Commercial Litigation Attorney in Orange County

Last updated: November 2026

A commercial litigation attorney in Orange County handles disputes between businesses: supply and distribution agreements, services contracts, licensing deals, loans and guaranties, and fights among the owners of a company. Kolmogorov Law, P.C. is an Irvine firm that litigates these cases in Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana, in the Civil Complex Center for larger matters, and in the Central District of California. One attorney handles each case from the first meeting through trial.

Call (909) 235-6116 or contact us online to discuss a commercial dispute in Orange County.

What commercial litigation covers

The term means business-to-business disputes, as opposed to disputes with consumers or employees. The parties are companies, their owners, their lenders, and their counterparties. The claims are usually contract claims with business torts attached: fraud, interference with contract, unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duty.

What makes these cases different from an ordinary collection matter is scale and complexity. There are usually several agreements, a long course of dealing, and documents on both sides that cut both ways. The remedy that matters may be an injunction or an accounting rather than money. And the relationship often continues in some form after the case ends, which shapes how hard to push.

Commercial disputes we handle for Orange County companies

Supply and purchase disputes. Late or nonconforming goods, rejected shipments, price and quantity disagreements under long-term supply agreements, and warranty claims between a manufacturer and its customers. Sales of goods are governed by the Commercial Code, which carries a four-year limitations period that the parties may shorten by agreement but not lengthen. (Com. Code, § 2725, subd. (1).)

Distribution and dealer disputes. Termination of an exclusive distributor, a manufacturer that appoints a second distributor in a protected territory, and unpaid commissions under a sales representative agreement.

Services disputes. Managed IT, marketing, logistics, and professional services agreements where one side says the work was deficient and the other says the invoices are due.

Licensing disputes. Royalty audits, scope-of-license fights, and terminations of software, brand, and technology licenses. Our page on IP license agreement disputes goes deeper.

Lending disputes. Defaults on commercial loans and lines of credit, enforcement and defense of personal guaranties, and claims that a lender breached a commitment or mishandled collateral.

Corporate and ownership disputes. Shareholder, LLC member, and partner conflicts over control, distributions, and the books.

Two examples from the Orange County business community

A Huntington Beach manufacturer of consumer products gives a distributor exclusive rights in several western states. Two years in, the manufacturer begins selling directly to the distributor's largest accounts and then terminates the agreement for "failure to meet targets" that were never written down. The distributor sues for breach, interference with its customer relationships, and unfair competition under the state's unfair competition law, which reaches unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business practices. (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 17200.) Our UCL page explains what that claim can and cannot recover.

A private lender in Newport Beach funds a Santa Ana contractor under a secured line of credit with a personal guaranty from the owner. The contractor defaults, the lender sues the company and the guarantor, and the guarantor claims the lender impaired the collateral by releasing a lien without his consent. The lending documents answer most of it. The rest is a question of what the lender actually did.

Provisional remedies in commercial cases

Commercial cases often cannot wait two years for a judgment. California allows a plaintiff on a contract claim for a fixed or readily ascertainable amount to seek a writ of attachment early in the case, which freezes assets to secure a later judgment. Our writ of attachment page explains the requirements. Where the harm is ongoing, such as a terminated distributor being cut off from product or a licensee continuing to use a mark after termination, a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction may be the first filing. See our TRO and injunction page.

Where Orange County commercial cases are heard

Most commercial cases are filed in Orange County Superior Court at the Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana. Cases that qualify as complex, usually because of multiple parties or large document volumes, are assigned to the Civil Complex Center, 751 West Santa Ana Boulevard. There a single judge manages the case from filing through trial.

Federal cases go to the Central District of California, Southern Division, at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and United States Courthouse, 411 West Fourth Street, Santa Ana. Diversity of citizenship, a federal trademark or copyright claim alongside the contract claims, or a Defend Trade Secrets Act claim will land a commercial case there.

Commercial contracts frequently contain arbitration clauses. We evaluate enforceability before filing and, where arbitration is required, handle the case before JAMS or the AAA in Orange County.

The Orange County companies we represent

Our clients are closely held and family-owned companies with revenues from a few million to several hundred million dollars, and the owners who stand behind them. Manufacturers and importers in Anaheim and Santa Ana. Technology and professional services firms in Irvine and Newport Beach. Food, hospitality, and consumer brands throughout the county. Private lenders and real estate investors.

Chambers and Partners ranks the firm in its USA Spotlight 2026 guide for general commercial litigation in Orange County. The firm is a BBB Accredited Business, rated A.

How the firm works on a commercial case

One attorney, not a team you never meet. I read the documents myself, which in a commercial case is most of the work. Early on we give a written assessment with a budget by stage, and we revisit both as the facts come in. For a larger matter we bring in contract attorneys for document review and experts for damages, under my supervision and with your approval.

What to bring to the first meeting

The master agreement and every schedule, statement of work, purchase order, or amendment. The correspondence file around the dispute. Financial records showing what was paid, invoiced, and lost. The organizational documents if the dispute is among owners. Any loan documents, security agreements, and guaranties if it is a lending matter. The names and states of organization of every entity on the other side.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between commercial litigation and business litigation?

In practice the terms overlap. Commercial litigation usually describes disputes between businesses over contracts, financing, and corporate control. Business litigation is the broader term and includes disputes with employees, consumers, and regulators. Our business disputes hub covers the full range.

How much does commercial litigation cost in Orange County?

More than a simple contract case, because the document volume and the number of parties are larger. A commercial case that resolves after initial discovery and mediation is a very different budget from one that goes through a complex-case schedule to trial. We give a written budget by stage at the outset and update it.

Can I freeze the other side's assets before judgment?

Sometimes. A writ of attachment is available on a contract claim for a fixed or readily ascertainable amount against a business defendant, and it requires a showing of probable validity. It does not apply to tort claims or to unliquidated damages.

My distribution agreement was terminated. Can I sue the manufacturer?

Possibly. The answer depends on the termination clause, whether the manufacturer followed it, and whether the manufacturer's conduct before termination breached the exclusivity or good faith terms. Interference and unfair competition claims may be available in addition to the contract claim. Bring the agreement and the termination letter.

Can our regular corporate lawyer handle a commercial lawsuit?

Transactional counsel is valuable in a commercial case, and we work alongside them. Litigation is a different discipline, with its own procedure, deadlines, and courtroom judgment. Ask who will read the documents, who will take the depositions, and who will argue the motions.

Talk to an Orange County commercial litigation attorney

Call (909) 235-6116 or contact us online. Kolmogorov Law, P.C. is located at 327 Magnet, Irvine, CA 92618, and represents companies throughout Orange County.

This page provides general information about California law and is not legal advice. Outcomes depend on the agreements, the facts, and the court.