Commercial & Business Litigation

Miles & Stockbridge has a comprehensive commercial and business litigation practice comprising well over 50 lawyers at all eight of our offices in Maryland and Northern Virginia. Our litigators have extensive experience in complex matters, having tried hundreds of cases at all levels of state and federal courts and in commercial arbitrations throughout the mid-Atlantic region and many other jurisdictions around the country. We provide litigation counsel to businesses of all sizes and in all industries, including such major clients as global manufacturer Stanley Black & Decker Corporation, telecommunications leader Verizon,  and financial services giant Bank of America, N.A. Miles & Stockbridge offers all our clients the services of practices focused on specific litigation concerns, including alternative dispute resolution, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, mass torts and product liability. The lawyers of the commercial and business litigation practice work with these groups, as well as colleagues in such practices as securities, tax, real estate, employee benefits and employment, to handle commercial and business disputes involving contractual issues, business torts, trade practices and regulation disputes, financial institution litigation and corporate governance and compliance, among many other topics.

Our commercial and business litigation lawyers, like all of the Firm's litigators, have one primary focus — to secure the best results for our clients. We are aggressive advocates in and out of the courtroom. Because of our extensive trial experience we frequently are able to craft the most favorable trial approach based on our knowledge of the jurisdiction involved. When a lawsuit first arises, we undertake a swift and thorough investigation of the facts, after which we advise clients on litigation strategy based on our assessment of cost and risk. We try more cases than many large firms, and are not reluctant to pursue trial rather than negotiation and settlement. Our litigation services are cost-effective, and while we staff cases efficiently, our rates still allow for substantial involvement of our experienced partners without substantial additional cost. Speed and flexibility are also hallmarks of our practice, and we excel at securing (and defending against) emergency injunctions to protect our clients' interests and assets.

The key areas of focus in our commercial and business litigation practice include:

Commercial Litigation

We assist clients with contractual claims arising from a wide variety of business and trade relationships, including disputes over business acquisition and disposition agreements, disputes among partners and shareholders, Uniform Commercial Code issues in the sale of goods and services, and distribution and franchise disputes.

Business Torts

We regularly litigate business tort claims involving fraud and misrepresentation (including their application to contractual claims), unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duties, theft, interference with existing business relationships (including misappropriation of trade secrets) and business asset dispositions.

Corporate Governance and Compliance

We defend class action securities and shareholder derivative claims against corporations, their officers and directors. Such litigation is just part of our substantial capabilities at conducting internal corporate investigations of alleged illegal conduct, including securities fraud, commercial fraud, bribery and embezzlement.

Financial Institution Litigation

 A large part of our commercial and business litigation practice involves the representation of financial institutions. These cases often involve the defense of our financial institution clients against claims made under state and federal consumer protection statutes, lender liability claims, negotiable instrument claims under Articles 3 and 4 of the Uniform Commercial Code and inter-bank conflicts. We also frequently represent our clients in litigation to enforce their rights as secured or unsecured lenders against borrowers and guarantors.

Trade and Business Practices and Regulation Disputes

Our substantial work in this area involves a wide range of statutory, tort and business practice litigation, including:

• Antitrust and trade regulation issues arising under the Sherman, Clayton and Robinson-Patman Acts (including monopolization and predatory pricing allegations). 

• Contested business dissolution cases involving the members of limited liability companies, limited partnerships, S corporations and a variety of other entities. 

• Dealer, distributor and franchisee termination disputes. 

• Intellectual property litigation involving litigation related to software licensing, trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, licensing and business use, "cyber-squatting," unauthorized access and breach of confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements. 

• Real estate and title litigation, including all matters related to commercial leasing, land use and permitting, titles, title agents and title insurance, riparian rights and fraud.

For more information about the Commercial & Business Litigation practice of Miles & Stockbridge, please contact Hutch Robbins via telephone at 410-385-3408 or via email at erobbins@milesstockbridge.com.

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M. Abraham Ahmad, Of Counsel

Bradford S. Bernstein, Principal

Joseph G. Billings, Of Counsel

Michael E. Blumenfeld, Counsel

Patricia A. Borenstein, Associate

Robert S. Brennen, Principal

Christopher E. Brown, Associate

Michael A. Brown, Principal

G. Vann Canada, Jr., Principal

Elysha M. Carouge, Associate

Brian W. Casto, Associate

John C. Celeste, Associate

George M. Church, Principal

Harvey B. Cohen, Principal

Richard L. Costella, Principal

Jennifer J. Coyne, Associate

J. Douglas Cuthbertson, Principal

Christopher R. Daily, Associate

R. Grant Decker, Principal

Abby C. Denham, Associate

Richard A. DeTar, Principal

Jessica A. duHoffmann, Principal

David B. Eberhardt, Principal

Donald E. English, Jr., Principal

William E. Erskine, Counsel

John R. Fischel, Principal

Tessa Laspia Frederick, Associate Counsel

James P. Garland, Principal

Joshua J. Gayfield, Associate

Jeffrey M. Geller, Principal

G. Andrew Getty, Associate

Elizabeth M. Greenwald, Associate

Katherine B. Hill, Associate

Joseph W. Hovermill, Principal

Timothy M. Hurley, Associate

Ranak K. Jasani, Associate Counsel

Demetrios G. Kaouris, Principal

Robert W. Keene, Jr., Principal

Dale P. Kelberman, Principal

Steve J. Kelly, Associate

Brian F. Kenney, Principal

Anthony W. Kraus, Principal

William M. Krulak, Jr., Principal

Daniel R. Lanier, Principal

F. Ford Loker, Principal

Thomas E. Lynch, III, Principal

William W. McAllister, Jr., Principal

J. Stephen McAuliffe, III, Principal

John E. McCann, Jr., Principal

Leianne S. McEvoy, Associate

Rachel T. McGuckian, Principal

Casey L. Moore, Associate

Sean T. Morris, Associate

Matthew J. Pavlides, Principal

Joel L. Perrell, Jr., Principal

Douglas B. Pfeiffer, Principal

Jeffrey S. Poretz, Principal

John E. Prominski, Principal

Jeffrey P. Reilly, Principal

Todd M. Reinecker, Associate

Alicia N. Ritchie, Associate

E. Hutchinson Robbins, Jr., Principal

Anne-Herbert Rollins, Associate Counsel

Kurt C. Rommel, Principal

Derek P. Roussillon, Associate

Ryan D. Showalter, Principal

Deborah K. St. Lawrence Thompson, Counsel

Matthew S. Sturtz, Principal

James A. Sullivan, Jr., Associate

James M. Timmerman, Principal

Matthew T. Wagman, Principal

Rebecca D. Walker, Associate

Daniel Wang, Associate

Angela N. Whittaker-Pion, Principal

G. Randall Whittenberger, Principal

Scott R. Wilson, Associate

D. Margeaux Witherspoon, Associate

Jefferson V. Wright, Principal

Alfred M. Wurglitz, Principal