At King & Jones, we represent businesses and individuals in high-stakes breach of contract disputes, on both sides of the table. We’ve litigated contract cases for plaintiffs and defendants across nearly every industry and jurisdiction, and we know that the outcome of these disputes is almost always shaped by how well your Chicago breach of contract attorney prepares from day one.
- Business-to-business disputes: broken deals, unpaid invoices, and failure to perform
- Asset and equity purchase agreements: disputes arising from business acquisitions, including breaches of representations and warranties, earnout disagreements, and post-closing adjustment claims
- Partnership and shareholder agreements: disputes over ownership rights, profit distributions, buyouts, and governance obligations
- Non-compete and confidentiality agreements: enforcement of restrictive covenants and protection of trade secrets
Facing a broken agreement? Talk with our team about your next step.
How Breach of Contract Cases Are Resolved
Not every contract dispute belongs in a courtroom. Depending on the agreement and the circumstances, resolution may come through:
- Negotiation: direct settlement discussions that preserve relationships and minimize costs
- Arbitration: a binding private proceeding, often required by contract
- Litigation: full trial advocacy when the stakes demand it
Our Chicago breach of contract lawyers are skilled and experienced in all three, and we’ll recommend the approach that best serves your interests, not just the path of least resistance.
Remedies and Damages
Which remedy fits your case turns on the promises in your agreement and the losses the breach caused. A breach of contract lawyer on our team starts by reviewing the contract, the communications around it and your financial records, so the claim rests on harm we can show. Our walkthrough on measuring the losses a broken contract causes explains the main kinds of damages.
Some agreements set the amount owed in advance. When yours does, we look closely at whether a preset damages provision will hold up, because that answer shapes both settlement talks and trial strategy.
Meet the Breach of Contract Lawyers Behind Your Case
When you hire a breach of contract attorney at our firm, your matter is handled by Chicago litigators who build each case around the documents, the deal and your goals.
The firm has guided businesses through major technological shifts across numerous industries nationwide and continues to advise clients navigating the rapidly evolving risks surrounding artificial intelligence.
We keep contract cases lean and avoid work that does not move your claim forward. You get regular, candid updates on where things stand and what each option is likely to cost.
Attorneys who work on these cases include William H. Jones and Jeffrey M. Mathis, along with Peter King and Paul King. You can also read what past clients say about working with us on our client testimonials page.
Ready to talk about a contract dispute? Contact our team.
Where Chicago Contract Disputes Are Heard
Most commercial litigation in Cook County is filed at the Richard J. Daley Center in downtown Chicago. Higher-value civil claims are assigned to the Law Division, while requests for injunctions, accountings, dissolutions, and other equitable relief are heard in the Chancery Division. A claim for money owed under a contract and a request to stop an ongoing breach can therefore take different paths through the same courthouse.
In DuPage County, civil and commercial cases are heard in the 18th Judicial Circuit at the DuPage County Judicial Center in Wheaton, the county seat. Business disputes, including contract claims, move through this court.
We represent clients throughout Cook County, including Chicago and surrounding communities such as Evanston, Skokie, Oak Park, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights and Des Plaines, and throughout DuPage County, including Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Elmhurst and Oak Brook. We also represent companies based outside Illinois with disputes pending in Cook County courts.
Our Chicago Office
King & Jones
70 W Madison Street
Suite 3970
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Plaintiff or Defendant: We’re Ready for Both Sides
Some firms handle only one side of contract disputes. We don’t. Having litigated for both plaintiffs and defendants across decades of practice, we understand how the other side thinks, and we use that perspective to build stronger cases, anticipate opposing arguments, and find leverage others miss.
Whether you’re pursuing damages, defending against a claim you believe is meritless, or trying to enforce your rights before a dispute escalates, King & Jones brings a litigation-first mindset that prepares every case for trial, even when it resolves before getting there.
Our breach of contract law firm serves clients throughout Chicago, Cook County and DuPage County. Use the contact button below to schedule a consultation about your contract dispute.
Chicago Breach of Contract Lawyer FAQs
What is a breach of contract?
A breach of contract occurs when one party fails to fulfill its obligations under a legally binding agreement, written or oral, without a lawful excuse. Breaches can be obvious (a vendor stops delivering goods) or subtle (a partner quietly violates a confidentiality clause). Our article explains how a broken agreement becomes a breach.
What do you need to prove a breach of contract claim?
You generally need to show that a valid contract existed, that you performed your obligations or had a valid reason for not doing so, that the other party failed to meet a material term of the agreement, and that the breach caused quantifiable financial harm. Read more on when a breach counts as material.
How long do you have to sue for breach of contract in Illinois?
Illinois generally allows 10 years to sue on a written contract and 5 years on an oral contract, though shorter periods apply to certain claims, such as the 4-year period for sales of goods under the UCC, and parties may sometimes contractually shorten the period. See our guide on timing your call to a contract lawyer.
Can you recover attorney fees in a contract dispute?
Some agreements shift attorney fees, so the side that broke the contract covers the other side’s legal bills. Whether yours does depends on its exact wording, so the fee terms are one of the first things to check when a dispute starts. A fee provision can also change the risk each side takes by going to trial.