Breach of Fiduciary Duty/Interference
In legal terms, “fiduciary duty” refers to one party’s obligation to act in the best interest of another party. In business, this can refer to a board member’s duty to the shareholders, an employer’s duty to employees, an accountant’s duty to clients, and so on. In contracts and professional agreements, businesses place extraordinary trust in their fiduciaries; when this trust is breached, they can find relief and damages through litigation.
Stueve Siegel Hanson has represented clients in a wide range of claims regarding breach of fiduciary duty and tortious interference, particularly claims arising out of non-compete, trade secret and confidentiality agreements. We have won injunctive relief and compensatory damages, often against much larger and well-financed competitors.
In one matter, we represented Seaboard Corp. and related entities against the largest logistics and shipping company in South Africa. Seaboard alleged multiple causes of action, including breach of fiduciary duty, based upon actions taken by one of its former officers and directors who attempted to raid key employees and force the sale of a highly profitable business unit for a price far below market value. Our client intended to seek more than $100 million at trial in actual and punitive damages. Weeks before trial was set to begin, we achieved a favorable settlement.
Indeed, at Stueve Siegel Hanson, we have the resources and experience to pursue the most high-stakes business litigation claims. Because we work on a contingency fee model, our business clients can pursue prompt action when breaches occur – without worrying about the billable hours involved. Our model aligns our interests with yours, so together we can pursue fair resolution.