COMMERCIAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION

NEGOTIATED BUSINESS RESOLUTIONS

Q: VIEW SCOPE AND ASSUMPTIONS

RAETZER represents one owner/owner group/company; one principal business entity; two principal owner groups; material terms substantially agreed; no unresolved valuation/accounting dispute; no filed litigation/arbitration; no emergency/injunctive proceeding; no contested access to records/funds/assets; one ownership transfer/redemption; one closing; up to two consolidated revision rounds; ordinary commercially reasonable counterparty review. May include standard confidentiality/proprietary information, transfer/return of ordinary company property and credentials, standard non-disparagement, simple payment schedule or unsecured installment obligation. Excludes independent valuation, forensic accounting, tax advice, employment litigation, bankruptcy, court filings, discovery, mediation, arbitration, and litigation. If material terms are not agreed, Package 2 or custom scope may be required.

Q: VIEW SCOPE AND ASSUMPTIONS

May include buyout formula/valuation, price/payment/closing, one installment agreement or promissory note, management/access transition, confidentiality/IP/customer/vendor/employee/digital assets, restrictive covenants where appropriate, mutual releases/indemnification/dispute resolution, approvals/records, up to three substantive negotiation conferences, and up to three consolidated principal-document revision rounds. Assumptions and exclusions: one entity; two owner groups; no filed litigation/arbitration; no emergency injunction/TRO; no extensive forensic accounting; no fraud investigation; no bankruptcy/insolvency; ordinary access to records. Extended negotiations, formal mediation, multiple entities, contested control, substantial forensic accounting, fraud allegations, third-party lender issues, or material litigation threats may require Package 3 or supplemental scope.

Q: VIEW SCOPE AND ASSUMPTIONS

Custom-scope topics may include multiple entities/groups; contested control; deadlock/forced sale; buy-sell/call/put/redemption; disputed valuation/formulas; valuation/forensic coordination; seller-financed buyout; security/guarantee/escrow/holdback; IP/licensing/customer/employee/referral/digital allocation; interim operating/access/standstill; dissolution/wind-down/asset allocation/business sale; transition services/management; and negotiation or mediation preparation where expressly included. Excludes filing/defending litigation or arbitration, discovery, depositions, emergency injunctions, court appearances, trial/appeal, bankruptcy/receivership, independent valuation, forensic accounting, tax opinions, and employment/IP litigation. Where contested proceedings are pending or expected, RAETZER may coordinate with appropriate litigation/local counsel under a separate engagement.

Resolve a commercial dispute, contract breakdown, payment issue, or business relationship through a defined negotiation and settlement process.

A practical legal process

Structure the next decision.

Not every business dispute should become prolonged litigation. A negotiated resolution may allow the parties to control the outcome, protect confidential information, preserve selected commercial relationships, establish enforceable payment or transition obligations, and reduce the expense and disruption of a contested proceeding. RAETZER represents businesses, owners, and executives in negotiated resolutions involving matters such as:

Contract performance and termination
Unpaid or disputed business obligations
Consulting, services, vendor, licensing, and partnership arrangements
Separation or unwinding of commercial relationships
Payment plans and business workouts
Confidentiality, intellectual property, customer, and data issues
Mutual releases and covenants not to sue
Transition services and continuing obligations
Settlement of threatened business claims before litigation

RAETZER represents one side to the dispute. The firm does not represent both adverse parties and does not serve as a neutral mediator through these packages.

Priority review

HAS A CLAIM, DEMAND, LAWSUIT, ARBITRATION, MEDIATION, OR RESPONSE DEADLINE ALREADY BEEN SERVED OR SCHEDULED?

Time-sensitive or pending proceedings may require Priority Review or separate litigation counsel.

REQUEST PRIORITY REVIEW →

Defined scope / clear starting point

TRANSPARENT STARTING PRICES FOR DEFINED LEGAL WORK

RAETZER offers defined fixed-fee packages for qualifying negotiated-resolution matters. The packages are designed to give prospective clients an informed starting point before an attorney reviews the specific transaction.

Final package eligibility, scope, and fee are confirmed only after completion of the applicable readiness assessment, conflicts review, jurisdictional review, attorney consultation, and execution of a written engagement agreement.

