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Miami, FL - Broward, FL
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Florida Business Law & Commercial Litigation Attorneys
Strategic Counsel. Relentless Advocacy.
At Perez Mayoral, P.A., we represent business owners, investors, and partners in high-stakes commercial disputes. When problems arise, whether it’s a breach of contract, partnership conflict, or corporate misconduct, we act quickly and strategically to safeguard your interests and pursue lasting, business-minded solutions.
Commercial Dispute Resolution
Your property. Your rights. Our fight. | Hablamos Español
Business Litigation Services
Millions Won for Florida Businesses
Contract Disputes
Handling breaches, interpretation issues, and enforcement of contract clauses to protect clients’ rights and obligations.
Shareholder and Partnership Disputes
Representing stakeholders in disputes over management, profit distribution, and breaches of fiduciary duties.
Business Torts
Addressing issues like tortious interference, unfair competition, defamation, fraud, and more to protect clients and recover damages.
Commercial Real Estate Litigation
Managing disputes involving lease issues, zoning, property rights, and eminent domain.
Employment Disputes
Representing businesses in cases of wrongful termination, discrimination, wage disputes, and breaches of noncompete or confidentiality agreements.
Corporate Governance and Fiduciary Duty Litigation
Focusing on disputes related to governance, breaches of fiduciary duties, mismanagement, and corporate integrity.
Construction Litigation
Dealing with breaches, construction defects, mechanic’s liens, and payment or performance disputes.
Intellectual Property Litigation
Assisting in the defense and enforcement of trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets.
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FOR FLORIDA BUSINESSES
Strategic Counsel. Relentless Advocacy.
Protecting the interests of Florida businesses, investors, and shareholders through sophisticated representation in state and federal courts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Questions Answered
How do I know if my business has grounds for a lawsuit?
Your business may have grounds for a lawsuit if you’ve experienced financial harm due to another party’s actions or failure to meet their obligations. Common indicators include breach of contract where the other party failed to deliver goods, services, or payments as agreed, fraudulent business practices that caused monetary losses, interference with your business relationships or existing contracts, trademark or copyright infringement affecting your brand, partnership disputes involving mismanagement of funds or breach of fiduciary duties, or employment issues such as trade secret theft by former employees. Additionally, if you’ve suffered damages from construction defects, real estate disputes, or unfair competition practices, you likely have viable legal claims.
The key factors Florida courts consider are whether you can demonstrate actual damages, establish the other party’s legal responsibility, and show a clear connection between their actions and your losses. To determine if your specific situation warrants legal action, gather all relevant documentation including contracts, correspondence, financial records, and evidence of damages. Contact our experienced business litigation attorneys for a consultation where we can evaluate the strength of your potential claims and discuss the most effective legal strategy for your case.
How long does litigation typically take?
Business litigation timelines in Florida vary widely based on the case’s complexity, court schedules, and whether parties reach settlement agreements. Simple contract disputes or straightforward business matters may resolve within 6-12 months, while complex commercial litigation involving multiple parties, extensive discovery, or involved legal issues can take 2-3 years or longer to reach trial. The discovery phase, where parties exchange documents and take depositions, typically accounts for the majority of litigation time and can last 6-18 months depending on the volume of information involved.
Factors that can extend timelines include crowded court dockets, motions practice, appeals, and the opposing party’s cooperation level. Many cases settle during mediation or negotiations before reaching trial, which can significantly shorten the overall process. Federal court cases often move faster than state court matters due to different scheduling practices and case management approaches. Emergency situations may qualify for expedited hearings or temporary injunctions that can provide quicker relief while the main case proceeds. For a realistic timeline estimate based on your specific business dispute, contact our office for a consultation where we can evaluate your case’s unique circumstances and provide a more precise timeframe for resolution.
Can my business recover attorney fees in litigation?
Whether your business can recover attorney fees in litigation depends on the specific circumstances of your case and applicable Florida law. Florida generally follows the “American Rule,” meaning each party pays their own attorney fees unless there’s a specific statute, contract provision, or legal principle that allows fee recovery. Common situations where businesses can recover attorney fees include contracts with prevailing party clauses, cases involving statutory violations like unfair trade practices or certain employment disputes, trademark and copyright infringement claims, and situations where the opposing party acted in bad faith or filed frivolous claims.
Additionally, Florida’s offer of judgment statute allows fee recovery in some cases where a party rejects a reasonable settlement offer and then receives a less favorable judgment at trial. The amount recoverable must be reasonable and necessary, and courts will review fee requests to ensure they’re appropriate for the work performed. To understand your potential for fee recovery in your specific case, contact our team for a consultation where we can review your contracts, assess applicable statutes, and develop a strategy that maximizes your chances of recovering attorney fees along with other damages.
What are the costs associated with business litigation?
