Boca Raton Business Litigation Attorney
Business Litigation & Real Estate Lawyers Serving Palm Beach & Broward County
Since 1994, the Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team has represented business owners, investors, and families in South Florida’s most difficult business and real estate disputes. Firm founder Andrew M. Schwartz has spent 37 years in litigation, with his career built around complex contract disputes, business divorces, and conflicts between partners, LLC members, and shareholders. When a business relationship breaks down, or when co-owners can no longer agree on what happens to a company or a piece of property, our Boca Raton business litigation attorneys bring the experience and judgment needed to protect what you have built. We serve clients in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and throughout Palm Beach County and Broward County.
Business Divorce, Partnership Disputes & Member Disputes
Business partnerships rarely end cleanly. Disagreements over the direction of the company, who is contributing what, how profits are split, or whether one owner is acting in his or her own interest can bring operations to a standstill. Our firm represents partners, LLC members, shareholders, and minority owners in business divorce matters, including deadlocked management, buyouts, valuation disputes, breaches of operating and shareholder agreements, breach of fiduciary duty, and judicial dissolution.
When the relationship can be saved, we work to resolve the dispute in a way that keeps the business running. When it cannot, we help our clients separate on fair terms, whether through a negotiated buyout, a structured wind-down, or litigation in court.
When Family Members Are Also Business Partners
Many of the companies we represent are family businesses, or businesses started by close friends. These disputes carry a weight that ordinary commercial cases do not, because family relationships are at stake alongside the company itself. Siblings who inherited a business together, parents and children with different visions for the company, and spouses or in-laws who share ownership all face the same hard questions about control, compensation, and the future. We handle these cases with the discretion they require, while still protecting our client’s financial interests at every step.
Complex Contract Litigation
Contract enforcement and interpretation have been at the center of Andrew Schwartz’s practice for his entire career. We represent businesses and individuals in high-stakes contract litigation involving purchase agreements, operating agreements, shareholder agreements, commercial leases, loan documents, construction contracts, and other significant business arrangements. These cases often turn on the precise wording of the agreement and the history of the parties’ dealings, and we prepare every case with that level of detail in mind.
Disputes Over Money and Missing Funds
Some of the most serious business disputes come down to the money: how much is owed, where it went, or why it is no longer there. We represent clients in cases involving unpaid distributions, diverted company funds, disputed capital contributions, commingled accounts, and partners or managers who cannot account for company money. When necessary, we pursue claims for an accounting, breach of fiduciary duty, and recovery of funds, and we seek emergency relief to stop assets from being moved or spent while the case is pending.
Partition Actions & Real Estate Title Disputes
When co-owners of real estate can no longer agree on what to do with a property, Florida law allows an owner to ask the court for a partition, either by dividing the property or ordering its sale and dividing the proceeds. We represent co-owners in partition cases involving former business partners, siblings who inherited property together, unmarried couples, and investors who want out of a shared investment. We also handle title disputes and quiet title actions for clients who need to separate themselves from title to a property or clear up competing claims of ownership.
Our real estate practice also covers commercial and residential real estate transactions and litigation, including failed closings, purchase and sale contract disputes, and landlord and tenant matters.
Injunctions and Emergency Relief
Some business disputes cannot wait for a final judgment. The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team is experienced in obtaining temporary and permanent injunctions, including early and emergency injunctive relief, to protect a client’s vital business interests, company assets, and real property while a dispute is being resolved.
Out of State Clients with Interests in South Florida
Many of our clients live outside Florida but own businesses, investment property, or a share of real estate in Palm Beach County and Broward County. We regularly represent clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut whose business partners or co-owners are here in South Florida. Andrew Schwartz grew up in Short Hills, New Jersey, and clients from the tri-state area often appreciate working with a Florida litigator who understands how they do business. We keep out of state clients informed at every stage and handle the local court appearances and proceedings, so they can protect their interests without traveling for every hearing.
Referrals from Other Attorneys
A significant part of our practice comes from referrals by other lawyers, including out of state attorneys whose clients have disputes in Florida and Florida attorneys who do not handle business litigation. We treat every referral with care, communicate with referring counsel throughout the matter, and respect the referring attorney’s relationship with the client.
Outside General Counsel Services
Many business clients need regular access to legal advice without the cost of an in-house attorney. Through our general counsel program, the firm serves as the company’s registered agent and helps with the contract, compliance, and operational questions that come up in the course of doing business. Having a litigator in your corner before a dispute starts often keeps a disagreement from turning into a lawsuit.
