Business & Commercial Litigation Lawyers in Austin
Aggressive, Relentless, Smart Representation for Small & Large Businesses
Many businesses and business people are scared of or don’t trust juries. Our experience will show you that juries want to protect businesses and business people that have been wronged. You need a team of real trial attorneys that know how to unlock and free that power in a jury and know how to leverage that power for full and fair protection and results for your business.
Howry Breen & Herman is that team of real trial attorneys for businesses and business people. Our business and commercial litigation experience and results prove you can count on the trial attorneys of Howry Breen & Herman to fight and protect your business health, from isolated issues such as contract or intellectual property disputes to bet the company litigation.
Handling All Types of Contract Disputes
Contracts are the heart of any business. These legally binding documents or handshake agreements are crucial for everything from vendor agreements and budgeting to distributor arrangements to partnerships and client agreements.
Sound contracts are often the key to a business owner’s success. But contract disputes often can and do arise. It is not uncommon for a business owner to not see eye-to-eye with a vendor, distributor, customer, or another party. When this is the case, you have a contract dispute on your hands.
At Howry Breen & Herman, we handle all types of contract disputes and related matters, including but not limited to:
- Breach of contract
- Business to business disagreements
- Non-compete agreements
- Non-disclosure agreements
- Sales contract disputes
- Operating agreement disputes
- Warranty disputes
- Partnership and shareholder claims and disputes
We also assist businesses with contractual issues involving commercial real estate leases, as well as land use, property rights, and environmental law. We have litigated on behalf of numerous businesses in the area and have successfully resolved countless contract disputes.
Our Austin contract dispute attorneys are prepared to aggressively advocate for you, both in and out of the courtroom.
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I could not have found more caring people, better lawyers or a better law firm than Howry Breen & Herman.M.A.
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We don’t have enough words to describe how thankful we are for everything HBH did to win our business case for us. We are so grateful they believed in us and partnered with us to do it. They are amazing at what they do and we could not have had a better team. They made an enormous, positive difference for us and our business. I could not recommend them more highly.J.K.
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My lawyers at HBH were so smart and aggressive – we were always on offense and one step ahead. They just kept hammering and the other side had no answer.T.B.
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HBH went above and beyond to help out following a crisis. Over the course of a 3 year case, I was always kept in the loop by their amazing team. Their preparation and execution was flawless and made the whole process run smoothly. Cannot speak highly enough of their team and how they care for their clients. Will never recommend another personal injury firm besides HBH.K.M
Why You Want Us On Your Side
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Committed to Protecting Your Rights and Future
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Prepared to Take Every Case to Trial for Full Compensation
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Highly Recommended and Recognized Attorneys
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Relentless Advocacy for the Compensation You Deserve
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Aggressive and Dedicated Legal Representation
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Extensive Jury Trial Experience You Can Trust
Understanding Business Torts
A business tort involves unlawful actions committed against businesses that result in financial loss. Though they are sometimes caused by negligence, these actions are often intentional in nature. Individuals and other businesses seeking to intentionally inflict financial harm, or those who negligently cause such harm, can often be held liable for the loss.
Our firm handles a broad range of business torts, including:
- Tortious Interference: Wrongful interference by one party with a business contract or relationship of another party
- Restraint of Trade: Any illegal act that reduces another party’s ability to conduct normal business (e.g. monopolies, tortious interference, etc.)
- Fraudulent Misrepresentation: The intentional misrepresentation of another party in the context of a business transaction.
- Trade Libel: When one business entity publishes untrue and harmful statements about another business entity; considered a form of defamation; also referred to as commercial disparagement
- Trade Secret Theft: Discussing proprietary information that is usually protected in order to provide another entity with a competitive advantage
These are just some examples of the most common types of business torts. No matter your situation, our Austin business tort lawyers can help you navigate the legal process. Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential consultation.