Business litigation costs in Florida include several components beyond attorney fees, such as court filing fees ranging from $400-$500 to initiate a lawsuit, deposition costs of $500-$1,500 per witness, expert witness fees that can reach $200-$500 per hour, and expenses for document production, investigations, or forensic analysis when needed. Additional costs may include mediation fees, court reporter charges, and potential bond requirements for certain types of relief. The total expense depends heavily on factors like case duration, the amount of discovery required, number of parties involved, and whether the matter settles early or proceeds to trial.
Simple contract disputes might resolve for under $30,000, while complex commercial matters can cost significantly more depending on their scope and duration. Many cases settle during negotiations or mediation, which typically reduces overall expenses compared to full trial proceedings. To understand the potential costs for your specific situation and discuss our fee structure, schedule a consultation where we can evaluate your case and provide a detailed breakdown of expected expenses and available payment options.
What are my options if the other party isn’t upholding their end of a contract?
When another party breaches a contract, you have several legal remedies available under Florida law depending on the severity of the breach and your specific damages. Your options include seeking monetary damages to compensate for financial losses caused by the breach, requesting specific performance to force the other party to fulfill their contractual obligations, or pursuing contract rescission to cancel the agreement and restore both parties to their pre-contract position. You may also be entitled to consequential damages for additional losses that resulted from the breach, such as lost profits or costs incurred due to their failure to perform.
Before pursuing litigation, consider sending a formal demand letter outlining the breach and requesting compliance, as this can sometimes resolve the matter without court involvement and may be required under your contract terms. If the breach is ongoing, you might seek a temporary restraining order or injunction to prevent further harm to your business. In cases where the other party’s breach is substantial, you may have grounds to terminate the contract and seek damages for any losses incurred. The statute of limitations for contract disputes in Florida is typically five years for written contracts and four years for oral agreements, so timely action is important. Contact our attorneys for a consultation to review your contract terms, assess your damages, and determine the most effective strategy for enforcing your rights and recovering compensation.
Tampa Breach Of Contract Lawyer
Breach of Contract Lawyer Tampa, FL
If a business partner stopped paying what they owe you, a vendor walked away from a project, or someone violated a noncompete, our attorneys may be able to help you.
Perez Mayoral, P.A. handles breach of contract litigation throughout Tampa and the rest of Florida, and our Tampa, FL breach of contract lawyers bring over 100 years of combined litigation experience to commercial disputes in both state and federal court. We represent businesses, property owners, and individuals in contract enforcement actions, and we can usually give you a realistic assessment of your case within days of reviewing the relevant documents.
Why Choose Perez Mayoral for Contract Disputes in Tampa, FL?
Litigators Who Handle Commercial Disputes
Erik A. Perez graduated with honors from the University of Miami School of Law in 2014 and also holds a B.B.A. in International Business from Florida International University. He’s been a member of the Florida Bar since 2015. Before launching Perez Mayoral, he spent years at established Florida litigation firms, and that early career work gave him a practical understanding of how commercial disputes actually play out, not just in theory, but in courtrooms, mediations, and settlement negotiations. He is a member of the Miami-Dade County Bar Association and the Cuban American Bar Association.
Michael P. Mayoral handles business litigation, real estate disputes, breach of contract actions, partnership disputes, and shareholder disputes. He graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law, is a member of the National Trial Lawyers and the Florida Bar Trial Lawyers Section. What sets him apart in breach of contract work is his trial background. Before founding the firm, Attorney Mayoral was a trial attorney in the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office, which meant he was in court constantly, examining witnesses and presenting evidence to juries. That experience translates directly into commercial litigation, where many cases settle precisely because the other side knows your attorney is prepared to try the case if they have to.
Fernando A. Prego covers business, commercial, and real estate litigation. He earned his J.D. magna cum laude from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2016 and was named to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list for 2026 in Civil Litigation. Attorney Prego has been involved in litigation work since 2006, starting in support roles and working his way through every phase of case management before becoming an attorney. That progression gives him a different kind of preparation than most lawyers bring to contract disputes.
Our business litigation lawyer in Tampa, FL has helped clients recover millions of dollars in case results across contract enforcement, commercial real estate disputes, and business torts.
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“had an excellent experience working with this law firm. From the very first consultation, they were professional, attentive, and truly cared about my case. They explained every step clearly and made the entire process stress-free. Communication was always prompt, and I felt supported the whole way through. Their dedication and expertise delivered great results. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for trustworthy and skilled legal representation!” — Miguel Mojica
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Types of Breach of Contract Cases We Handle in Tampa
Contract disputes show up across every industry and every type of business relationship. The details change, but the core issue is always the same: one party failed to do what they agreed to do, and the other party suffered a loss because of it. Here’s what that looks like in the cases we handle for Tampa clients.
