San Diego Unfair Competition Lawyers
California’s unfair competition laws are broad-ranging and complex. If you are concerned about unfair competition from another business or have been accused of unfair competition, it is important to consult an attorney who is well-versed in how the law has been applied.
At the Watkins Firm, we help clients pursue and defend against unfair competition allegations. Our experienced trial lawyers are prepared to go to court in order to protect your interests if necessary. To set up a free, no-obligation consultation, contact us at our offices in San Diego or call today for a substantive free consultation at (858) 535-1511.
Seeking Positive Resolutions to Unfair Competition Cases
California has particularly strong laws against unfair competition, primarily contained within Section 17200 of the Business and Professions Code, which operates alongside related provisions in other sections of state law. Common types of unfair competition include:
- Theft and misappropriation of trade secrets and customer lists
- Business Fraud
- Unfair business practices
- Making false misrepresentations in a business transaction
- Unfair, deceptive, untrue and misleading advertising
- Below-cost sales, locality discrimination and other price manipulation
Generally, anything one business does to try to prevent other businesses from competing, outside of the normal bounds of attempts to gain competitive advantage, may be considered unfair competition or an unfair business practice.
Our firm is prepared to represent plaintiffs and defendants in unfair competition cases. In every case, we seek creative solutions while preparing for the possibility of litigation.
Listen to one of our Recent Sound Business Insights Podcasts:
“Episode 16 – Unfair Competition”
San Diego Unfair Competition and Deceptive Advertising Attorneys
Unfair deceptive untrue and misleading advertising practices here in California are covered under our “Unfair Competition” laws. The California Unfair Competition law covers deceptive, untrue and misleading advertising as well as unfair business practices such as business fraud and misrepresentation.
California provides strong protection for San Diego and Southern California businesses against unfair, deceptive, untrue and misleading advertising by competitors. Watkins Firm attorneys have decades of experience in Unfair Competition and deceptive advertising cases. We will not only work to put an immediate stop the practices of your competitor, we will seek monetary and potential punitive damages.
Examples of Unfair Deceptive Untrue and Misleading Advertising in San Diego
Some examples of false unfair deceptive untrue and misleading advertising are a bit obvious. Bait-and-switch is one of the most common examples of deceptive advertising. In a bait-and-switch example, the advertiser offers a spectacular offer on a primary brand or product, but when the customer arrives (online or in person) to make a purchase the item is “out of stock” and the advertiser attempts to switch you to another product.
By law, advertising may not contain misrepresentations, false statements, manipulative terms or misleading descriptions. Examples of misleading advertising might include:
- Attempting to Sell Counterfeit Products in Place of the Actual Item
- Fraudulent Claims about a Product’s Ingredients
- False Claims about a Product and its Uses
- False or Misleading “Compare At” Prices on a Discounted Sale or Clearance Item
How Can The Watkins Firm Help Your Business Against False and Deceptive Advertising?
The experienced deceptive advertising and unfair competition attorneys at the Watkins Firm will take action to protect your business interests. While it may not be possible to seek “punitive” damages in many cases, we will seek compensation for the financial damages your company has borne due to your competitor’s actions.
In many cases an unfair competition claim may involve a former employee or business partner who is using the knowledge gained from your company to manipulate the marketplace.
We will seek an immediate “injunction” to put a stop to the false advertising and prevent your competitor from using it in the future. In many cases it may be possible to ensure your competitor runs corrective advertising to reverse the impact of the previous false or deceptive claims.
You can trust the 40+ year of experience the Watkins Firm brings to our cases as we focus on making things right and working to restore your company financially and competitively to the position it held prior to the false and deceptive advertising of a competitor.
Put a Stop to Unfair Deceptive Untrue and Misleading Advertising by a San Diego Competitor
The Watkins Firm can help you to put a stop to the unfair deceptive untrue or misleading advertising of competitor and seek just compensation for the damages you have incurred. We invite you to review the strong recommendations of our clients and contact us or call 858-535-1511 to speak with an attorney personally for a free consultation.
If you are concerned about the marketing and advertising practices of a competitor in San Diego or Southern California we can help to answer your questions and put a stop to it.
Handling Disputes Involving Former Employees and Partners
A substantial number of unfair competition claims involve disputes over trade secrets, business assets and goodwill involving a business’s former employees or partners.
- An employee may be accused of using trade secrets and customer lists to the advantage of a new employer or to start a new business.
- A business partner may be accused of the same, as well as taking control of Web sites, phone numbers, P.O. boxes, directory listings and other business assets.
If your business’s assets and intellectual property have been misappropriated, or if a former employer or partner is trying to prevent you from competing by alleging unfair competition, don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your options.