Business Litigation

In litigation, as in everything Vaughn Legal Group does, we combine an innovative approach to litigation with a strong practical mindset to serve each of our clients. We always initially ask what our clients want and take that information to devise a thorough strategy to achieve maximum results for our clients. We make sure that clients never wait to have their questions answered and hold ourselves accountable to our clients. Resolving to live by the principles of innovative thinking combined with practical solutions, heartened by the cunning and experience to deliver on those principles, distinguishes our litigation skills and strategy from other notable firms.

Vaughn Legal Group’s clients range from individuals and small family-owned businesses to Fortune 200 companies, including such diverse sectors as banking, insurance, real estate, green technology, computer technology, healthcare and upstream and downstream petroleum companies.

Vaughn Legal Group’s successes are a direct result of appreciating that any win, particularly high-stakes litigation, demands a concerted strategy that is formed the minute we are retained for a case. We believe that while each case may not go to trial, each case must be prepared and litigated as if that case will go to trial. Our record at trial and in alternate dispute litigation emphatically sends that message.

Solar EnergyFinancing, Development, and Power Purchase Agreements

We advise clients in all aspects of the financing, development and construction of solar and other renewable energy projects. We offer profound expertise in project finance and development. We advise clients in the renewable energy sector on power purchase, energy sales, and represent active developers and investors looking to acquire or sell interests in on-going projects and passive investors seeking cash returns, investment tax credits, and depreciation benefits. Our lawyers regularly work with lenders, tax equity investors, and borrowers in structuring and negotiating development, construction and long-term debt, leases and other financing arrangements for solar projects.

Regulatory Practice

The Vaughn Legal Group has significant experience addressing the regulatory issues that impact solar and renewable energy, including incentive programs, renewable portfolio standards, utility procurement and interconnection requirements, permitting and siting, standard offer contracts, metering, environmental impact reviews, and more. We have broad expertise on solar energy at both the state and federal levels, and we are familiar with both the substance and process of the regulation of solar energy. Vaughn Legal Group attorneys can advise solar energy clients on regulatory requirements, represent them in regulatory proceedings, and help them obtain needed regulatory approvals.

Protecting Intellectual Property

In an industry where the protection of intellectual property is critical, the firm takes a methodical and strategic approach to the protection and defense of each client’s intellectual property assets. We help our clients develop, plan, and protect their IP portfolios via patent and trademark filings, copyright maintenance, proposed guidelines for business practices, and the careful application of contractual provisions addressing invention assignment, non-disclosure issues, and non-competition.

Whether the goal is a successful development and financing of a solar energy project, an early stage round of debt or equity funding, a lucrative acquisition, a waiver from regulatory requirements, the development of an attractive project, or the favorable resolution of a business dispute, our attorneys have the experience, skills, and industry knowledge to help achieve our clients’ goals.

We bring strategic insight, creativity, and practical approaches to the challenges and opportunities that our clients face. We are passionate about this industry and we keep ourselves and our clients informed about the status of applicable tax credits and other tax incentives, renewable portfolio standards, renewable energy credits, and related green-power and carbon trading market developments.

Recent Solar Projects

The Vaughn Legal Group has advised, and is currently representing a variety of clients in a number of solar transactions and related business activities, including:

• Representing a solar project developer in various solar project development, financing, and California Public Utility Commission matters

• Advising a manufacturer of thin film solar panels located in Northern California on various construction and development matters, bids for power purchase agreements, and financing of future utility-sized solar energy facilities

• Representing an established PV solar developer in connection with its agreements to purchase PV panels

• Representing a startup solar company in negotiating agreements to purchase PV panel manufacturing equipment for a new foreign manufacturing facility from an established equipment manufacturer, as well as in structuring the company’s world-wide corporate organization

• Assisting an equity investment firm focused on solar and other alternative energy investments in the development of form contracts for solar project delivery systems

• Representing a startup solar technology company in corporate and related matters

Energy Litigation

Small business owners and energy companies are facing growing expectations of managing their respective businesses with a strong focus on sustainable development. These growing expectations in three critical functioning areas – profitability, social responsibility and environmental leadership—are facing many of the business and regulatory disputes confronting clients of Vaughn Legal Group.

