When a business dispute arises, it doesn’t just threaten your bottom line—it consumes the time and energy you should be investing in growth. You shouldn’t have to choose between running your business and defending it.
Cadden & Fuller LLP has represented Orange County businesses in litigation matters since 1998 and today serves as a Newport Beach business litigation attorney resource for companies across the county. A senior partner is admitted before California’s courts, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and four U.S. District Courts. That range matters, because disputes rarely stay inside one courtroom, and your counsel should not either.
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Stop managing the fallout alone. Contact our trial-tested litigators today to review the facts of your situation and secure your path forward before the next deadline.
| AV Preeminent Rated | Serving Newport Beach-Area Since 1998 | Admitted: Ninth Circuit + 4 U.S. District Courts | Lawyers of Distinction 2023 |
Newport Beach companies bring Cadden & Fuller a wide range of commercial disputes, and most of them fall into a handful of categories.
If your dispute does not fit neatly into one of these categories, it most likely still fits inside the firm’s business litigation practice. Reach out to our business litigation attorneys in Newport Beach to discuss your situation.
A business dispute rarely stays contained to the two people arguing about it. While both sides wait to see who blinks first, deadlines keep moving, and in California most claims for breach of a written contract must be filed within four years of the breach or they are gone for good (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 337). In some situations, like if the other side hid the breach from you, or a bankruptcy case paused the clock, the deadline can be extended. Waiting to see whether the other side comes around can quietly use up that time.
There is also the question of what happens after a settlement is reached. Wackeen v. Malis, is a published California Court of Appeal decision in which our firm’s senior partners served as counsel of record. The court held that a trial judge loses the power to enforce a settlement under Code of Civil Procedure § 664.6 unless the parties clearly asked the court to keep that power before the case was dismissed.
What does that mean for a Newport Beach business owner? It means a settlement is only as good as the paperwork behind it, and the details most people skip are usually the ones that decide whether an agreement can be enforced later.
This information reflects California law as of August 2026.
Cadden & Fuller starts every new business litigation matter the same way, by reviewing the contracts, correspondence, and financial records already in your hands, since that paper trail usually decides who has leverage before a case ever reaches a judge.
From there, the firm builds a plan that weighs both the courtroom and the balance sheet, including what a lawsuit is likely to cost, what it is likely to recover, and whether a faster resolution serves the business better than a longer fight.
The firm’s office is in Irvine, a short drive from Newport Beach, and Newport Beach companies make up a regular part of the firm’s Orange County business litigation practice. Office location rarely changes how a case is handled, since most early work happens by phone, email, and document review rather than in person.
Cost depends on the size and complexity of the dispute and how the other side responds to early efforts to resolve it. Cadden & Fuller discusses likely fee structure and cost ranges during the initial consultation, before any decision to litigate is made.
A straightforward contract dispute can resolve in a matter of months if both sides want to settle. A shareholder or partnership dispute that goes to trial can take a year or longer. Cadden & Fuller can give you a realistic timeline once the details of your situation are known.
For most claims based on a written contract, California law sets a four year deadline from the date of the breach. Other claims, including fraud, can run on different timelines, so it is worth confirming your deadline early rather than assuming you have years to decide.
Yes. Most small and mid-size Newport Beach businesses do not keep a lawyer on staff, and hiring outside litigation counsel as disputes come up is the normal approach, not a sign that a company is under-resourced.
Yes. Fuller has been licensed to practice law in California since 1982, under California Bar No. 105758, which can be verified through the State Bar of California.
Every day a business dispute sits unresolved is a day the other side gets to decide what happens next. Contact Cadden & Fuller LLP and describe what your company is facing. The firm will review the facts, explain the realistic options, and say plainly whether litigation is the right tool or whether there is a faster way to close this out.
Contact us today by phone or online to speak with a Newport Beach business litigation lawyer.
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Cadden & Fuller LLP is based in Irvine and represents businesses throughout Orange County, including Newport Beach, Santa Ana, and Huntington Beach. Wherever
your business operates in California, if you’re facing litigation — or need to bring a claim — our attorneys can help you evaluate your options and build a plan. See how
we serve businesses in Irvine, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, and Huntington Beach.
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