Are verbal / emailed contracts for business development / representation binding and enforcable in the US and Florida in particular?
Details are:
In 2008 a Japanese company which a Japanese friend who represented them to Asia markets and introduced to me, who I then met with in Japan, advised me if I could to introduce their new invention, an Aquaculture product, to the US market I could represent them. They'd been burned by a previous rep so no contracts were signed.
On my free time I researched and contacted 100s of prospective US firms via email, phone, and site visits, eventually finding a Florida based distributor with a Japanese engineer employee in it, who I then arranged a meeting with inventors in Japan in the summer of 2009. The Florida party were intrigued and met the inventors and seemed to express interest. In Nov the Florida firm sent a letter advising since I am not an official employee of the inventors firm they do not wish to deal with me anymore. They mention they have concerns with patent confidentiality dealing with me as a red herring.
I, of course, suspect they will contact the inventors in the next year to make a deal directly and cut me out on sales. My expectation was to handle any sales plus a finders fee to clients I introduce. I have loads of emails with the inventors confirming this, plus the original meeting and phone calls with both parties.
Not being in Florida I want to confirm I have a firm commercial case if any business does develop in the next 5-10 years between the distributors and inventors as well throughout the USA to any clients?
Details are:
In 2008 a Japanese company which a Japanese friend who represented them to Asia markets and introduced to me, who I then met with in Japan, advised me if I could to introduce their new invention, an Aquaculture product, to the US market I could represent them. They'd been burned by a previous rep so no contracts were signed.
On my free time I researched and contacted 100s of prospective US firms via email, phone, and site visits, eventually finding a Florida based distributor with a Japanese engineer employee in it, who I then arranged a meeting with inventors in Japan in the summer of 2009. The Florida party were intrigued and met the inventors and seemed to express interest. In Nov the Florida firm sent a letter advising since I am not an official employee of the inventors firm they do not wish to deal with me anymore. They mention they have concerns with patent confidentiality dealing with me as a red herring.
I, of course, suspect they will contact the inventors in the next year to make a deal directly and cut me out on sales. My expectation was to handle any sales plus a finders fee to clients I introduce. I have loads of emails with the inventors confirming this, plus the original meeting and phone calls with both parties.
Not being in Florida I want to confirm I have a firm commercial case if any business does develop in the next 5-10 years between the distributors and inventors as well throughout the USA to any clients?