Please note, Landsman Saldinger Carroll represents businesses, executives, and professionals in business-related defamation matters. We do not handle personal defamation claims on a contingency basis.
Business Defamation and Reputation Litigation
At Landsman Saldinger Carroll, we know that a company’s reputation is one of its most valuable assets. It shapes relationships with customers, lenders, investors, partners, and employees, and it can be damaged in an afternoon. When false statements threaten your business, or when your company is accused of making them, you need litigators who understand both the law and the commercial stakes.
We represent businesses, executives, and professionals in defamation and disparagement disputes that arise in the course of doing business. That includes pursuing claims against competitors and former insiders, and defending companies and their leaders against defamation claims brought by others. Our defamation work is one part of our broader commercial litigation practice, and we approach it the same way: strategically, efficiently, and with your business objectives in mind.
Defamation in the Business Context
Defamation is a false statement of fact, communicated to a third party, that damages someone’s reputation. Written statements (emails, press releases, online posts, reviews, industry publications) are libel. Spoken statements (at conferences, in sales calls, to customers or vendors) are slander.
In a commercial setting, these disputes rarely stand alone. They often overlap with, or grow out of:
- Commercial disparagement and trade libel. False statements about the quality, safety, or legitimacy of a company’s products or services.
- Tortious interference. False statements made to customers, suppliers, or deal partners to disrupt contracts or business relationships.
- Deceptive trade practices. Misleading statements about a competitor’s goods, services, or business practices.
- Breach of non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions. Violations of obligations in settlement, separation, partnership, or M&A agreements.
- Partnership and shareholder disputes. Accusations exchanged between co-owners, founders, or investors as a business relationship breaks down.
- Employer–employee disputes. Statements made by or about former executives and employees, including in references and on social media.
Under Illinois law, statements that damage a person or business in its trade or profession can be actionable on their own, without proof of specific financial loss. The rules are nuanced, and the claims available to you often go beyond defamation itself.
When Your Business Is the Target
False statements about your company can cost you customers, stall financing, jeopardize a transaction, or undermine your standing in your industry. We help businesses and executives respond to:
- Competitors spreading false claims about your products, pricing, or practices
- Former employees, partners, or executives making false accusations after a departure
- Fake or coordinated online reviews and anonymous attacks targeting your business
- False allegations of fraud, misconduct, or regulatory violations circulated to clients or investors
- Breaches of non-disparagement obligations
Where the author is anonymous, we can use the legal process to identify the source. And we evaluate every available claim, not just defamation, to find the strongest path to relief.
When Your Business Is Accused
Defamation claims are increasingly used as leverage in business disputes: filed in response to a termination, a lawsuit, a competitive loss, or a negative review. We defend companies, executives, and professionals against these claims and bring the same aggressive approach to defense that we bring to every case.
Defamation claims can be defeated on many grounds, including:
- Truth or substantial truth. A true statement is not defamatory.
- Opinion. Statements that cannot be proven true or false are generally protected.
- Privilege. Statements made in litigation, in certain business communications, or in the course of legitimate reporting may be protected.
- Statute of limitations. In Illinois, most defamation claims must be filed within one year.
- Fault standards. Claims brought by public figures require proof of “actual malice,” a demanding standard.
- Statutory protections. Where a claim targets protected speech or petitioning activity, anti-SLAPP protections may apply.
Early, focused motion practice can often end a weak claim before it becomes expensive. When it can’t, we are fully prepared to take the case the distance.
Strategy That Fits the Business
Every dispute is different, and one size does not fit all. Some matters are best resolved quickly and quietly, through a cease-and-desist letter, a retraction demand, or a negotiated resolution that protects confidentiality. Others require litigation to stop ongoing harm, recover losses, or set the record straight.
Before recommending a course of action, we look at the full picture: the commercial relationships involved, the likely cost and duration of litigation, public relations considerations, insurance coverage, and what a realistic win looks like for your business. Resolution through mediation, arbitration, or settlement is always on our radar. If trial is the right answer, we are ready for it.
Act Quickly
Defamation disputes move fast and deadlines are short. Posts get deleted, emails get lost, and false narratives spread. Whether you have been targeted or accused, early action matters: preserving evidence, sending litigation hold and preservation notices, assessing claims and defenses, and positioning the matter before the other side does.
Why Businesses Choose Landsman Saldinger Carroll
We are commercial litigators. We handle defamation matters as part of a broader business litigation practice, so we understand how reputation disputes intersect with contracts, competition, employment, and ownership disputes.
We think strategically. We look beyond the immediate facts to the factors that will affect both our client and the opposing side, and we build a plan around your goals.
We have the depth to take on anyone. We litigate against large firms and well-funded opponents, while handling smaller matters efficiently and cost-effectively.
We will not be out-worked. We work closely with our clients, take every case personally, and push for the best possible result.
Contact Landsman Saldinger Carroll for Your Business Defamation Needs
If your company or its leadership is facing a defamation or disparagement dispute, on either side, contact Landsman Saldinger Carroll to discuss your matter with an experienced commercial litigator.
Landsman Saldinger Carroll represents businesses, executives, and professionals in business-related defamation matters. We do not handle personal defamation claims on a contingency basis.
