Practice Areas

Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) is the use of a method, such as mediation or arbitration, to resolve a dispute as an alternative to litigation. The experienced attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, can assist you in exploring the various options that may be available to you so as to best protect your interests, as well as help you develop and implement a strategy that enables you to reach your specific goals.

Arbitration is a method of ADR that involves the use of a neutral individual to decide a dispute outside of a court setting. The neutral individual, referred to as an “arbitrator,” is typically chosen by the parties to the dispute based on his or her specialized knowledge, training, or experience relating to the subject matter of the dispute. In some cases, the parties choose a panel of arbitrators (rather than a single arbitrator). A decision or opinion issued at the conclusion of the arbitration hearing is binding and enforceable in the same manner as a judgment issued by a court. The attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, have a great deal of experience representing clients throughout the arbitration process.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding an issue involving arbitration, please do not hesitate to contact Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, at (517) 796-1444.

Mediation is a method of ADR that involves the use of a neutral individual to assist the parties to a dispute in reaching a settlement outside of a court setting. The neutral individual, referred to as the “mediator,” is chosen by mutual agreement of the parties. The mediator then meets with the parties to discuss the issues and seeks to help the parties reach an agreement of resolution. A mediator does not issue a decision or an opinion; rather, their role is to assist the parties in reaching a compromise of the pending claim(s). The parties are not obligated to resolve their dispute at mediation, but, if they do, the parties typically sign a written settlement agreement. A settlement agreement that is signed by parties at mediation is a binding and enforceable contract. The team at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, has experience representing clients throughout the mediation process and prides itself on providing its clients with the information necessary to make thoughtful, well-informed decisions regarding possible settlement.

The team at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, is made up of experienced litigators whose knowledge and understanding covers the complexity of appellate practice. Whether you are considering and/or facing an appeal on a local, state, or federal level, the attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, can help you develop and implement a practical, comprehensive strategy that protects your interests throughout the litigation process.

The term “litigation” generally refers to the process associated with bringing and/or defending a lawsuit. Litigation can be complicated and burdensome because there are various procedural rules that dictate what you can and cannot do throughout the litigation process. Further, whether you are the plaintiff or the defendant in a lawsuit, there are a number of strategic elements that may influence the way in which you should proceed. The attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, have a great deal of experience in navigating the court system and addressing the other issues that clients may face before, during, and after a lawsuit is filed. We pride ourselves on walking our clients through each step of the process and making sure that they are in a position to make educated, well-informed decisions so as to best protect their interests.

If you own, manage, or are otherwise involved in a business, at some point in time you will probably encounter a situation that has the potential to lead to, or does lead to, a lawsuit. Business disputes may include, but are not limited to, customer complaints, collection of unpaid monies due to the company, contract issues, employee matters, liability issues, and licensing complications. Disagreements may also arise among company owners that result in lawsuits between partners, members of an LLC, or shareholders of a corporation. In some unfortunate situations, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations find a need to seek court intervention for breach of fiduciary duties, financial improprieties, or even dissolution of a business entity. The attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, understand that your business is of the utmost importance to you. Our firm can provide quality and experienced representation to your company, whether it be in pursuing or defending against a lawsuit.

If someone owes you or your business money, then the team at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, can help you lawfully collect that money by utilizing an approach that is both comprehensive and cost-effective. We understand and appreciate that collecting monies due and owing to an individual or a business is extremely important. This is why we serve our clients by not only helping them address existing and ongoing issues involving debt collection, but also by working with our clients to create and implement successful strategies so as to minimize debt collection issues in the future. The attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, have helped clients throughout Michigan in matters involving the following issues:

• Breach of contract disputes
• Open account/account stated
• Land contract disputes
• Mortgage disputes
• Claim and delivery actions
• Post-judgment collection actions

Perhaps you have a legal matter that does not seem to fit a specific classification? If this is the case, the attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, have represented clients in litigation involving a vast array of legal issues. Our attorneys have helped clients with matters involving all types of breach of contract, personal property damage, the defense of federal civil rights claims, consumer protection, and fraud, to name a few. If you are facing, or already involved in a lawsuit, the law office of Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, may be able to provide you with the assistance and guidance that you need.

