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The success of Vanguard Law Office’s civil practice is due to many years of practical experience in all stages of civil litigation on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants throughout the country. The firm supports clients who wish to utilize alternative dispute resolution to resolve disputes outside of public and costly litigation and regularly assists individuals and companies in privately negotiating favorable settlement terms before either party ever sees the inside of a courtroom. Where litigation is preferred or otherwise unavoidable, the firm fights vigorously, thoroughly, and creatively on behalf of its clients seeking vindication through trial before a judge or jury.

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Types of Matters. Rachna Shah has worked on both sides of the ‘v.’ in various civil disputes, including personal injury, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, breach of contract, debt collection, enforcement of judgment, assault/battery, conversion, and defamation. The firm has also assisted with lawsuits against the government, including a high-profile wrongful death suit and police brutality cases, and matters initiated by government agencies or non-profits, including disciplinary or termination hearings within the NYPD, MTA, DOE, or schools/universities and other non-profits. The firm successfully negotiates on behalf of clients frequently, and preemptively, most often related to employment (including negotiating compensation/equity, severance, or settlement of potential claims such as discrimination or retaliation) and breach of contract (including demands for payment for unpaid services and cease and desists), as well as other agreements, from tenant/sublease contracts to high-emotion negotiations regarding personal or business divorce.​

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Professional Threats. The firm represents licensed professionals, including attorneys, physicians, real estate professionals, and those in the financial services industries, against accusations of professional misconduct ranging from ethics or malpractice complaints to insider trading, market manipulation, fraud, commingling of funds, and other internal investigations in private institutions.

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False and Extortive Accusations. Vanguard Law Office understands that, at times, the threat of criminal or professional consequences is unfortunately used for the wrong reasons, damaging the needs of real victims everywhere. The firm has helped its clients, from BigTech employees, attorneys, students, and small business owners to CEOs of public companies, private companies, and non-profits, get ahead of and seek justice against false or otherwise extortive accusations. The firm is uniquely capable of providing a coordinated response from both its criminal and civil practices, preserving proper criminal rights and defenses while issuing cease and desists/demand letters, and, when necessary, bringing lawsuits for defamation and other harms resulting from clearly false and vexatious accusations. This aggressive, principled approach against extortive threats has resulted in multiple clients paying nothing in settlement -- even when a lawsuit was already brought against them. (Note: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.)

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