property, in which defendant agreed to pay plaintiff $3,000,000.00 to invent and construct an amplifier and other electronic assemblies. However, when plaintiff gave the assemblies and prototype to defendant for examination, defendant kept plaintiff’s intellectual property and initially refused to pay plaintiff the agreed-upon three million dollars.

$500,000.00 settlement, plus a return of the control of two large walnut ranches to our client. Our client, a businessman in San Francisco, hired our law firm to secure the return of two large walnut ranches to his family, after a mortgage broker and tenant farmer conspired to gain control of the ranches by convincing our client’s elderly father to sign unfavorable leases and consulting agreements. In the midst of hard-fought court proceedings, we were able to have a defendant’s attorney, who was dramatically shown to be part of the conspiracy, removed from the case.

Favorable defense verdict on behalf of commercial landlord accused of Interference with Contract, Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage, and Punitive Damages. We represented defendant, a commercial landlord from San Francisco. Plaintiffs, the owners of a bar in defendant’s commercial shopping center in Clearlake, entered into an agreement with another party to sell their bar and liquor license. Before plaintiffs’ agreement to sell became final, defendant requested additional back rent for seventeen years, based upon a long-standing “gentlemen’s agreement” between defendant and plaintiffs. Later, plaintiffs’ sale fell through. Plaintiffs blamed defendant, suing him for Interference with Contract, Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage, and Punitive Damages. After a four-day jury trial, the jury was only out for one hour before they decided by 11-1 on the first cause of action and 11-2 on the second cause of action that defendant was not a substantial factor in the failure of plaintiffs to sell their bar and liquor license.

$85,000.00 settlement in Interference with Economic Relationship action. We represented plaintiff’s corporation in an Interference with Economic Relationship action in which defendants interfered with plaintiff’s third party customer, preventing plaintiff from receiving a contracted sales commission of tens of thousands of dollars.

Successful resolution of an action involving a multi-million dollar shopping center partnership. While representing one of the partners in a multi-million dollar shopping center partnership, we assisted in the successful dissolution and reorganization of the partnership.

Successful defense of a corporation following a business collapse. We successfully defended a corporation after the collapse of an eight-million-dollar real estate mortgage company.

CURRENTLY, RICHARD SAX IS CORPORATE COUNSEL FOR:

• A local start-up company, involving the sales of electrical products worldwide;
• A new local company that is involved in worldwide research and development for oil and gas products.
• Sax is also currently forming an LLC for a client who is purchasing a commercial building.