Business Partner & Shareholder Disputes
It is not uncommon for business partners and/or shareholders to face certain disputes in the course of a business. Such situations could involve several partners/shareholders attempting to exclude another from various aspects of the business, or they could involve “deadlocks,” or insurmountable disagreements, between partners who share equal control of the business.
These and other business partner and shareholder disputes can be resolved under the Texas Business Organizations Code, as well as the specific partnership agreements that apply. Both state law and your partnership/shareholder agreement will outline your rights and responsibilities, as well as the rights and obligations of the other involved party.
However, sometimes these rights and responsibilities can also become the subject of disagreement.
In any case, it is always wise to work with an experienced business litigation lawyer in order to ensure that your rights and best interests are protected. Our firm understands the law and how it applies to your unique situation, and our attorneys can walk you through the process of resolving the dispute while simultaneously advocating for you every step of the way.
We assist individuals in partnership and shareholder disputes involving general and limited partners, expense conflicts, contraction/expansion disagreements, dissolution of partnerships, and more.
Your Legal Advocates
Award-Winning Representation
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Since 1997, the "Lead Counsel Verified" status has been granted to attorneys who possess:
- The Right Professional Experience
- A Spotless Record
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Law.com: Top 100 Verdicts 2024
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Howry, Breen & Herman is proud to have been named a Tier 1, 2 and 3 Austin “Best Law Firm” in 9 practice areas by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® (“U.S. News” and BL Rankings, LLC). Law firms are selected for inclusion in this prestigious ranking based on a series of quantitative and qualitative criteria. Our specialty and tiers are listed here: https://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/profile/howry-breen-herman-llp/overview/36628
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The Austin Bar Association was founded in 1893 as a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys. Its mission is to enhance the legal profession, administration of justice, and the community through education, networking, and public service.
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Abota Foundation Patriot
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Howry Breen & Herman, LLP was selected the Top Personal Injury Law Firm in Austin by Texas Lawyer, “Best of 2020”. The annual special supplement contains the results of Texas Lawyer readers’ poll, wherein readers cast their votes for the best providers of services and goods to the legal profession.
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Attorney Sean Breen and Attorney Chris Lavorato placed in California’s Top 100 Settlements for 2019, as tracked by The Recorder and VerdictSearch.
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Our law firm is proud to have been recognized in the Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame. Texas Lawyer in conjunction with VerdictSearch, recognize attorneys and law firms for their verdicts of $10 million or more. In 2011 Sean Breen was a Hall of Fame Award Recipient for the #1 Premises Liability Top Texas Verdict, awarded by Texas Lawyer, for the jury verdict award in the case VanDusen v. Aspen Square Management. In 2016 Sean Breen was inducted into the Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame, awarded by Texas Lawyer, for an outstanding verdict in Nester v. Textron.
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Selection to America’s Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys® is by invitation only and is reserved to identity the nation’s most exceptional litigators for high-value personal injury, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, product liability, and medical malpractice matters. HBH is proud that Sean Breen has been selected for this award. Less than one-half percent (0.5%) of active attorneys in the United States will receive this honor — truly the most exclusive and elite level of attorneys in the community. (2017-2022)
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Best Lawyers - Lawyer of the Year | Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs (by BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC)
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Best Lawyers - Lawyer of the Year | Litigation - Trusts & Estates (by BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC)
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Best Lawyers - Lawyer of the Year | Personal Injury - Plaintiffs (by BL Rankings, LLC d/b/a Best Lawyers and Co., LLC)
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Lifetime Achievement selection to America’s Top 100 Attorneys® is by invitation only and is reserved to identify the nation’s most exceptional attorneys whose accomplishments and impact on the legal profession merit a Lifetime Achievement award. Selection is not achieved based on a single accomplishment or a single great year of success, but rather on a lifetime of hard work, ethical standards, and community enriching accomplishments that are inspiring among the legal profession. Both Sean Breen (since 2017) and Randy Howry (since 2018) are honored to receive this award.
