Litigation Insights

Small businesses involved in federal litigation frequently misunderstand their discovery obligations, leading to unnecessary disputes, sanctions, and strategic setbacks. This article explains what small businesses often get wrong about federal discovery, including evidence preservation, electronically stored information (ESI), internal coordination, and proportionality. It provides practical guidance on how businesses can comply with federal discovery rules in good faith while protecting their legal and operational interests.

Spoliation of evidence can lead to severe sanctions, adverse jury instructions, or dismissal of claims. This article explains what spoliation is, when the duty to preserve evidence arises, common mistakes businesses make, and practical steps to avoid losing a case through evidence destruction.

Litigation hold letters require businesses to preserve documents and electronic data once litigation is reasonably anticipated. This article explains when litigation holds are required, what evidence must be preserved, who must comply, and the risks of failing to meet preservation obligations.

This article explains when New York courts will pierce the corporate veil and hold business owners personally liable for corporate obligations. It outlines the two-part legal test applied by New York courts, common factual scenarios where veil-piercing claims arise, and practical steps business owners can take to reduce exposure.

Winning a lawsuit does not guarantee payment. New York and New Jersey provide powerful tools to enforce judgments, including bank restraints, wage garnishment, asset discovery, and property execution. This guide explains how judgment enforcement works in both states and what steps judgment creditors can take to turn a court victory into real recovery.

FINRA arbitration is a specialized dispute resolution process that governs most investor and broker-dealer disputes. This article explains how FINRA arbitration works, the rules that apply, how it differs from court litigation, and what investors and financial professionals should know before bringing or defending a claim.

The New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (CFA) offers powerful remedies, including treble damages and potential attorney’s fees, but those remedies are not automatic. This article explains how CFA claims actually work in practice, what must be proven in litigation, and why contingency-fee representation is not always appropriate despite the statute’s strength.

Minority shareholder oppression occurs when majority owners in closely held New York businesses abuse control to exclude minority shareholders from the economic benefits of ownership. Common issues include freeze‑outs, withheld distributions, lack of transparency, and self‑dealing. New York courts offer remedies ranging from damages to buy‑outs and dissolution, making early legal guidance critical.

Commercial litigation in NYC affects small and mid‑sized businesses across industries. Common disputes include contract breaches, internal ownership conflicts, and commercial lease issues. Early case assessment, evidence preservation, and strategic decision‑making are essential to managing risk and controlling costs in New York’s demanding litigation environment.

Breach of fiduciary duty claims in New York City commonly arise in closely held businesses, LLCs, partnerships, and nonprofits. Directors, officers, managers, and controlling owners owe duties of care and loyalty, and violations can result in serious legal and financial consequences. Understanding common risk areas—such as self-dealing, conflicts of interest, and misuse of assets—can help business owners avoid disputes and protect their organizations.

A well-written demand letter can settle a dispute before a lawsuit even starts. Learn how NYC businesses can use pre-litigation strategy to protect their rights and reduce legal costs.

Disagreements between partners or shareholders can quickly disrupt even the strongest business. Learn how New York law handles internal business disputes — and how to resolve them strategically.

When a business deal breaks down, breach of contract litigation can decide whether your company survives the dispute. Here’s what NYC businesses should know before heading to court.

When business disputes loom, the party that files first often controls the narrative and venue.
Through a declaratory judgment action, a company can ask a court to resolve a legal question before being sued — clarifying rights, limiting exposure, or pre-empting an opponent’s tactics.
This article explains when declaratory actions make strategic sense and how they can reshape litigation outcomes.

When a competitor misuses trade secrets, a partner breaches a non-compete, or a transaction threatens to destroy value, waiting for a full trial can be fatal.
In such cases, U.S. courts allow Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) and Preliminary Injunctions — emergency remedies that preserve the status quo until the dispute is resolved.
This article explains how these tools work, the strategic factors courts consider, and how business owners can use them effectively and ethically.

When a U.S. party needs evidence or witness testimony from South Korea, traditional discovery methods like subpoenas don’t apply.
Because South Korea restricts foreign lawyers from taking depositions locally, U.S. litigants must rely on Letters Rogatory and the Hague Evidence Convention.
This article explains how to properly obtain testimony, documents, or statements from Korean witnesses while complying with international law.

When a U.S. plaintiff needs to serve a defendant in South Korea, ordinary mail or private process service will not suffice.
Because both the U.S. and Korea are parties to the Hague Service Convention, service must follow its prescribed procedures through Korea’s designated Central Authority.
This article explains the steps, timelines, translation requirements, and strategic considerations to ensure that service abroad is valid and enforceable.

Receiving a subpoena can be disruptive—especially when your company isn’t part of the lawsuit.
This guide explains how to respond quickly and strategically: identifying the type of subpoena, preserving data, negotiating scope, protecting confidentiality, and avoiding costly mistakes.
Good Pine P.C. helps businesses manage subpoenas with efficiency, professionalism, and minimal operational impact.

Every business faces legal disputes sooner or later.
The challenge is not simply “winning” but knowing when to fight and when to settle.
This article explains how business owners can make clear-eyed decisions by weighing cost, risk, timing, reputation, and long-term objectives — and how strategic litigation management protects the enterprise beyond any single case.

Discovery is the longest and most expensive phase of U.S. litigation. For Korean companies, it can also be the most unfamiliar. This guide explains how the American discovery system works — from depositions and interrogatories to electronic data collection — and offers practical steps to manage risk, cost, and compliance before disputes arise.

When business disputes escalate, understanding how the U.S. litigation process unfolds can save companies time, money, and leverage. This article explains every stage of a commercial lawsuit—from the first demand letter to final judgment—and why a well-drafted demand letter can protect your rights long before you ever enter the courtroom.

Serving as a plaintiff in a class action means standing up not only for yourself, but for others harmed by the same conduct. This article explains the role of class representatives in antitrust and consumer-fraud cases, what responsibilities they carry, and how Good Pine guides clients through class certification and litigation under Rule 23 and related state rules.

Whistleblowers play a vital role in exposing fraud against the government. This article explains whistleblower rights and protections under the False Claims Act, including cases involving kickbacks and misuse of COVID-19 relief funds such as PPP and EIDL.

Good Pine provides confidential consultations and legal guidance to help whistleblowers navigate these complex cases safely and pursue the rewards and protections the law provides.

When your business is sued, every decision counts. This guide explains how lawsuits begin, how to respond strategically, and how to navigate service, pleadings, discovery, and settlement in New York and New Jersey.