As a business owner, your priority is to protect and grow your company, and the last thing you want is a critical disagreement with your business partner.

A partnership dispute not only disrupts your business, it can become both a stressful personal and professional experience.

 “If you find yourself in a bitter fight with a business partner, you must be prepared to act quickly to preserve your company and your own best interests.”

The ways your partner may be breaching his or her duty to you and the company can include:

• Theft of or improper spending of company cash assets
• Theft or misuse of business secrets
• Removal or sale of company data or equipment
• Improper handling of stock
• Falsely signing contracts and other documents on behalf of the partnership
• Misrepresentation of that partner’s role and authority to third parties

Stop Them In Their Tracks: Going to court to seek an immediate temporary restraining order, or a TRO, is often the best and swiftest way to save the company.

A judge can grant a TRO to stop the offending partner’s actions even without that person or his lawyer being present in court. A TRO provides immediate relief through the court system when a party can show irreparable harm will be caused if the offending partner is allowed to remain in control of assets.

Time Is Of The Essence: Most lawyers file a lawsuit and head into a long and painstaking process of discovery. However, taking the aggressive approach of requesting an emergency TRO, which involves gathering affidavits and paperwork immediately, and getting it before a judge as soon as possible can make all the difference.

“If you are successful, the judge will shut down the other side and immediately prevent them from causing additional harm.”

And though a TRO is temporary, it provides some quick relief, gets discovery rolling at a faster pace and shifts the advantage to your side.

In a business partnership gone bad, the tables can turn very quickly. We specialize in getting an early advantage through TROs, and work to make sure that the tables turn your way.

At Mahendru, P.C., your fight becomes our fight and your problems are our problems. To learn more about how our firm can help you in business partnership disputes, visit our website, follow us on LinkedIn and stay tuned to our blog.