Bethune Benes

We focus a significant part of our civil litigation practice on resolving general commercial and internal business and governance disputes for individuals and a full range of business enterprises, including limited liability companies, real estate holding companies, government contractors, and technology sector businesses.

We are particularly well-suited to handle business litigation, including breach of contract issues, non-compete agreements, and contentious business partner break-ups. We bring our extensive experience in civil torts, including defamation, tortious interference, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, conspiracy, trade secret and intellectual property litigation, construction disputes, and trust and estate contests.

Our experience representing plaintiffs and defendants gives us insight into both sides of a case and helps avoid time-wasting “side-biased” arguments. We apply our 360-degree view to focus on the facts and arrive at our arguments’ winning approach and tone.

While our cases are primarily handled in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia courts, our clientele is nationwide.

Coupled with deep experience in cases that range from challenging to routine and everything in between, the relationships we develop with our clients ensure that we base case strategy on realities and likely results, not empty promises.

Litigation is an ongoing strategy that can quickly escalate costs, time, reputation, and money. But with our vast experience, we work to position our clients and their cases to receive the best possible result while saving them wasted motion and resources. We work closely with our clients to lay out the full picture of their cases. We factor in their motivations and goals as we present potential outcomes, timelines, and budgets and uphold our steadfast commitment to keeping clients informed each step of the way.

Bethune Benes’ lawyers provide consistent partner-level representation and advice when a complaint is served or a second demand letter is sent. Whether we are lead counsel or local counsel, lawyer accountability and responsibility dominate our service credo, and a satisfied client is our greatest reward. We work from every angle to provide responsive, resourceful, and resolute representation. In every case, we treat your case as if it were our own. We are honest with the court, loyal to the client, and will zealously promote your interests as far as we can to reach the optimal result.

Our corporate and business practice centers around matters ranging from early-stage planning, formation, operation, and governance to vendor contracts, employment agreements, intellectual property protections, exit strategies, and commercial disputes.

We are well-versed in advising clients on Limited Liability Company (LLC) structures and features, including LLC agreements for holding companies, joint ventures, and operating companies. We advise on commercial finance, business expansion, and real estate purchases and frequently handle limited liability company governance issues on both corporate and litigation fronts. Our experience in litigating partner misconduct, restrictive covenants, and company break-ups give us valuable insight into what can trigger a lawsuit when drafting operating agreements and employment contracts.

Bearing an entrepreneurial and commercial mindset, we put ourselves in the client’s seat and take ownership of each outcome. We want to see our clients’ companies succeed and bring everything into our toolkit. It’s a feeling of satisfaction, partnering with our clients and contributing to their success.

At Bethune Benes, we strive to “be there” for our clients. Business clients, for whom we regularly serve as outside general counsel or help handle their urgent commercial needs, particularly value our insight and dedication to regular and accessible communication channels. While all roads may lead to the same destination, various crossroads and intersections present decisions that can affect timelines, risks, processes, and fees. Such discussions throughout each engagement lead to consistently better decisions because we firmly believe that an informed client is a successful client.

We are deeply involved in serving a wide variety of companies and also in networking with business owners and management. Our understanding of business leaders’ challenges in operations, finance, tax, social media, and the law allows us to create connections that provide value, such as connecting companies needing capital with those who can provide it.