Enforcing the Agreements You Honored in Good Faith

A Greater Houston breach of contract lawyer helps business owners hold the other side accountable when a signed deal falls apart. San Miguel Attorneys represents entrepreneurs, contractors, developers, and investors across the Greater Houston area, The Woodlands, and Montgomery and Harris Counties who need to enforce a contract and recover what they are owed. With attorneys licensed in both Texas and Mexico, we pursue claims aggressively and explain every step in plain language, in English or Spanish. A broken contract is a business problem with real financial stakes, and Texas law gives you specific tools to fix it. The challenge is using them before the clock runs out and before the other side moves money or assets out of reach.

Why Choose San Miguel Attorneys

Business owners across Texas and the U.S.-Mexico corridor trust our firm because we treat a contract dispute as the business litigation matter it is, not a minor civil squabble. San Miguel Attorneys provides:

  • A bicultural, 100% bilingual team licensed in both Texas and Mexico, comfortable in U.S. and Mexican courts
  • More than 16 years of experience serving businesses in Texas and Mexico, including cases with millions of dollars in dispute
  • A track record of more than 5,000 successful cases and six consecutive years as a Law Firm 500 Honoree
  • Veteran-owned representation founded by a husband-and-wife team and grown to a full firm of attorneys
  • Cross-border reach when the other party or its assets sit on either side of the border
  • Honest, transparent billing and a personal touch on every matter
  • Free evaluations to learn about your legal options

We also recognize the entrepreneur’s journey, because we have lived it. That perspective shapes how we fight for the businesses we represent, and how we help them build stronger agreements for the future.

What Counts as a Breach of Contract in Texas?

A breach of contract happens when one party fails to do what a valid agreement requires, whether that means refusing to pay, missing a deadline, delivering substandard work, or walking away entirely. To win a breach of contract claim in Texas, you generally have to prove four things

  • A valid contract existed
  • You performed or offered to perform your side
  • The other party broke the agreement
  • The breach caused you a loss

Texas courts enforce both written and oral contracts, though written agreements are far easier to prove. Not every breach is the same. A material breach goes to the heart of the deal and can excuse your own performance, while a minor breach may entitle you to damages without ending the contract. Which one you face shapes your entire strategy.

What Types of Business Contract Disputes Do You Handle?

Commercial agreements break down in predictable ways, and most of our matters fall into a handful of recurring categories. We regularly represent clients in disputes involving:

Many business agreements begin the same way with a handshake, a longtime relationship, and a contract that never nailed down the details. When the trust that built the company becomes the thing that leaves it exposed, we step in to enforce the agreement and tighten the structure so the next deal holds.

What Can You Recover When a Contract Is Broken?

Texas law lets you pursue several kinds of relief in a breach of contract case, and the right mix depends on your goals and the facts. The most common remedies are actual damages to put you where you would have been if the contract had been honored, and in some cases consequential damages for foreseeable losses that flowed from the breach.

Beyond the money owed, Texas gives prevailing parties a powerful advantage. Under the state’s attorney’s fee statute, a person who wins a claim on an oral or written contract may recover reasonable attorney’s fees in addition to the amount awarded on the underlying claim and court costs. 

A 2021 amendment expanded who can be forced to pay those fees, so you can now seek them from many business organizations, including LLCs and partnerships, though some entities such as religious and charitable organizations remain excluded. To qualify, you must be represented by an attorney, present your claim, prevail, and actually recover damages. That fee-shifting rule changes the math on whether a dispute is worth pursuing.

How Long Do You Have to File a Breach of Contract Claim?

In Texas, you generally have four years from the date the contract was broken to file a breach of contract lawsuit. The clock for the statute of limitations usually starts on the day of the breach itself, not the day you discovered it, so waiting to act can quietly cost you the claim. When a contract calls for repeated or installment payments, a separate four-year window can apply to each missed payment.

Before you can recover attorney’s fees, the statute also requires that you present your claim to the other side and give them 30 days to pay the just amount owed. A well-drafted demand letter often serves that purpose, and sometimes resolves the matter without a lawsuit. Either way, the earlier you involve counsel, the more options you keep open.

The Cross-Border Advantage

When your contract dispute crosses the Texas-Mexico line, the stakes and the complexity both rise. The other party may operate in Monterrey, the assets may sit in Guadalajara, or the agreement may have been negotiated in two languages and two legal cultures at once. Most Houston firms are not built for that.

San Miguel Attorneys has experience handling legal matters that cross the border. Our dual-licensed team works fluidly between the United States and Mexican legal systems, so we can pursue a non-paying counterparty or trace assets on either side of the border. For Texas businesses expanding south and Mexican companies entering the U.S. market, that reach can be the difference between a judgment you can collect and one you cannot.

What to Expect When You Work With Our Firm

Resolving a breach of contract claim with San Miguel Attorneys starts with a free evaluation, where we review the agreement, the timeline, and your goals. From there, we build a strategy around your business rather than a template. For most matters, we handle the following on your behalf:

  • Review the contract, the communications, and the full record of what was promised and delivered
  • Calculate your damages and identify every avenue of recovery, including attorney’s fees
  • Draft and present a demand letter that satisfies the presentment requirement and often opens settlement
  • Negotiate or litigate, in Texas or across the border, depending on what gets you the best result

Throughout, we keep you informed in the language you prefer, so you always know where your case stands and why.

Talk to a Greater Houston Breach of Contract Lawyer

You spent years building your business through hard work and good faith. When a deal turns into a fight, you deserve a team that defends those years with everything it has. San Miguel Attorneys litigates aggressively to protect your interests and your bottom line. Contact our team to schedule a free evaluation. We will tell you honestly whether you have a case and what it will take to win. Hablamos tu idioma.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a verbal agreement enforceable in Texas?

Yes. Texas courts enforce both oral and written contracts, and the attorney’s fee statute specifically lists oral and written contracts as recoverable claims. The practical difference is proof. A written contract carries built-in evidence of the terms and dates, while an oral agreement often comes down to testimony and surrounding records. Certain contracts, such as those for the sale of real estate, agreements that can’t be completed within one year, and contracts for the sale of goods worth $500 or more, must be in writing to be enforced, pursuant to the Statute of Frauds

Do I have to send a demand letter before I sue?

You are not required to send one before filing suit, but it usually helps. To recover your attorney’s fees under Texas law, you must present your claim to the other party and give them 30 days to pay the just amount owed before those fees start accruing. A demand letter satisfies that requirement and often resolves the dispute without litigation, which saves everyone time and money.

Can I recover my legal fees if the other side broke the contract?

Often, yes. Texas allows a party who prevails on a breach of contract claim and recovers damages to also recover reasonable attorney’s fees, in addition to the amount owed and court costs. A 2021 change in the law expanded this so you can pursue fees not only from individuals and corporations but also from LLCs, partnerships, and most other business organizations. You must be represented by an attorney and actually win and recover on your claim to qualify.