Vaughn Legal Group lawyers have gained a systematic understanding of the energy complexes, specifically, the solar and oil and gas industries that span all phases of those respective industries, including production to transportation, refining and marketing.

Vaughn Legal Group has been widely involved in litigating issues related to the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act, breaches of contracts related to oil and gas facilities and solar farms, joint operating and joint venture agreements, oil and gas leases, production-sharing arrangements, and royalty disputes.

Environmental Regulation & Litigation

Vaughn Legal Group has developed a unique environmental law practice by anticipating and responding to clients’ needs in emerging environmental technology areas, such as Solar and Emission Reduction Technology. We are capable of handling all types of environmental law engagements, including the most refined and complex.

Vaughn Legal Group’s attorneys bring to each client many years of environmental legal experience and a range of both private and public sector perspectives. These collaborative skills offer each client an unmatched advantage when working with Vaughn Legal Group to achieve the clients’ legal objectives.

Our Environmental Practice provides comprehensive environmental knowledge ranging from the implementation of solar farms to existing property structures to representing clients in complex environmental litigation and regulatory enforcement actions.

Vaughn Legal Group advises clients with respect to emerging regulatory developments, singular public and private initiatives and joint private, public partnerships. By encouraging innovative thinking with respect to emerging regulatory standards, Vaughn Legal Group works alongside our clients to prevent downside risk and achieve environmental preeminence.

Real Estate Litigation

Vaughn Legal Group’s Real Estate Litigation practice has capability in litigating all manner of disputes arising from the ownership, development and regulation of real estate. We are able to provide our clients with a wide-ranging representation that offers strategically sensible advice and that crosses multiple disciplines, including Energy, Environmental Law and Green Technology.

Vaughn Legal Group has handled a broad array of real estate disputes for our clients, including, land use, landlord/tenant, environmental, contract, solar farm, access disputes, and eminent domain.

Our attorneys have prevailed at trial, mediation, and arbitration throughout California on behalf of both property owners and landlords. In short, if our clients are in need for a fight to be fought over their real property, we are ready to fight for our clients.

Insurance CoverageThe Vaughn Legal Group has extensive experience in commercial insurance matters, spanning most industries and coverage needs. We advise individual clients to high-technology industries concerning insurance coverage disputes involving first-party property as well as general liability claims. The firm also advises clients on whether general liability and environmental impairment liability (“EIL”) insurance covers pollution investigation and cleanup costs.

The Vaughn Legal Group attorneys regularly advise clients involved in the construction industry regarding coverage under builders’ risk policies, errors and omissions policies, and comprehensive and commercial general liability policies.

VLG’s coverage practice extends to Directors’ and Officers’ (“D&O”) liability insurance for corporate officials. VLG also handles coverage matters involving Errors and Omissions (“E&O”) liability insurance for various professions, including law and accounting. We additionally provide coverage advice on indemnity insurance, employers’ liability insurance, and the obligation to provide maintenance and cure benefits.

VLG handles litigation involving claims of “bad faith,” and our attorneys regularly handle lawsuits seeking extra-contractual and punitive damages relating to alleged breaches of insurance contracts.

VLG also offers clients expertise in labor and employment law, and regularly represents both insurance and non-insurance clients in business litigation cases involving antitrust, breach of contract, fraud, environmental issues, RICO, intellectual property, real property, and other matters.

Insurance Litigation

Vaughn Legal Group’s attorneys are seasoned litigators who are uniquely experienced at all levels of litigation and have broken new ground in alterative dispute resolution including, arbitration, mediation and negotiation. Because we have extensive experience with the business of insurers and reinsurers, Vaughn Legal Group’s attorneys have earned a national reputation for their ability to recognize and manage complex coverage disputes and for their legal acumen and skill at addressing the legal and business implications of new and existing coverage issues. Vaughn Legal Group has decades of winning experience representing individuals and carriers in state, federal and bankruptcy court coverage lawsuits throughout the United States.

