04 / BUSINESS LITIGATION
Strategic litigation. Not theatrical filing.
Contract disputes, partnership conflicts, vendor and customer claims. We approach business litigation with one question above all others: what is this filing actually buying our client? Most business disputes should not become lawsuits. The ones that do should resolve as efficiently as the facts and the opposing party allow.
~15
Years in Missouri legal practice
∞
Cases we’ll tell you not to file
Real
Outcomes over posturing
WHY IT MATTERS
Litigation strategy beats litigation theater.
Cost vs. recovery realism
Litigation costs scale with discovery, motions, and depositions — not with the value of the underlying dispute. We tell you honestly what a matter costs to pursue and what realistic recovery looks like.
Pre-litigation resolution
Most contract disputes resolve before a complaint is filed if the demand is well-drafted and credibly backed. We pursue resolution first. We litigate when resolution isn’t available.
Trial-ready preparation
Cases that look settle-able sometimes aren’t. We prepare every matter as if it will go to trial — so when settlement isn’t the right answer, we are not scrambling.
Business continuity focus
Litigation drains attention from running the business. We structure engagements to minimize that disruption — using paralegals, focused discovery, and clear decision points.
OUR APPROACH
Most business disputes should not become lawsuits.
The ones that do should resolve as efficiently as the facts and the opposing party allow. We are not the firm that files the dramatic 80-page complaint with seventeen counts when seven would do. We are not the firm that runs up discovery costs on a $50,000 dispute. Before every filing, every motion, every deposition — we ask what it is actually buying our client.
That orientation produces better results for business clients than the alternative. It also produces honest conversations: sometimes the right call is not to litigate. Sometimes the other side genuinely has the better position. We tell you that when it is true.
WHAT WE HANDLE
Business disputes of all sizes.
01
Contract Disputes
Breach of contract claims — both pursuing and defending. Interpretation disputes. Anticipatory breach. Specific performance. Demand letters, negotiation, litigation.
02
Partnership Disputes
Dissolution and accounting. Operating agreement enforcement. Buyout and valuation disputes. Fiduciary duty claims between partners or members.
03
Vendor & Customer Claims
B2B collections. Vendor performance failures. UCC and warranty disputes. SLA breaches. Technology and software disputes drawing on Derek’s technical background.
04
Trade Secret & IP Claims
Protecting proprietary information. Non-compete enforcement (within Missouri’s limits on enforceability). Tortious interference claims.
05
Pre-Litigation Demands
Well-crafted demand letters resolve a meaningful percentage of disputes without litigation — at a tiny fraction of the cost. We try this first when appropriate.
06
Mediation & ADR
When litigation has been filed but trial would be wasteful, structured mediation often produces better outcomes than verdicts. We prepare clients for these processes.
HOW IT WORKS
Our litigation process.
1
Honest assessment
Free initial consultation. We tell you what we see honestly — strength of facts, applicable law, realistic range of outcomes, what it will cost to pursue.
2
Strategic plan
If we proceed, we develop a written plan with milestones and decision points. You know the path, the cost at each stage, and where the off-ramps are.
3
Pre-litigation
Demand letters, settlement discussions, mediation if appropriate. We try to resolve before filing whenever resolution is genuinely available.
4
Trial if necessary
When matters cannot resolve, we prepare carefully and try the case. Most matters resolve before trial; we are ready when they don’t.
WHY HAAKE LAW GROUP
Built around your situation, not our office hours.
Outcome-focused billing
We will not pad a case with motions that don’t advance the outcome. Every billable hour serves the client’s strategic interest — not the firm’s revenue interest.
Realistic cost forecasting
Hourly billing with clear written estimates at engagement and updates when circumstances change. You always know where you stand and what comes next.
Honest about weak cases
Some matters genuinely should not be litigated. We tell you that before engagement. Saving you a year of bills is worth more than the engagement fee.
Hybrid fee arrangements
For appropriate matters, we can structure reduced hourly plus contingent components. Pure contingency typically doesn’t fit commercial disputes given the work involved.
MEET DEREK HAAKE
Real legal work. Modern delivery.
I have been a licensed Missouri attorney since September 27, 2011. Before law school, I spent more than a decade in telecommunications and technology — including leading the acquisition of Corning Cable Systems’ fiber optic monitoring division, and helping create Valor Telecom, which became part of Windstream Communications.
After law school, I spent years as an Estate Settlement Officer at Bank of America, administering taxable estates including a single estate exceeding $100 million in value. That experience — actually settling estates and working in technology before that — is what I bring to every matter today.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
Outcomes for Missouri clients.
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COMMON QUESTIONS
What clients ask before they hire us.
When should we file versus send a demand letter?+
Almost always send a demand letter first. A well-drafted demand letter resolves a meaningful percentage of disputes without litigation, costs a tiny fraction of filing, and demonstrates good faith if the matter does proceed to court.
How long will this take?+
Highly variable. Simple Missouri contract disputes can resolve in 6 to 12 months. Complex matters with extensive discovery can run 2 to 4 years. We give you a realistic timeline at engagement.
What about arbitration clauses?+
If your contract has an arbitration clause, you’re likely going to arbitration. Whether that’s good or bad depends on the matter; we handle both court and arbitration proceedings.
What if the other side has more money than us?+
That matters less in litigation than people assume. Discovery is bounded by relevance, not by the opponent’s budget. Cases are won on facts and law. That said, we will tell you honestly if a matter is genuinely cost-prohibitive.
Do you take contingency cases?+
Rarely for commercial disputes. The work required for business litigation typically doesn’t fit pure contingency. We can structure hybrid arrangements (reduced hourly plus contingent component) for some matters.
How does pre-litigation resolution work?+
Demand letter laying out the claim and the requested resolution. Negotiation if there’s a credible response. Mediation if structured discussion is needed. Filing only when these don’t produce resolution.
READY TO START?
Get an honest read on your matter.
Tell us about the dispute. We will tell you honestly whether it has a viable path forward, what it costs to pursue, and what realistic recovery looks like.