Millions Of Dollars Recovered For Our Clients.
Dedicated & Tenacious Litigation Lawyers in Indianapolis
Running a business means eventually running into a dispute you didn’t see coming. A vendor stops delivering. A partner stops agreeing. A competitor crosses a line. Business litigation covers the legal disputes that arise between companies, or between a company and the people connected to it, including owners, partners, employees, and vendors. It’s a broad category by design, since the disagreements businesses face rarely fit neatly into one box.
In Indiana, business disputes can move through several different paths depending on the size of the dispute, the relationship between the parties, and what the underlying contract or agreement says about resolving disagreements. Some matters get resolved through negotiation before a lawsuit is ever filed. Others move to mediation or arbitration if the parties agreed to that process in advance. When those options don’t work, or when a contract or agreement doesn’t call for them, the matter heads to court, either in state court or, in some cases, federal court.
Indiana law gives businesses and the courts wide latitude to interpret contracts based on their actual language, and Indiana’s Business Corporation Law and Business Flexibility Act set the rules for how corporations and LLCs operate, including what happens when the people running them disagree. Understanding which set of rules applies, and how a court is likely to interpret them, shapes almost every decision in a business dispute.
At RileyCate, we built our business litigation practice around the same trial readiness we bring to every matter we take. William Riley and Russell Cate have spent their careers preparing cases as though they’re headed to trial, and that posture tends to produce better outcomes at the negotiating table, not just in the courtroom. We handle commercial litigation, shareholder disputes, LLC dissolution, contract disputes, non-compete compliance, breach of contract, separation of partners, and construction litigation for businesses across a wide range of industries.
Every business dispute has its own combination of contracts, relationships, and financial stakes, so we start by getting a full picture of the situation before recommending a path forward. Sometimes that means a firm demand letter and a short negotiation. Other times it means preparing for a multi-year litigation involving extensive discovery and multiple experts. What stays consistent is the level of preparation we bring, regardless of how large or small the dispute is.
Business disputes often turn on how a judge or jury will read a contract, a set of bylaws, or an operating agreement, and that’s exactly the kind of question that can end up before an appellate court. Will Riley and Russell Cate lead our business litigation team. Russell Cate is recognized as a Super Lawyer and has argued alongside Will Riley before the Indiana Court of Appeals and the Indiana Supreme Court, giving our business clients real appellate depth alongside decades of trial experience. Will Riley’s Super Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and AV Preeminent recognition reflects decades of courtroom work, the same trial credibility we bring to every business matter we handle.
Will and Russell personally oversee every matter we take, staffing it with the attorneys, associates, and staff the case calls for based on its size and complexity, so your matter gets consistent attention whether you’re working directly with a partner or another member of the team. We also offer alternatives to the standard billable hour, including fixed fee, contingency, and blended fee arrangements, so we share in the risk of litigation with our clients rather than billing by the hour regardless of outcome. That arrangement tends to align our incentives with yours, since we’re motivated by the same outcome you are rather than by hours logged.
Nobody plans to need a lawyer. When something goes wrong, what you need first is someone who will listen, tell you honestly where you stand, and take the next steps off your plate. That is how every case at RileyCate, LLC begins.
We represent individuals, families, and small businesses across Fishers, Indianapolis, and surrounding counties in personal injury and complex litigation, business and real estate disputes, criminal defense, and appeals.
Will Riley and Russell Cate personally oversee every matter, staffing each case to its size and complexity. Both are recognized as Super Lawyers and have argued before the Indiana Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Will also holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a Top 100 Trial Lawyer designation.
We are trial-tested, not just settlement-focused. We have tried hundreds of cases, because insurance companies, opposing businesses, and prosecutors negotiate differently with a firm willing to go the distance.
If your business is facing a dispute, or you think one might be coming, it helps to talk with an attorney before positions harden. We offer a consultation to walk through the facts of your situation and explain your options. Reach out to RileyCate today to speak with a business litigation attorney about your matter.
