Client Background A small family-owned logistics company in Monmouth County, New Jersey, approached The Law Offices of Paul H. Appel seeking long-term legal guidance without the overhead of hiring an in-house attorney. The business had expanded rapidly, taking on multiple vendor contracts and new employees, but lacked a structured legal compliance process. They needed continuous […]

Overview: A New Jersey general contractor contacted The Law Offices of Paul H. Appel after a commercial property owner failed to release final payment for completed renovation work. Despite full performance under the contract, the client faced a six-figure non-payment that threatened cash flow and project continuity. Challenge: The dispute involved unclear payment milestones, change-order […]

Overview: A mid-sized New Jersey manufacturing firm faced a potential multi-million-dollar dispute with a key supplier due to ambiguous contract terms and conflicting performance obligations. The company approached The Law Offices of Paul H. Appel for immediate legal guidance before the matter escalated to litigation. Challenge: The supplier’s vague delivery and payment clauses created uncertainty […]

Background A mid-sized New Jersey manufacturing company with four shareholders approached The Law Offices of Paul H. Appel after months of escalating internal conflict. Disagreements over profit distribution, operational control, and strategic direction had created significant tension between the founding members. The dispute threatened to destabilize the company, impact client relationships, and stall pending contracts […]

Background A promising New Jersey–based tech startup specializing in data analytics and cloud integration approached The Law Offices of Paul H. Appel to formalize their business structure and secure long-term legal protection. The founders—three software engineers—had been operating as an informal partnership, which exposed them to personal liability and tax inefficiencies. They sought legal guidance […]

Caveat Emptor: Why You Need a Lawyer An individual who had recently purchased a business called. She had paid $300,000 for the business. Following the closing, she realized that she had gotten far less than she had bargained for. In fact, the business was not viable. She had acted without a lawyer because the seller […]

Avoid Costly Partnership Disputes: Why You Need a Written Agreement and Creative Negotiation Two lifelong friends went into business together. They reasoned that because they were such good friends, they did not need a partnership agreement. Not the first time this has happened, and not the first time this has caused a problem. The failure […]

How to Avoid Consultant Fraud and Boilerplate Contract Pitfalls in Contract Pitfalls In the high-stakes world of New Jersey business, a handshake is no longer enough. Many entrepreneurs fall victim to “consultant fraud” or find themselves strangled by “boilerplate” terms that were never designed for their specific needs. If you are operating without a rigorous […]

Early Warning: The Risks of Investing in a Tech Business Without Industry Experience A middle-aged woman requested a consult on website documentation for her new business. The first question is always about the business. In this instance, she intended to invest $150,000 into a business that sells custom made phones to the elderly. I asked […]

$900K Award Secured for Maintenance Company in Breach of Contract Arbitration A client entered into a $1.5 million subcontract initially to perform a significant restoration to a major transportation hub and thereafter to conduct monthly maintenance services. The client asked for a long-term contract so that it could pay down the significant upfront restoration costs […]