The joys of litigation

Many people will tell you that when it comes to lawsuits, only the lawyers get rich - and they would mostly be right. Going to legal route to solve an issue is always dangerous and costly, but you should always consider it as something you may need to do.

Small companies and start-up's often don't have the time nor the money to see litigation through to the end so it makes it even more important to make sure you have solid contracts, detailed reports of meetings and discussions, and that you get everything in writing.

Litigation is generally only necessary when the matter in question isn't clear so if you have followed a strict regime of keeping written details and only working on contract, then you should be able to settle all situations without going near a courtroom.

Be as anal as you need to be, but the best form of protection is preparation, and if you have it all in black & white then you can focus on making yourself rich and not the lawyers! Lesson #1 in the small business survival guide - don't be caught without a contract!