Practice Areas

Focused experience across the legal matters that most affect individuals and businesses, delivered with preparation, candor, and resolve.

Practice 01

General Practice Law


Most legal questions do not arrive neatly labeled. A landlord dispute turns into a contract question, a family business decision raises an employment issue, and a single letter from another party can leave you unsure of what to do next. Our general practice work exists for exactly these moments. We help individuals, families, and small businesses understand where they stand, what their options are, and what a sensible next step looks like, without rushing you toward litigation you may not need.

How Abowitz Law Can Help

We start by listening. After we understand the facts and what you actually want to achieve, we explain the law in plain language and lay out a realistic range of outcomes. Sometimes the right move is a firmly worded letter, sometimes it is a quiet negotiation, and sometimes it is simply reassurance that you are on solid ground. When a matter would be better served by deeper specialization, we tell you honestly and point you in the right direction rather than stretching beyond what serves you.

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Common Legal Issues

  • Reviewing letters, notices, and demands before you respond
  • Drafting and reviewing agreements for personal and small-business matters
  • Landlord and tenant disagreements and lease questions
  • Consumer disputes and small-claims guidance
  • General contract review and risk assessment
  • Knowing when a matter should be referred to a focused specialist

Questions, Answered

Not always, and we will tell you when you do not. A short consultation often saves money by helping you avoid a misstep early, even if you ultimately handle the matter yourself.

Yes. Document review is one of the most cost-effective ways we help clients. Catching an unfavorable clause before you sign is far easier than undoing it afterward.

We will let you know promptly and discuss whether one of our focused practice areas, or an outside specialist, is the better fit for your situation.

Practice 02

Employment Law


The relationship between an employer and an employee is governed by a dense layer of federal and state law, and most people only learn the details when something goes wrong. We advise both employees who believe their rights have been violated and employers who want to handle their obligations correctly. Our goal is the same on either side of the table: clear advice grounded in the law as it actually applies to your facts, not a generic recitation of what the statutes say.

How Abowitz Law Can Help

For employees, we evaluate whether the law supports a claim, explain the procedural steps such as filing with the appropriate agency, and pursue a resolution that reflects the real value of what happened to you. For employers, we help build compliant policies, respond to complaints the right way, and reduce the risk of disputes before they start. Throughout, we are candid about strengths and weaknesses so you can make decisions with your eyes open. You can read more in our article on workplace rights and our piece on wrongful termination.

Discuss Your Matter

Common Legal Issues

  • Wage and hour disputes, including unpaid overtime and misclassification
  • Discrimination and harassment claims under federal and state law
  • Family and medical leave questions
  • Severance agreement review and negotiation
  • Non-compete and confidentiality agreement enforceability
  • Retaliation for protected activity such as reporting misconduct

Questions, Answered

Many uncomfortable situations at work are not unlawful, while others clearly are. We assess the specific facts against the governing statutes and tell you honestly whether you have a claim worth pursuing.

Yes. Employment claims carry strict deadlines, and some require filing with a government agency before you can sue. Acting early protects your options, so it is wise to seek advice promptly.

Not before it is reviewed. Severance agreements often waive valuable rights, and the initial offer is frequently negotiable. A review session is usually well worth the time.

Practice 03

Labor Law


Labor law governs the collective relationship between workers and employers, and it operates by a different set of rules than individual employment claims. Whether a matter involves union organizing, the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, or a dispute over protected concerted activity, the governing framework is technical and the deadlines are unforgiving. We help clients understand their rights and obligations in this space and represent them when disagreements arise.

How Abowitz Law Can Help

We begin by mapping the governing agreement and the relevant law to your specific situation, because labor disputes often turn on precise contract language and established procedure. From there we pursue the most efficient path, whether that means working through a grievance process, responding to a charge, or negotiating a resolution. We keep clients informed at each stage so that decisions about how far to take a matter are always yours to make with full information.

Discuss Your Matter

Common Legal Issues

  • Collective bargaining agreement interpretation and grievances
  • Union organizing and representation questions
  • Unfair labor practice charges and responses
  • Protected concerted activity and related protections
  • Workplace policies that intersect with labor rights
  • Disputes over the duty of fair representation

Questions, Answered

Employment law generally governs the individual relationship between one worker and an employer, while labor law governs collective relationships such as unions and collective bargaining. The two overlap, and many workplaces involve both.

It is conduct that the law prohibits in the labor context, such as interfering with protected activity. The rules are detailed, and whether something qualifies depends closely on the facts.

Some do. Certain protections for concerted activity can apply to workers regardless of union membership, which surprises many people. We can assess whether they apply to you.