Transaction map

Company → Investors

NEGOTIATED BUSINESS RESOLUTION PACKAGES

Defined legal work for qualifying negotiated commercial settlements, contract unwinds, payment resolutions, releases, transition agreements, and pre-litigation dispute resolutions. The packages assume a non-litigation or pre-litigation process and do not guarantee a settlement, payment, resolution, or closing.

Indicative fixed-fee packages for qualifying matters. Final eligibility, scope, and fee are confirmed after the applicable readiness assessment, conflicts review, and an initial attorney consultation.

All engagements remain subject to conflicts review, attorney review, scope confirmation, and a written engagement agreement. Government fees, third-party costs, local counsel, tax advisers, accountants, filing fees, and specialty counsel are not included unless expressly stated.

Package 1

SETTLEMENT DOCUMENTATION ESSENTIALS

$7,500

FLAT LEGAL FEE For qualifying standard-scope matters.

Best for

Best for two commercial parties that have already agreed on the material settlement terms and need the resolution converted into an enforceable written agreement.

Principal inclusions

Review of principal underlying contract/dispute summary
One settlement, termination, or resolution agreement
Mutual or one-way release provisions
Confidentiality and standard non-disparagement provisions
One straightforward payment schedule, if required
Standard execution and corporate-approval documents

VIEW SCOPE AND ASSUMPTIONS

Assumptions: one party represented; one client/principal counterparty; material terms agreed; no direct counterparty negotiation; no pending lawsuit/arbitration/discovery/emergency deadline; no security interest/guaranty/escrow/complex enforcement; no ongoing operating/transition arrangement; one principal agreement; up to two consolidated revision rounds. If material terms are not agreed or direct negotiation is expected, Package 2 is required.

START MY BUSINESS RESOLUTION ASSESSMENT

Package 2

most common

NEGOTIATED BUSINESS RESOLUTION

$19,500

FLAT LEGAL FEE For qualifying standard-scope matters.

Best for

Best for a business dispute that requires legal strategy, a demand or response, direct negotiation, and a comprehensive settlement and release before a lawsuit or arbitration is filed.

Principal inclusions

Review principal agreements/material dispute docs
Resolution strategy/risk analysis
One formal demand, response, or settlement-position letter
Direct negotiation of principal business terms
One settlement agreement and release
One simple payment plan or unsecured promissory note, if required

VIEW SCOPE AND ASSUMPTIONS

Includes one client/principal counterparty; up to 10 core contracts/communications/dispute documents; one demand/formal response; up to three substantive negotiation conferences; one settlement term sheet; one comprehensive settlement/release; confidentiality/non-disparagement/termination/transition/covenant-not-to-sue; one simple payment plan or unsecured note; standard approvals; and up to three consolidated principal-document revision rounds.

Excludes filed litigation/arbitration, court appearances, discovery, depositions, emergency relief, formal mediation, bankruptcy, secured lending documents, extensive forensic accounting, more than one counterparty, and tax/employment/benefits/environmental/specialty regulatory advice. Material stalemate or expanded parties or claims may require supplemental/custom scope.

START MY BUSINESS RESOLUTION ASSESSMENT

Package 3

COMPLEX COMMERCIAL RESOLUTION

$39,500

Final fee confirmed after attorney review.

Best for

Best for high-value, multi-party, multi-contract, or structurally complex business disputes requiring layered settlement, payment, transition, security, or continuing-performance arrangements.

Principal inclusions

Comprehensive commercial-dispute strategy
Multi-party or multi-contract term-sheet negotiation
Complex settlement and release documentation
Secured payment, escrow, guaranty, or standstill architecture
Transition, licensing, IP, customer, data, or continuing-service provisions
Multi-document closing and performance checklist

VIEW SCOPE AND ASSUMPTIONS

Custom topics may include multi-party/multi-contract strategy; layered settlement terms; secured payment, escrow, guaranty, or standstill structures; transition, licensing, IP, customer, data, or continuing-service terms; and multi-document performance architecture where expressly included.

Excludes litigation/arbitration, discovery, depositions, emergency injunctions, court appearances, trial, appeal, bankruptcy, independent forensic accounting, and tax opinions.

START MY BUSINESS RESOLUTION ASSESSMENT

Next step

NOT SURE WHICH PACKAGE FITS?

Complete the applicable RAETZER readiness assessment. Your responses will help identify the likely scope, urgency, complexity, decision authority, and appropriate next step before you speak with an attorney.

