Practice Areas

Business Litigation

  • Overview

    All of the attorneys at Arrowood LLP have experience representing individuals and companies in complex business litigation disputes that arise in a broad spectrum of subject areas—from contractual to trade secret disputes, and from business torts to shareholder rights cases.

    The firm’s philosophy in these matters is straightforward. While Arrowood LLP has a track record of positive outcomes, the firm’s attorneys understand that success is also measured by how closely these outcomes meet their client’s goals. Years of helping with commercial litigation disputes has led the firm to appreciate that clients would far prefer to spend their time investing, building and managing their businesses rather than litigating. Attorneys at Arrowood LLP partner with their business clients to ensure the most efficient resolution with the least impact on their clients’ daily work, while simultaneously protecting their rights and interests, and presenting their strongest and best case at trial. The firm’s attorneys have handled business claims and defenses in state and federal courts locally and around the country, as well as in arbitration and at mediation.

  • Cases & Results
    • Secured a $25 million judgement in a complex shareholder dispute that was among the “Top 10” Massachusetts jury verdicts of 2019
    • Successfully defended in a federal court trial a client sued by a former business partner in a case with alleged damages in excess of $200 million. The case was listed in Mass. Lawyers Weekly as one of the top 10 defense verdicts in 2003.
    • Favorably settled multi-million dollar suit brought by sub-contractor against Chinese corporation related to new subway cars being manufactured for MBTA.
    • Favorably settled a multi-million dollar suit against local chemical supplier by industrial laundry in Las Vegas, Nevada alleging that supplier’s negligence had damaged millions of dollars’ worth of product.
    • Favorably settled a multi-million dollar suit over escrows provided to secure representations and warranties made in the context of mergers and acquisitions of companies.
    • Arbitrated to award an action on behalf of a large software development company owed more than a million dollars by its client, a national healthcare technology consulting company.
    • Successfully argued a motion to dismiss against alleged “reverse false claims” brought under the Massachusetts False Claims Act against multiple municipalities concerning the disposal of confiscated firearms.
    • Assisted client in finding favorable resolution to issues arising with international services provider, where provision of services initially offered became frustrated by COVID-19 pandemic.
    • Successfully settled claims brought against industrial property owner concerning historic environmental contamination allegedly transmitted by subterranean plumes.
    • Successfully settled claims between engineering firm and biotech start-up concerning research and development contract.
    • Successfully settled claims between international manufacturer of retail goods and start-up competitor related to alleged improper use of intellectual property, tortious interference with business relationships, and unfair competition.
    • Secured recovery for client related to buy-out by national provider of food delivery app developed and programed by client.
    • Advised client in response to claims and motion for preliminary injunction concerning municipal services contract to successfully avoid unnecessary litigation.
    • Represented commercial photographers in arbitration, conducted remotely, against former representation in breach of contract claims.
    • Tried to verdict an action on behalf of an international real estate franchisor against a major software developer based on the developer’s failure to deliver functional software intended for use in Europe.
    • Tried to verdict a breach of contract/bad faith claim against a Boston landowner on behalf of a national restaurant chain.
    • Obtained a dismissal of a shareholder’s suit against an internationally known nutrition expert and his company for failure to give appropriate notice of a shareholder’s meeting as required by law.
    • Defeated a motion for preliminary injunction brought by a Fortune 500 company to prohibit the release of a product developed by our client in a case involving alleged trademark violations.
    • Successfully settled, following trial but prior to verdict, a breach of contract action brought against our client, an international manufacturer of athletic shoes, by an advertising agency.
    • Forced the voluntary dismissal of an action by a large regional seller of office equipment brought against former employees whom the company accused of stealing trade secrets.
    • Successfully represented a group of venture capital financiers against a prominent local businessman who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from his company.
    • Successfully excluded the plaintiffs’ forensic accounting expert at a trial in a franchise dispute and obtained a judgment for our franchisor client which was later upheld on appeal.
    • Successfully settled after years of litigation an action our client, a software distributor, commenced against the software manufacturer it represented for attempting to drive the company out of business so the manufacturer could take the business directly.
    • Successfully settled counterclaim brought by our client, a national medical device manufacturer, alleging material nondisclosures in the context of an acquisition.
    • Forced the settlement of a close corporation shareholder dispute alleging breach of fiduciary duty for failure to authorize an S election by requiring the election as a condition to settlement.
    • Tried to verdict an action brought against our client, a consumer-goods manufacturer, by a purchaser alleging delivery of defective product.
    • Successfully settled franchise dispute on behalf of our client, the owner of five sandwich-shop franchises, against the franchisor.
    • Favorably settled a dispute among coffee distributors and the manufacturer regarding future internet distribution of its product.
    • Litigated to a successful settlement an action concerning licensing and manufacturing rights to nanotechnology developed by our client, an MIT based engineering company, against a defense contractor.
    • Successfully represented a generic drug manufacturer in an action involving the enforceability of a distribution agreement.