Why Clients Choose the Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team
The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team is a Boca Raton business litigation firm founded in 1994 by attorney Andrew M. Schwartz, who has practiced litigation in Florida since 1989. The firm focuses on business divorce, partnership and member disputes, complex contract litigation, partition actions, and real estate litigation for clients in Palm Beach County, Broward County, and throughout South Florida, along with clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut who have business or real estate interests here. Andrew is joined by Senior Counsel Sundeep Nath, a Northwestern-trained litigator with years of experience in business and real estate cases in state and federal courts. The firm practices as a true legal team, so everyone working on a matter knows the file and can respond when a client calls. Our attorneys are experienced in mediation and arbitration as well as courtroom litigation, and we look for the resolution that serves the client’s goals and budget rather than drawing out a case for its own sake.
A Personal Message from Andrew M. Schwartz, Esq., Founder of the Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team
This short message is my personal introduction to you. Whether you are a prospective or an existing client, I want you to know my background, the firm’s “legal team” philosophy, and what you can expect when you retain us.
Admitted to The Florida Bar in 1989, I have spent my career practicing in South Florida, with a focus on business and real estate litigation. I am originally from Short Hills, New Jersey, and I abide by the well-worn phrase that “you can take the boy out of New Jersey, but you can’t take New Jersey out of the boy.” Yes, I have a Northeastern mentality and attitude, though I hope it has been tempered somewhat by living in Florida for more than thirty years. I earned my undergraduate degree from Emory University in Atlanta in 1986 and my law degree from the University of Miami in 1989. During law school, I worked with prominent Miami personal injury lawyers and later with respected Miami commercial litigation lawyers. In 1990, I moved to Palm Beach County as the sole associate litigator in a small real estate and business law firm. In 1994, I started my own firm, now known as the Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team.
While other law firms began using generic brand names, I wanted the firm’s name to describe how we actually practice: as a legal team. Everyone in our office knows what is happening in your file, so you receive personal attention whenever you need it. We answer the phone when you call, and we have a strict 24 hour return call policy if we are in court or otherwise unable to respond right away. My staff also sets up scheduled conference calls at times that work for everyone involved.
You can expect diligent and prompt legal service from our firm. Although no attorney can guarantee a result, we will work hard to protect and advance your interests. Clients often think at first that they want a hyper-aggressive attorney. In my experience, what clients really want is a lawyer who acts as the situation requires and uses finesse when finesse will do. Most clients also want a cost-effective solution rather than legal fees that outweigh good common sense.
I am here to help you solve your legal problems, with a legal team to back me up. I look forward to a long and productive relationship and welcome any inquiries.
Sincerely,
Andrew M. Schwartz, Esquire
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a business divorce?
A business divorce is the separation of co-owners of a company, whether they are partners, LLC members, or shareholders. It can be resolved through a negotiated buyout, a sale of the business, a structured wind-down, or court-ordered dissolution when the owners cannot agree.
Can I force a business partner out of an LLC in Florida?
It depends on your operating agreement and the conduct involved. Many operating agreements include buyout, expulsion, or dissociation provisions, and Florida law provides remedies when a member has engaged in serious misconduct or when the company can no longer function. An attorney can review your agreement and explain which options are available.
What can I do if a partner is taking money from the business?
You may have claims for breach of fiduciary duty, an accounting, conversion, and recovery of the funds. In urgent situations, a court can order injunctive relief to stop assets from being moved or spent while the dispute is pending.
How does a partition action work in Florida?
A partition action asks the court to divide jointly owned property or, when dividing it is not practical, to order the property sold and the proceeds distributed among the owners. These cases are common among former business partners, heirs who inherited property together, and unmarried co-owners.
I live in New York or New Jersey. Can your firm handle my Florida business dispute?
Yes. We regularly represent clients from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut who have business interests or real estate in South Florida. We handle the Florida court proceedings and keep you informed throughout the case.
Do you accept referrals from other attorneys?
Yes. Many of our cases are referred by other lawyers, including out of state attorneys whose clients have disputes in Florida. We communicate with referring counsel throughout the matter.
Does every business dispute have to go to court?
No. Many disputes are resolved through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration. Our attorneys have extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution, and we pursue the path most likely to achieve your goals efficiently.
When Litigation Matters, Call the Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team
When a business dispute puts your company, your investment, or your property at risk, experience matters. The Andrew M. Schwartz Legal Team has represented clients in business and real estate litigation throughout South Florida since 1994. Contact our Boca Raton business litigation attorneys today to discuss your case.
