Litigation & Dispute Resolution

“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” -- Sun Tzu

The Litigation and Dispute Resolution team at Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Helsinger LLP successfully handles matters of sensitivity and importance in state and federal courts throughout the country, resolving them through trial, arbitration, and negotiation to make our clients’ business objectives a reality.

Here is what sets SFGH’s litigation attorneys apart from their peers:

Focus on resolving your dispute

We have extensive experience in state and federal courts throughout the country, and we will aggressively pursue your case through trial and appeal, if that is the best solution. But many times, it isn’t. We know that there are frequently better tools available to resolve our clients’ disputes, and help our clients make wise choices by correctly evaluating the advantages, costs, and risks of their many alternatives.

Your case is an investment

We use our knowledge of the tools provided by the legal system and our understanding of the economics of trial preparation to help our clients achieve the resolution that best justifies their investment of legal fees, considering:

  • The opportunities and risks that disputes present to their personal and business lives;
  • An appropriate return on the investment of our clients’ time and money;
  • The need to balance our zealous pursuit our clients’ interests with their desires to preserve personal, family and business relationships;
  • Value that may be gained by a quicker, more inexpensive resolution; and
  • The significance of reducing exposure to risks and disruption.

Counselors at law

We are more than just trained fighters. We believe a good litigator is a valuable counselor who demonstrates a combination of thoughtfulness, intelligence, wisdom, insight, and creativity in devising a strategy that:

  • Leverages the challenges facing the other side, including their risks, expenses, business and personal pressures;
  • Does not prolong a dispute that could have been quickly resolved by fighting unnecessary battles; and
  • Avoids spending more in legal fees than can be afforded.

 

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News


Our recent and notable Litigation and Dispute Resolution engagements include:

  • Represented the liquidating trustee of Duke & King Acquisition Co. in the prosecution of over $35 million in bankruptcy preference, fraudulent transfer and breach of fiduciary duty claims before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota.

  • Represented a major Chicago trust company in extended litigation interpreting a significant change in the Illinois Probate Act

  • Represented beneficiaries in a suit against a national trust company alleging failure to properly invest trust funds.

  • Represented a major Mexican conglomerate in suing a major national bank alleging breaches of fiduciary duties.

  • Strategically managed Federal court action against the U.S. Government for breach of a supplier contract.  The strategy not only was successful in favor of the supplier, but the supplier recovered attorneys’ fees from the Government, for the Government’s unreasonable defense of the supplier’s action.

  • Defended in Tax Court the Executor of a $50,000,000 estate against IRS challenges to valuation of estate assets.

  • Successfully settled multiple lawsuits that had been ongoing for a number of years before we became involved.  Continued to represent the company as general counsel and in future litigation, including intellectual property disputes, environmental disputes with regulatory agencies and employment matters.

  • Represented the plan administrator of Workflow Management, Inc. in the prosecution of over $10 million in bankruptcy preference claims before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

  • Represented the liquidating trustee of Arch Aluminum & Glass Co. in the prosecution of over $20 million in bankruptcy preference claims before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.