For many people, real estate is one of their most valuable and important assets; as such, it is important to protect your interests by obtaining realistic and up-to-date legal advice. The attorneys of Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, represent clients with respect to a wide variety of matters involving real estate. Whether your issue involves residential or commercial property, the team at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, welcomes the opportunity to assist you by providing legal advice that is both well-informed and practical.

Local governments face unique challenges given the very nature of the services and protections that they provide to their constituents. It is very important that municipalities obtain expert legal advice from attorneys with the knowledge and experience necessary to help them effectively govern and protect the interests of their communities, while at the same time being aware of the role that they play on local, state, and federal levels. The attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, have experience representing and advising local municipalities, to include villages and townships, with respect to a variety of matters, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Open Meetings Act compliance
• FOIA requests
• issues surrounding the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act
• land use
• zoning
• land division
• ordinance enforcement
• condemnation
• municipal litigation

Disputes involving real estate can be particularly complicated and significant given that the outcomes oftentimes have a lasting effect on the parties involved. The attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, frequently handle cases involving disputes that center around both residential and commercial real estate. We represent and provide practical guidance to clients throughout Michigan in matters involving the following issues:

• contract disputes
• landlord/tenant disputes (both commercial and residential)
• riparian rights
• easements
• land contract disputes
• boundary disputes
• quiet title actions
• deed restrictions and land use
• seller’s disclosure disputes
• condominium development issues
• trespass and nuisance claims

A common issue between neighboring property owners is the actual location of property lines. Boundary disputes arise when two adjacent property owners disagree over property line location. Disputes also arise where structures or fences are placed such that they encroach on a neighboring property. Boundary disputes may further involve neighbors who disagree over the location of a driveway, stored personal property (such as automobiles and recreational vehicles), or ownership of trees and other vegetation.

An easement is a right to use an area on or over the real property of another. Most often, easements are created for a defined purpose, such as a driveway or access over property, utility placement, or a walkway for lake or other waterway access. Disputes may arise between property owners over easement location, proper use, authorized easement users, and maintenance of easements, to name a few.

Owning real estate may be for personal or business reasons, or, perhaps, the result of family history. Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, has extensive experience assisting clients with buying and selling real estate, owning and operating rental properties, dealing with family-owned cottages or vacation homes, developing residential and commercial properties, and a host of other real estate matters. Our firm can assist in the preparation and/or review of documents related to all types of real estate dealings and transactions. The law firm of Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, works with individuals, businesses, and families seeking expertise to help navigate them through their real estate matters.

There may be a variety of remedies available to you if you are facing a dispute involving a real estate transaction. Two of the most common issues facing clients today are foreclosure (land contract and mortgage) and forfeiture. When a buyer defaults under a land contract or mortgage agreement, the seller or the lender may bring an action to foreclose the contract. Forfeiture, on the other hand, is a common remedy for land contract sellers. A “forfeiture action” refers to the process by which a land contract seller seeks to terminate the buyer’s interest under the land contract. Both foreclosure and forfeiture actions are subject to strict procedural and legal requirements that must be followed in order to sustain a viable claim. Whether you are a land contract seller considering the possibility of taking legal action against your buyer or an individual seeking guidance with respect to negotiating with your lender, the attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, have the knowledge and experience necessary to assist you with the various issues that may arise as a result of these disputes.

For example, we represent and provide practical guidance to clients throughout Michigan involving the following issues:

• land contract foreclosure
• land contract forfeiture
• mortgage foreclosure
• tax foreclosure
• document preparation and review
• real estate litigation

As a landlord, you are subject to certain legal requirements that must be satisfied in order for you to take advantage of the protections and remedies that may be available to you in the event of a default on the part of your tenant(s). Whether the real property in question is residential or commercial in nature, the team at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, is here to help you navigate the complexities that oftentimes arise in disputes involving rental property, to include eviction proceedings. We can also work with you to ensure that the proper strategies and processes are in place so as to reduce the likelihood of future disputes. The attorneys at Inosencio & Fisk, PLLC, have a great deal of experience with respect to preparing and reviewing lease agreements (residential and commercial) and representing clients with respect to summary proceedings.