Posted on April 17, 2025 in Commercial Litigation

No one enters a commercial lease agreement hoping that it will fail. Nevertheless, understanding the laws that apply to evictions is a necessary part of being a commercial property landlord in Illinois. To ensure that you have reasonable grounds for eviction and follow the law when invoking your right to evict, you should consider seeking the help of an experienced Chicago, IL commercial eviction attorney. Several factors can complicate the process, and tenants have the right to challenge an eviction claim. With legal representation, you can enter your hearing prepared.

Serve the Tenant With an Eviction Notice

Illinois law requires landlords to notify a commercial tenant of eviction before taking any other action. It must be a written notice that explains the reason for the eviction. For example, if the tenant failed to pay rent, the notice should clarify the amount due in full and the deadline for payment. The tenant must then have the opportunity to address the problem.

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 Posted on March 27, 2025 in Debt Collection

When a debtor has defaulted on debt and collections efforts do not yield results, one significant asset recovery option that creditors can use to get their assets back is replevin. When asking for the assets back or sending a demand letter does not work, replevin can be a useful and significant tool in the commercial debt collection toolbox when personal property such as vehicles, furniture, or electronics are at stake. A Cook County, IL asset recovery attorney can assist you in a replevin action to take back possession of your property. 

How Does Replevin Work to Recover Assets?

Replevin is a legal action that allows a creditor to retake possession of personal property that has been wrongfully taken from them. In a replevin action, the creditor seeks to get back the actual asset rather than the cost of the asset. It is often utilized by creditors wishing to take back possession of a vehicle when the debtor has defaulted on the loan for the vehicle, but replevin can be used to recover all kinds of personal property.  

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 Posted on February 25, 2025 in Commercial Litigation

Disputes are a natural part of doing business. Whether the dispute arises from a genuine misunderstanding or disagreement or from a deliberate action, it can lead to serious financial and reputational issues.

Commercial litigation is the recourse that businesses have to address these disputes, either in court or prior to court but with the threat of litigation hanging over the dispute. Commercial litigation can also, in some cases, be used as a business tactic to attempt to weaken competition. Whatever the reason or type of commercial dispute, the experienced Illinois commercial law attorneys at Teller, Levit & Silvertrust, P.C. represent businesses in commercial litigation matters. 

What Are Common Commercial Litigation Claims?

Any time a commercial dispute occurs, businesses can turn to the law to seek to stop the offending conduct or to receive damages for the harm caused. A few of the most common business disputes include:

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 Posted on January 28, 2025 in Debt Collection

Businesses depend on their clients paying for goods and services in a timely fashion. Yet sometimes clients do not pay businesses for goods and services provided. Professionals such as engineers, consultants, lawyers, and accountants face the same issues. However, professionals face unique challenges when collecting unpaid fees. Much of a professional’s business depends on building and maintaining relationships and a solid reputation.

Additionally, there may be ethical considerations governing how a professional may collect fees. Therefore, professionals often have to tread carefully when collecting unpaid client fees. An experienced Cook County, IL debt collection attorney can advise professionals on the best practices for collecting unpaid fees.

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 Posted on December 30, 2024 in Commercial Litigation

If you are involved in a business dispute, you may be considering a lawsuit against the party that is harming your interests. Depending on the facts of your case, you may bring a claim for unjust enrichment to recover against a party who unjustly benefited at your expense. A Chicago, IL commercial litigation attorney can provide advice on whether you may file an unjust enrichment claim in your commercial dispute. 

How Do You Make a Claim for Unjust Enrichment?

In Illinois, you may make an unjust enrichment claim if the other party received a benefit or was enriched by receiving financial gain, property, or discounted services at your expense, and by keeping that benefit, the party is violating principles of justice and equity. You must bring a claim for unjust enrichment within five years after the actions occurred under Illinois law.

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 Posted on November 14, 2024 in Bankruptcy

Businesses and individuals with significant financial difficulties may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A creditor faced with a debtor company that has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy should consider consulting with an attorney who represents creditors to ensure that they are able to recover their assets and to familiarize themselves with the process.

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Explained

Chapter 11 bankruptcy allows a debtor to reorganize with no debt limits. For this reason, and because the business owner remains in control of operations even following bankruptcy, many businesses utilize Chapter 11.

However, Chapter 11 reorganization is complex and unpredictable, especially for creditors, who must ensure that they monitor debtor filings so that their claims are not negatively impacted. Unsecured creditors, who are paid last following reorganization, should be particularly vigilant to ensure their rights are not negatively impacted.

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 Posted on October 14, 2024 in Commercial Litigation

An important part of running a business is forging strong relationships with employees, suppliers, vendors, and partners. However, when businesses get competitive, they can sometimes interfere with those relationships. When a person or company inappropriately disrupts someone else’s business relationship with a third party it is called tortious interference. If that interference causes financial harm, the affected business may bring a legal claim against the interferer, referred to as the defendant.

There are two types of tortious interference: 

• Tortious interference with prospective economic advantage
• Tortious interference with contract

In this article, we will explore what tortious interference with contract is, how to prove it, and how to protect your business against such a threat. Consult an Illinois commercial litigation attorney for more details or to file a claim for tortious interference.

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 Posted on September 13, 2024 in Commercial Litigation

Commercial debt collection is a necessary task for many businesses. Companies often conduct transactions on credit terms, providing goods or services for payment at a later date. When that date comes, the creditor is entitled to collect the money it is owed. However, debt collection can be a challenging process and can backfire on the creditor if it fails to take certain steps. Mistakes made while trying to collect commercial debt may result in lost revenue and can damage business relationships. The best way to avoid such pitfalls is to consult an Illinois commercial debt collection attorney who can guide the process.

In this article, we will discuss five mistakes commercial creditors make when collecting debt.

Maintaining Poor Documentation

A common error made by companies who try to recover commercial debts is keeping inadequate documentation. Record-keeping is an essential part of the debt collection process and can be the determining factor in its success. Creditors should keep records of every phone call, email, and communication attempt, in addition to invoices. Failure to do so may sabotage the creditor’s chances of winning a legal dispute down the line.

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 Posted on August 15, 2024 in Commercial Litigation

Commercial lease violations can be a significant headache for both landlords and tenants. Whether you are dealing with missed rent payments, unauthorized property alterations, or breaches of use restrictions, knowing how to handle these situations is crucial. An Illinois lawyer can walk you through the essential steps to address commercial lease violations effectively and protect your interests. To achieve the best potential outcome, it is beneficial to never try to navigate this type of case by yourself.

Common Commercial Lease Violations

Before getting into the resolution process, it is helpful to recognize some frequent lease violations:

• Non-payment or late payment of rent
• Unauthorized subletting or assignment
• Improper use of the premises
• Failure to maintain the property
• Violating occupancy limits
• Breaching exclusivity clauses

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 Posted on July 19, 2024 in Commercial Litigation

Commercial litigation can challenge any business, potentially impacting operations, finances, and reputation. Getting through these legal waters requires strategic preparation and decisive action to protect your company's interests. An Illinois lawyer can help you with the critical steps to protect your business during commercial disputes.

Keep Track of All Relevant Documents and Communications

One of the most critical steps in protecting your company during litigation is to implement a comprehensive document preservation strategy:

• Issue a litigation hold: Immediately notify all relevant employees to preserve any documents, emails, or other communications related to the dispute.
• Suspend routine document destruction: Temporarily halt any automatic deletion or destruction of records that may be pertinent to the case.

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