“She drove out to the pad site, looked at the pour herself, and had the general contractor's lawyer on the phone that week. We got paid.”
Dale R.Concrete subcontractor
Business, construction and property disputes
I walk the job site before I read the contract
Annika Haugland is a trial lawyer for contractors, ranch families, landowners and small companies caught in a lawsuit, on either side of it. Contract, partnership, construction and land disputes, in court or in arbitration.
- The first call is freeAbout half an hour
- Plaintiff or defenseWhichever side you're on
- A written budgetBefore anything is filed
- Court or arbitrationWherever the contract sends it
Practice areas
Disputes over work, money and ground
Most of my cases start with a handshake that didn't hold. Pick the one closest to yours.
Business and contract disputes
Unpaid invoices, broken supply deals, partners who want out, and non-competes. For owners and companies, suing or being sued.
Read about business disputes
Construction disputes
Payment claims and liens, change orders nobody signed, delay and defect claims. For general contractors, subs, suppliers and owners.
Read about construction disputes
Land and property disputes
Easements, fence lines, access roads, leases and title problems, between neighbors, landlords, tenants and buyers.
Read about land disputes
About Annika
I grew up riding along to my father's jobs
My father ran a dirt-moving outfit out of Casper, and I spent summers in the truck with him, from Douglas to Riverton. I watched good jobs end in bad paperwork: a change order that was only a phone call, a final payment held back over a punch list.
That's most of my practice now. I work alone on purpose. You get me on the phone, at the site and in the courtroom, and I drive to whichever courthouse your case is in.
How a case runs
From the first call to a ruling
Every case moves at the court's pace, not mine. Here's what you can expect along the way.
- 01
We talk it through
Tell me what happened and who's involved. I'll say whether I can help and what the first steps would cost.
- 02
I read everything
The contract, invoices, emails, texts and photos. If there's a site, a shop or a fence line, I go and look at it.
- 03
A plan in writing
What we're asking for, what each stage is likely to cost, and the points where settling makes sense.
- 04
Settle it or try it
Most cases settle. The ones that don't, I take to a judge, a jury or an arbitrator.
From clients
What clients said when the dust settled
“My brother and I couldn't run the shop together anymore. Annika got us to a buyout neither of us loved, which is how I knew it was fair.”
Marla P.Co-owner of a parts store
“The new owners gated the road we'd used to reach our pasture for forty years. It's open again, and this time it's written into the deed.”
Glen T.Ranch owner
Sample comments for this template. Every case is different, and how one turned out doesn't predict another.
Before you call
What people ask in the first ten minutes
I've just been served. How long do I have?
Not long. The deadline to answer a lawsuit is short and set by the court's rules, and missing it can mean losing by default. Call as soon as you can and keep every paper you were handed.
Do you only take one side?
No. I represent plaintiffs and defendants: the contractor who wasn't paid, and the owner being sued for the bill. I check for conflicts before we get into details.
Can we stay out of court?
Often. Many contracts send disputes to mediation or arbitration first, and most cases settle. I'll tell you early whether yours is likely to.
How do you charge?
Most cases are billed by the hour against a written budget for each stage, so you see the cost before the work starts. Some smaller collection matters can be a flat fee, agreed in writing.
Bring the contract, the texts and the photos
The first call is free and takes about half an hour. You'll hear plainly whether your case is worth what it would cost to bring or defend.