Real Estate Litigation
Resolving High-Stakes Property Disputes with Precision and Authority
Real estate litigation is rarely just about property—it’s about investments, development rights, contractual obligations, and long-term business strategy. At Irelan | Stephens, we provide powerful legal representation to individuals, developers, property owners, investors, lenders, and businesses involved in high-value real estate disputes across Texas.
Whether you’re navigating a boundary disagreement or defending against a multimillion-dollar commercial claim, our attorneys bring the depth of experience and courtroom skill necessary to protect your interests and secure favorable outcomes.
Strategic Litigation from Transaction to Trial
At Irelan | Stephens, we understand the life cycle of real estate. Many of our clients come to us after a deal has gone sideways—while others retain us to avoid litigation altogether. Whether we’re enforcing a developer’s rights under a failed purchase agreement or defending a commercial landlord from a lease dispute, our approach is grounded in:
- Early Risk Assessment – We evaluate the claim’s merit, liability exposure, and economic impact from day one.
- Clear, Goal-Driven Strategy – We work closely with our clients to define outcomes, manage expectations, and align legal tactics with business priorities.
- Mastery of Contracts and Property Law – Our attorneys are well-versed in the Texas Property Code, real estate customs, and evolving case law.
- Trial-Ready Preparation – If trial becomes necessary, we bring decades of courtroom experience and persuasive advocacy to bear.
Comprehensive Real Estate Dispute Resolution
At Irelan | Stephens, we provide strategic litigation support across the full spectrum of real estate conflicts—whether the issue is contractual, structural, financial, or territorial. Real estate is a foundation of economic value, and when disputes arise, we are prepared to protect our clients’ positions with precision and force.
Clients We Represent in Real Estate Litigation
We proudly represent a wide array of clients with interests in commercial, industrial, residential, and undeveloped properties:
- Real estate developers and builders
- Title companies and underwriters
- Commercial landlords and tenants
- Property management firms
- HOAs and condominium associations
- Brokers and agents
- Lenders and financial institutions
- Investors and private property owners
Whether the matter involves a downtown high-rise or rural acreage, we provide the same level of diligence, technical insight, and tenacity.
Title Insurance Defense
Our firm has significant experience defending title insurance carriers against claims of title defects, fraud, or policy exclusions. We also represent insured property owners in pursuing or defending claims under title policies, offering skilled analysis of title history and policy interpretation in contested litigation.
Breach of Real Estate Contracts
Contracts are the cornerstone of real estate transactions. When a buyer backs out, a seller fails to disclose defects, or a developer misses deadlines, the fallout can be significant. We represent clients in disputes over purchase agreements, lease agreements, development contracts, escrow arrangements, and title transfers—seeking to enforce or challenge contractual obligations, damages, and specific performance as needed.
Title and Boundary Disputes
Disputes over land boundaries, easements, encroachments, and adverse possession claims can cloud title and jeopardize ownership rights. Our firm works closely with title experts, surveyors, and title insurers to resolve these disputes through litigation or declaratory judgment actions. We also handle quiet title lawsuits to eliminate competing claims and clarify legal ownership of real property.
Commercial Lease Disputes
We represent landlords and tenants in high-stakes commercial lease litigation involving issues such as nonpayment of rent, early termination, breach of use clauses, repair obligations, and unlawful detainer proceedings. We understand the urgency of resolving disputes that threaten commercial occupancy and revenue streams, and we litigate with a focus on swift resolution and long-term protection of client interests.
Construction and Development Conflicts
Real estate development is fraught with risk—from performance delays and cost overruns to construction defects and contractual disagreements. We represent developers, general contractors, and subcontractors in disputes involving construction timelines, change orders, lien claims, and warranty obligations. Our firm is also equipped to litigate complex multi-party construction defect cases involving engineers, architects, and insurers.
Partition and Co-Ownership Disputes
When multiple parties own a single property—whether as heirs, investors, or former partners—disagreements about its use, sale, or upkeep can quickly escalate. We assist clients in partition actions, including partition in kind and partition by sale, to divide or dispose of jointly owned real estate in accordance with Texas law and the parties’ financial interests.
Real Estate Fraud and Misrepresentation
Fraudulent misrepresentations during real estate transactions—such as failure to disclose known defects, environmental hazards, or zoning restrictions—can lead to costly litigation. We pursue and defend claims involving fraud in the inducement, breach of fiduciary duty by brokers or agents, and statutory violations under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA), always with a focus on unraveling the facts and achieving justice for our clients.
Eminent Domain & Condemnation Defense
When the government or a private entity exercises eminent domain to take private property for public use, affected owners need strong legal advocacy to protect their constitutional rights. We represent landowners in condemnation proceedings and inverse condemnation claims, challenging valuations, necessity, and procedure to ensure clients receive full and fair compensation for their property.
Strategic Litigation from Transaction to Trial
At Irelan | Stephens, we understand the life cycle of real estate. Many of our clients come to us after a deal has gone sideways—while others retain us to avoid litigation altogether. Whether we’re enforcing a developer’s rights under a failed purchase agreement or defending a commercial landlord from a lease dispute, our approach is grounded in:
Early Risk Assessment
We evaluate the claim’s merit, liability exposure, and economic impact from day one.
Clear, Goal-Driven Strategy
We work closely with our clients to define outcomes, manage expectations, and align legal tactics with business priorities.
Mastery of Contracts and Property Law
Our attorneys are well-versed in the Texas Property Code, real estate customs, and evolving case law.
Trial-Ready Preparation
If trial becomes necessary, we bring decades of courtroom experience and persuasive advocacy to bear.
Protect Your Property, Preserve Your Position
When real estate disputes escalate, your legal strategy can determine the future of your project, your investment, or your ownership rights. Don’t leave it to chance. Let Irelan | Stephens provide the experience, strength, and clarity your case demands.
Why Choose Irelan | Stephens for Real Estate Disputes?
Real estate litigation requires more than legal knowledge—it demands commercial awareness, a steady courtroom presence, and a firm hand in negotiation. At Irelan | Stephens, our clients choose us because:
- We’re Litigators First – Many attorneys can review a contract. Fewer can defend it in court. We prepare every case as if trial is on the horizon.
- We’re Industry Fluent – We speak the language of developers, brokers, and lenders. We understand the real-world implications of every delay, default, or defect.
- We Get Results – From resolving boundary lines to defeating seven-figure development claims, our results speak for themselves.
Protect Your Property, Preserve Your Position
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