- Business partner breaches. A partner who violates the terms of an operating agreement, partnership agreement, or joint venture can put the entire business at risk. These disputes often involve claims for breach of fiduciary duty on top of the contract claim itself, and the remedies can include dissolution, accounting, and injunctive relief.
- Vendor and supplier disputes. When a vendor fails to deliver goods or services on time, or delivers something that doesn’t match the contract specifications, the downstream impact on your business can be substantial. We pursue direct losses, consequential damages, and in the right circumstances, specific performance, a court order compelling the breaching party to do what they promised.
- Non-compete violations. A former employee or business partner who violates a noncompete can take clients, revenue, and trade secrets with them. Florida courts will enforce reasonable noncompetes, and we handle both enforcement actions and the defense of these agreements, depending on which side of the dispute our client falls on.
- Commercial lease disputes. Commercial lease breaches can involve unpaid rent, failure to maintain the premises, violations of permitted use clauses, or a landlord’s refusal to honor concessions that were part of the deal. These cases come up regularly in Tampa’s commercial real estate market.
- Construction and service contracts. Contractors who abandon projects, use substandard materials, or blow past deadlines leave property owners with both an unfinished project and a financial loss. We pursue claims for construction defects, delayed performance, and contract abandonment.
- Fraud and misrepresentation. Sometimes the breach is only part of the problem. If the other party made false statements to get you to sign the contract in the first place, you may have a fraudulent misrepresentation claim in addition to the breach itself, and that changes the damages analysis considerably.
Florida Legal Requirements for Breach of Contract
A breach of contract claim in Florida requires four things: a valid contract existed, you performed your obligations (or were excused from performing), the other party breached the agreement, and you suffered damages because of it.
That sounds logical on paper. In practice, the other side will challenge every one of those elements. They’ll argue the contract wasn’t valid, or that some condition precedent wasn’t met, or that your damages are inflated. Florida courts apply a five-year statute of limitations for written contracts and four years for oral agreements. Miss that deadline and the court can throw out your case no matter how clear the breach was.
There is also the Statute of Frauds to consider. Certain agreements must be in writing to be enforceable: real property contracts, agreements that can’t be completed within a year, and guarantees are the most common examples. If your agreement falls into one of those categories and nothing was put on paper, enforcement gets harder, though not always impossible depending on whether partial performance or other exceptions apply. Courts also examine whether the contract includes a liquidated damages clause and whether that clause holds up under the facts.
Important Aspects of a Tampa Breach of Contract Case
What Did the Parties Actually Agree To?
This is where a lot of breach of contract cases are won or lost. A signed, written contract is the strongest evidence, but it’s not the only kind. Florida courts have enforced agreements based on email chains, text message exchanges, and in certain situations, verbal commitments that were later acted upon by both parties. The first thing we do in any contract dispute is reconstruct the full history of communications between the parties. What was offered, what was accepted, what terms were discussed but never formalized, and what both sides actually did after the agreement was reached.
Figuring Out What You’re Owed
Damages in a Florida breach of contract case can take several forms. Compensatory damages cover your direct financial losses. Consequential damages go further and cover foreseeable ripple effects: lost profits from a deal that fell through, increased costs from finding a replacement vendor, penalties you incurred because of missed deadlines caused by the other party’s failure. Some contracts include a liquidated damages provision that sets a predetermined amount, and whether that amount is enforceable depends on whether it was a reasonable estimate of potential harm when the contract was signed.
The Defenses You Should Expect
The breaching party will raise defenses. Count on it. Common defenses in Florida include impossibility of performance, waiver (the argument that you knew about the breach and didn’t object), estoppel, failure of consideration, and mutual mistake. We prepare for every one of these before filing, because the last thing you want is to be caught off guard by an argument you should have seen coming.
Prevailing Party Fee Clauses
A lot of commercial contracts in Florida include a prevailing party attorney’s fees provision. That clause means the loser pays the winner’s legal bills. It can work in your favor if you have a strong case, but it also means you’re taking on risk if there’s any real uncertainty about the outcome. We evaluate these provisions at the beginning of every engagement because they change the cost-benefit analysis of litigation.
Good Faith and Fair Dealing
Even when someone technically follows the letter of a contract, Florida law recognizes an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in every agreement. If the other party used the contract’s terms as a weapon, or deliberately acted to deprive you of the benefit you bargained for, that conduct may support a separate legal claim. This issue comes up more than you’d think, especially in ongoing business relationships where one party holds more leverage than the other.
Contact Perez Mayoral, P.A.
If a business partner, vendor, landlord, tenant, or contractor has breached a contract with you in Tampa, FL, we can help you figure out whether your claim is worth pursuing and what a realistic outcome looks like.
Contact us to schedule your initial case review.