We also have significant experience handling multi-party and multi-state coverage disputes and litigation at both the trial and appellate courts, as well as commercial coverage matters involving claims made under errors and missions, directors and officers, employers liability and professional liability policies.

We also have extensive experience representing insurance clients in the automobile, residential and commercial markets and post-acquisition disputes involving individuals against their insurance carriers and individual vs. individual disputes.

Green Transportation Technologies

Vaughn Legal Group counsels clients to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape of climate change regulation and unlock opportunities in an increasingly evolving carbon-constrained world economy. Vaughn Legal Group has expertise in areas of renewable energy including hydrogen, solar, fuel cell industries, and zero emission control devices.

Concerns regarding global warming are reshaping every business landscape and national and international governments. Regulations at the local, state, and federal levels have, or soon will, impose significant emissions compliance obligations on companies operating in California, the United States and the world at-large. Vaughn Legal Group attorneys see such regulatory hurdles as creating opportunities for innovative, entrpenurial businesses that have positioned themselves to capitalize on the new regulatory framework. Vaughn Legal Group assists our clients to identify the potential impact of climate change initiatives and regulation on their business, highlight new and emerging business opportunities and potential risks, evaluate compliance options and seek private venture capital, and governmental funding opportunities.

Renewable Energy

The Renewable Energy drive to diversify the energy supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, along with re-structuring in the automobile transportation sectors, have led to new opportunities for advanced vehicle technology. Renewable energy replaces conventional fuels in numerous distinct sectors: heavy-duty diesel vehicles, light-duty diesel vehicles, and other commercial vehicles. In California, and throughout the United States, governmental agencies have begun to support renewable energy initiatives due to environmental and multi-national trade pressures. Companies, with the assistance of public and private monies, are responding by investing in a broader portfolio of generating facilities and technologies.

Cleantech

Cleantech encompasses a broad asset class of new technologies driven by the demand for cleaner and more efficient vehicles fuels and devices that address environmental concerns. Key sectors include energy conservation, storage, transportation, advanced materials, and emission control devices. Vaughn Legal Group, in conjunction with its list of leading professionals, can assist Cleantech companies with intellectual property, governmental relations and regulatory affairs, as well as business models and corporate strategies.

Vaughn Legal Group provides a comprehensive range of services to address various business, legal and regulatory needs. Examples of these include:

• Project planning and finance
• Emissions trading
• Financing, including venture equity, debt and public issues
• Drafting purchase and sale agreements
• Environmental issues
• Land use and rights of way
• Intellectual property in energy technologies
• Governmental incentive programs

Technology

Vaughn Legal Group develops innovative solutions for emerging companies at the intersection of technology and business. We advise companies involved in advanced vehicle technology, application software, as well as everything from advertising to fuels cell technology. Whether it is assistance with project or enterprise funding, intellectual property protection, regulatory guidance or economic incentives, Vaughn Legal Group combines the legal aptitude and industry-specific intelligence to create an integrated and laser-sharp plan that meets the challenges emerging business face.

Providing Guidance as Companies Evolve

Vaughn Legal Group often serves as outside general counsel to emerging technology companies, assisting companies with all the details of organization, finance and regulation. We take entrepreneurs through a detailed step-by-step representation from writing business plans, discussing growth strategies, through assisting our clients in making presentations to both private and public investment funds.

Establishing Strategic Partnerships

Using the combined strengths of our energy and environmental practices, we assist technology companies maximize their products, services and work product through strategic partnerships that maximize our clients business models while protecting their ownership rights. If any dispute should arise during the course of the partnership, Vaughn Legal Group’s litigators are adept at handling trade secrets litigation.