Practice 04

Civil Litigation


Litigation is not the right answer to every dispute, but when it is the only realistic path, it should be handled with discipline and a clear strategy. We represent clients across the full arc of a civil case, from the first demand letter through pleadings, discovery, motions, and, when necessary, trial. Just as importantly, we are always evaluating whether a fair settlement is available, because the best result is often the one that resolves the matter without the cost and uncertainty of a verdict.

How Abowitz Law Can Help

Good litigation begins long before a courtroom. We invest early in understanding the facts and the documents, because cases are won on preparation. We build a theory of the case, pursue the evidence that supports it, and press the other side where they are weakest. At every stage we weigh the cost, the risk, and the likely outcome so that you can decide whether to push forward or settle. To understand the steps involved, see our guide on how civil cases move through the courts.

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Common Legal Issues

  • Breach of contract and commercial disputes
  • Business and partnership conflicts
  • Property and real estate disputes
  • Claims involving fraud or misrepresentation
  • Enforcement of judgments and agreements
  • Defense against claims that lack merit

Questions, Answered

It varies widely. Some matters resolve in months through early settlement, while others take a year or more if they proceed through discovery and trial. We give you a realistic timeline for your specific case.

Most civil cases settle before trial, but preparing as though it will go to trial is what creates leverage to settle well. We prepare thoroughly either way.

We discuss fees and likely costs openly at the outset and revisit them as the case develops, so there are no surprises about what a given stage will require.

Practice 05

Business Disputes


When a business dispute arises, the legal question is only half the picture. The other half is the company itself: its relationships, its reputation, and its ability to keep operating while the matter is resolved. We approach business disputes as advisors who understand that a technically correct outcome is worthless if it damages the enterprise it was meant to protect. We work to resolve conflict efficiently and, where possible, to preserve the relationships worth preserving.

How Abowitz Law Can Help

We start by separating the business problem from the legal problem, because the two often need different solutions. Where a negotiated resolution protects the company, we pursue it directly and efficiently. Where a party is acting in bad faith, we are prepared to litigate firmly. Many business disputes are well suited to mediation and negotiation, and we will always tell you when that path is likely to serve you better than a courtroom.

Discuss Your Matter

Common Legal Issues

  • Partnership and shareholder disagreements
  • Disputes with vendors, suppliers, and customers
  • Breach of fiduciary duty claims
  • Disagreements over ownership and control
  • Competition, solicitation, and trade secret concerns
  • Disputes arising from the sale or dissolution of a business

Questions, Answered

Often, yes. Many disputes resolve through direct negotiation or mediation, which tends to be faster and less disruptive to operations. We assess which path fits your goals.

Partnership conflicts are among the most common matters we handle. The right approach depends on your governing documents and your goals, whether that is continuing together or parting cleanly.

Litigation is generally public, while negotiation and mediation are private. For sensitive matters, that difference alone often shapes the strategy we recommend.

Practice 06

Contract Disputes


A contract is only as useful as its language and the willingness of the parties to honor it. When an agreement breaks down, the dispute usually turns on what the words actually require, what each side did or failed to do, and what remedies the law allows. We help clients on both sides of these disputes, whether you are seeking to enforce an agreement that was ignored or defending against a claim that misreads what you agreed to.

How Abowitz Law Can Help

We read the agreement closely, because contract disputes are won and lost on the language and the surrounding facts. We assess what the contract requires, whether a breach occurred, and what you are realistically entitled to recover or defend against. From there we pursue the most efficient resolution, which may be a negotiated fix, a demand backed by the threat of litigation, or a court action when the other side leaves no alternative. For a fuller discussion, see our article on common contract disputes and how to resolve them.

Discuss Your Matter

Common Legal Issues

  • Alleged breach of a written or oral agreement
  • Disputes over ambiguous or conflicting contract terms
  • Failure to deliver goods, services, or payment
  • Disagreements about performance and conditions
  • Claims for damages and questions of remedy
  • Enforceability of specific clauses such as penalties or waivers

Questions, Answered

Sometimes. Many oral agreements are enforceable, though certain types of contracts must be in writing, and oral terms are harder to prove. We assess what evidence supports your position.

It depends on the contract and the harm. Remedies often focus on putting you in the position you would have been in had the agreement been honored. We explain what is realistic in your case.

Do not respond in a hurry. Let us review the agreement and the facts first, because an early, careful response often prevents a manageable disagreement from becoming a lawsuit.

Practice 07

Workplace Discrimination


Federal and state law protect workers from being treated differently because of characteristics such as race, sex, age, disability, religion, national origin, and others. Discrimination is often subtle, and proving it requires connecting patterns of conduct to the law in a careful, fact-driven way. We help employees who believe they have faced unlawful treatment understand whether the law supports a claim, and we help employers respond to complaints responsibly and lawfully.

