Time and time again clients seek advice from lawyers when business relationships go south. The client will say, "My business associate agreed with me that we would do X, Y and Z if things didn't work out. Can you draft up a document that says that?" The lawyer, of course, will draft a document that attempts to address the issues at hand, but when the document ends up in the hands of the former business associate, guess what happens? The parties don't agree, particularly when the business is profitable and making money. The bottom line: Don't do business based on a handshake. Put it in writing. Granted, a document drafted on the front end of a business relationship won't necessarily address every possible contingency, but it's much better to have a guidepost than nothing at all. Nothing at all leads to time consuming and costly lawsuits. If you're thinking about entering into a new business relationship or trying to end one, or if find yourself in a business dispute that requires litigation, please contact Joel Ewusiak of Ewusiak Law, P.A. for assistance.