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America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators® is reserved to identify the nation’s most exceptional trial attorneys in high value, high stakes legal matters. To be considered for selection, an attorney must have litigated (for either plaintiff or defendant) a matter (1) with at least $2,000,000 in alleged damages at stake or (2) with the fate of a business worth at least $2,000,000 at stake. These minimum qualifications are required for initial consideration. Thereafter, candidates are carefully screened through comprehensive Qualitative Comparative Analysis based on a broad array of criteria, including the candidate’s professional experience, litigation experience, significant case results, representative high stakes matters, peer reputation, and community impact in order to rank the candidates throughout the state. HBH is privileged to honor Partners Sean Breen (2017- 2022) and Randy Howry 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021 for selection of this award.
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Expertise - Howry Breen & Herman was recognized and featured in an article by expertisecommunity.com as one of the Best Real Estate Lawyers in Austin. 2020
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America’s Premier High-Stakes Trial Lawyers®” – 7 Figure Litigators®, 8 Figure Litigators®, is meant to recognize the nation’s most respected and preeminent high-stakes trial lawyers based on their verifiable verdicts and/or settlements. It is a tremendous honor for Sean Breen (member since 2019) and Randy Howry (member since 2020) to be recognized among this elite group.
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America’s Premier High-Stakes Trial Lawyers®” – 7 Figure Litigators®, 8 Figure Litigators®, is meant to recognize the nation’s most respected and preeminent high-stakes trial lawyers based on their verifiable verdicts and/or settlements. It is a tremendous honor for Sean Breen (member since 2019) and Randy Howry (member since 2020) to be recognized among this elite group.
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The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100, a highly respected legal organization that limits its members to premier trial attorneys who demonstrate superior qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, stature and public profile measured by strict qualification requirements. Sean Breen Top 100 Civil Plaintiff, since 2009.
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Top 10 Business Tort Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers. Randy Howry 2012-2013; Sean Breen since 2016.
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The Best Lawyers in America® recognizes the top 5% of the most skilled attorneys in the nation. The robust selection process requires attorneys to nominate and review fellow lawyers based on their ethics, skill, knowledge, and ability to obtain results for their clients. The Best Lawyers in America® list is a way for plaintiffs to identify the leading attorneys in their region, known for their ability to get results with honesty, strength, and skill. Tim Herman, Sean Breen & Randy Howry have been featured by The Best Lawyers in America® (consecutively from 2006-2023) running alongside some of the most qualified firms in the nation. More info here.
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Top Attorneys As Published In Texas Monthly
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Sean Breen has been recognized for obtaining the Number 1 Verdict in Texas for electrical injury and utility negligence. This win underscores his relentless commitment to achieving justice for his clients and showcases the firms dedication to exceptional advocacy.
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Sean Breen was honored by TopVerdict.com for recovering one of the Top 50 Verdicts in Texas in 2017. This is an honorable distinction, reserved for those attorneys that achieve the highest settlements and verdicts in the state.
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Sean Breen was honored by TopVerdict.com for recovering one of the Top 50 Verdicts in Texas in 2016. This is an honorable distinction, reserved for those attorneys that achieve the highest settlements and verdicts in the state.
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Sean Breen has been a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2011, a renowned legal organization whose membership is restricted to trial attorneys who have achieved seven-figured settlements and/or jury verdicts.
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Martindale-Hubbell® is widely regarded as one of the most renowned peer-review rating organizations in the legal field. Randy Howry (2018), Sean Breen (2001), Tim Herman (1998), and Glen Wilkerson (2014) at Howry, Breen & Herman have achieved the organization’s highest distinction of AV Preeminent®.
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Each year, Super Lawyers® magazine publishes its list of peer-nominated/evaluated and independently reviewed attorneys. We are proud to have attorneys who have been selected for inclusion in the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers® List, by Thomas Reuters since 2003, running through 2020.
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Membership in Top American Lawyers is limited to only 1% of all attorneys in the United States. Randy Howry is proud to be honored with a Lifetime Charter Membership in this exclusive organization (2017).
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Randy Howry was honored by Austin Monthly’s Top Attorneys in 2023.
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