How Abowitz Law Can Help

Discrimination claims usually require filing with the appropriate agency before a lawsuit, and the deadlines are strict. We help you understand the process, gather the evidence that matters, and present your situation in the way the law requires. Because these matters are sensitive and personal, we handle them with care and discretion. We also help employers build the kind of policies and responses that prevent claims and demonstrate good faith. Related reading is available in our article on workplace rights.

Discuss Your Matter

Common Legal Issues

  • Differential treatment in hiring, pay, promotion, or discipline
  • Harassment that creates a hostile work environment
  • Failure to provide reasonable accommodation
  • Retaliation for reporting discrimination
  • Wrongful denial of leave or benefits tied to a protected status
  • Patterns of conduct that reveal unlawful motive

Questions, Answered

Direct proof is rare, so most claims rely on circumstantial evidence such as patterns, comparisons to other workers, and inconsistencies in the employer's explanation. We help assemble that picture.

For many discrimination claims, yes. Filing with the appropriate agency within the deadline is often a required step before going to court, which is why early advice matters.

Retaliation for protected complaints is itself unlawful. If it happens, it can become a separate and serious claim. We help you document and respond to it properly.

Practice 08

Wrongful Termination


Most employment in the United States is at-will, which means an employer can generally end the relationship for many reasons or no reason at all. But at-will is not unlimited. A termination becomes wrongful when it violates an anti-discrimination law, punishes protected activity, breaches a contract, or runs against public policy. The hard part is telling the difference, and that is where we help. We evaluate the real reason behind a termination and whether the law gives you a remedy.

How Abowitz Law Can Help

We look past the stated reason for a termination to the evidence of what actually drove it, because wrongful termination cases usually turn on motive. We assess the timeline, the documents, and the employer's explanation for inconsistencies. If the law supports a claim, we explain the process and pursue a resolution that reflects the harm you suffered. If it does not, we tell you plainly so you are not left chasing a case that cannot succeed. Our detailed guide on what employees should know about wrongful termination covers this in depth.

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Common Legal Issues

  • Termination motivated by a protected characteristic
  • Firing in retaliation for reporting illegal conduct
  • Termination that breaches an employment contract
  • Dismissal for refusing to participate in unlawful activity
  • Retaliation for taking legally protected leave
  • Pretextual reasons that mask an unlawful motive

Questions, Answered

In an at-will arrangement, generally yes, as long as the reason is not an unlawful one such as discrimination or retaliation. The presence of an unlawful motive is what makes a termination wrongful.

Timing, written communications, performance history, and how comparable employees were treated all matter. Preserving documents and a clear timeline strengthens your position considerably.

Promptly. Some claims require an agency filing within a strict deadline, and evidence is easiest to gather while it is fresh. An early consultation protects your options.

Practice 09

Mediation & Negotiation


Not every dispute belongs in a courtroom. Mediation and negotiation give parties a way to resolve conflict on their own terms, usually faster, more privately, and at lower cost than litigation. As advocates and as neutral-minded problem solvers, we help clients reach durable agreements that hold up because the parties helped build them. We also prepare clients thoroughly so they negotiate from a position of strength rather than guesswork.

How Abowitz Law Can Help

Effective negotiation is built on preparation. We help you understand your real leverage, the other side's likely motivations, and the range of outcomes worth accepting. In mediation, we help you present your position persuasively to a neutral third party and recognize a fair deal when it appears. The goal is always an agreement you can live with and that resolves the matter for good. To weigh this path against a courtroom, read our comparison of mediation versus litigation.

Discuss Your Matter

Common Legal Issues

  • Business and partnership disagreements suited to settlement
  • Employment disputes both sides prefer to resolve quietly
  • Contract disputes where the relationship is worth preserving
  • Pre-litigation resolution to avoid the cost of a lawsuit
  • Settlement discussions during active litigation
  • Structuring agreements that prevent future disputes

Questions, Answered

Mediation itself is not binding, but the settlement agreement the parties sign at the end is. That is why careful drafting of the final agreement matters as much as the discussion itself.

Mediation is usually faster, more private, and less expensive, and it lets the parties craft the outcome rather than leaving it to a judge. It is not right for every case, but it fits many.

If a mediated resolution is not reached, your right to pursue the matter in court generally remains intact. Nothing about trying to settle forecloses litigation later.

Confidential Consultation

Speak With Our Team in Confidence

Every matter begins with a confidential consultation. Tell us what you are facing, and we will explain your options clearly and honestly, with no pressure and no obligation.