California breach of contract and payment dispute attorneys
When a customer stops paying, a vendor fails to deliver, or the other side walks away from a deal, Forum & Lex helps business owners across Southern California, the Bay Area, and Sacramento understand their position and decide whether to negotiate, send a demand, or file suit.
- Unpaid invoices and nonpayment
- Vendor and supplier failures
- Purchase and service agreement breaches
- Settlement agreement enforcement
Request a contract dispute review
Tell us the basics. We will call you back to run a conflict check and discuss next steps.
When the other side doesn’t hold up their end of the deal
We represent business owners, investors, and privately held companies on both sides of contract disputes, whether you are owed money or are being accused of breach.
Nonpayment and unpaid invoices
Customers or clients who stop paying, short-pay, or dispute invoices after the work is done.
Vendor and supplier failures
Missed deliveries, defective goods, and suppliers who fail to perform under the agreed terms.
Service agreement breaches
Disputes over scope, quality, deadlines, and termination of service and consulting contracts.
Purchase agreement disputes
Conflicts over asset, equipment, and business purchase agreements, deposits, and closing terms.
Partnership and operating agreements
Breaches of LLC operating agreements, partnership agreements, and buy-sell terms between owners.
Settlement enforcement
Enforcing a settlement or payment plan when the other side fails to pay or perform as agreed.
Nathaniel G. Maranwe, Esq.
Civil Litigation Attorney
Nathaniel leads Forum & Lex's civil litigation practice, handling cases from discovery and depositions through motions and appeals. Before joining the firm, he handled discovery, depositions, and motion practice as an associate attorney, and briefed appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
- Education
- J.D., Georgetown University Law Center
- Focus
- Civil litigation, motion practice, discovery, appeals
- Admission
- State Bar of California, Bar No. 319866 (admitted 2018)
- Clients
- Business owners, investors, executives, and privately held companies
Contract disputes get harder once deadlines pass and positions harden
Early advice helps you protect your claims, preserve documents, and avoid steps that weaken your leverage, like accepting partial payment on the wrong terms or missing a notice requirement in the contract.
- A customer or client has stopped paying, or is disputing an invoice you believe is owed.
- A vendor or supplier missed deliveries or performance deadlines and your business is losing money.
- You received a demand letter, notice of default, or threat of a lawsuit claiming you breached.
- The other side is trying to terminate or renegotiate a contract on terms you never agreed to.
- A settlement or payment plan is not being honored.
A clear plan before any action is taken
You get a straightforward look at your options, likely costs, and leverage before we send a demand or file anything.
Conflict and urgency review
We identify the parties, contract deadlines, venue, and any immediate risk.
Contract and evidence review
We organize the agreement, amendments, invoices, payment records, and communications.
Strategy options
We compare negotiation, a demand letter, mediation, arbitration, and litigation.
Resolution
We move the matter forward through settlement talks, filings, motion practice, or trial preparation.
Contract disputes we have handled
Agricultural technology provider and manufacturing partner
Contract dispute involving performance, equipment delivery timelines, and vendor-customer performance conflicts.
Real estate construction project delays
Dispute over performance delays on a real estate construction project, handled through pre-litigation analysis and negotiation.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each matter depends on its own facts.
Contract dispute questions
Should I sue or negotiate first?
Can I recover my attorney’s fees?
What documents should I gather?
What if my contract requires arbitration?
Can you help before a lawsuit is filed?
How are fees handled?
Talk to a contract dispute attorney
Serving businesses in Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire, the Bay Area, and Sacramento. Tell us what happened and what is at stake. We will run a conflict check and let you know how we can help.