START MY BUSINESS RESOLUTION ASSESSMENT

Pricing and package descriptions are provided for general informational purposes and do not constitute an offer to provide legal services. No attorney-client relationship is created through the website or an assessment submission. Representation begins only after conflicts review and execution of a written engagement agreement.

Representation boundary

IMPORTANT REPRESENTATION NOTICE

RAETZER represents one side to the dispute. The firm does not represent both adverse parties and does not serve as a neutral mediator through these packages.

Representation boundary

NON-LITIGATION SCOPE

Business-separation and negotiated-resolution pricing assumes a non-litigation or pre-litigation process. Active lawsuits, arbitration proceedings, emergency matters, discovery, court appearances, trials, appeals, bankruptcy proceedings, and other contested proceedings require a separate scope or appropriate litigation counsel.

Where contested proceedings are pending or expected, RAETZER may coordinate with appropriate litigation/local counsel under a separate engagement.

Defined scope / clear starting point

Questions before the next conversation.

What is a business divorce?

Business divorce is a common term for a negotiated or contested separation and may involve a buyout, redemption, transfer, division, dissolution, sale, or other negotiated exit.

Does RAETZER represent both owners or both sides?

RAETZER represents one client or aligned client group. Adverse owners or counterparties should obtain separate counsel.

Is RAETZER acting as a mediator?

No. RAETZER serves as counsel and advocate for its client, not as a neutral mediator.

Do the packages include litigation or arbitration?

No, unless a separate written engagement says otherwise. Active proceedings require a separate scope or appropriate litigation counsel.

Who decides whether to accept a settlement?

The client retains final authority to decide whether to accept a settlement, separation, buyout, or other resolution.

Are the legal fees contingent on reaching a settlement?

No. Fees compensate legal services and are not contingent on a settlement, separation, buyout, or closing.

What happens if the dispute becomes more complicated?

RAETZER identifies the change and proposes a supplemental fixed fee, approved hourly scope, or specialty counsel before material out-of-scope work.

Does RAETZER provide valuation or forensic-accounting services?

No. RAETZER may coordinate with qualified valuation, accounting, tax, or financial professionals.

A considered first step

START WITH THE RIGHT ASSESSMENT

Before legal work begins, identify the transaction, urgency, complexity, decision authority, and principal readiness issues.

CAPITAL RAISE ASSESSMENT

BUY-SIDE ASSESSMENT

SALE READINESS ASSESSMENT

JV READINESS ASSESSMENT CORPORATE

CORPORATE INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT

BUSINESS SEPARATION ASSESSMENT

NEGOTIATED BUSINESS RESOLUTION ASSESSMENT

RAETZER PLLC

Sophisticated counsel for the decisions that move a business forward — from first formation through its next chapter.

Offices

224 W 35th St, Suite 500 #2320

New York, NY 10001

1910 Pacific Ave, Suite 2000 #1625

Dallas, TX 75201

Contact

(726) 243-4308
[email protected]
https://www.raetzerlaw.com/

The materials on this website are provided by RAETZER PLLC for general informational and educational purposes only. They are not intended as legal advice, do not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied upon as legal advice for any particular matter or situation.

Viewing this website, using this website, submitting information through this website, or communicating with RAETZER PLLC through this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship is formed only after RAETZER PLLC has agreed in writing to represent you.

Do not send confidential, privileged, or time-sensitive information through this website unless and until an attorney-client relationship has been established. Information submitted before an attorney-client relationship is formed may not be treated as confidential or privileged.

The information on this website may not reflect current legal developments and may be changed or updated without notice. Legal outcomes depend on the specific facts and applicable law.

No statement on this website is intended to create, and no statement should be understood as creating, a guarantee, warranty, prediction, or assurance regarding the outcome of any legal matter.

RAETZER PLLC does not seek to represent any person or entity in any jurisdiction where this website does not comply with applicable laws and ethical rules. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the attorneys identified on this website are not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

This website is for educational purposes only. The attorney responsible for the content of this website is Joseph J. Raetzer, MBA, JD, RAETZER PLLC, primary office can be sent mail at 1910 Pacific Ave Suite 2000 #1625 Dallas, TX 75201.

Legal services are provided only after engagement and conflicts clearance.