The major steps involved in commercial litigation are:

1. Internal Investigation and Evaluation Stage:
   
   Generally, before the lawsuit even begins, each party works with their lawyer to examine key facts, evidence, and legal matters. Documents like contracts and financial records are reviewed. The parties also often engage in efforts to resolve the dispute before starting a lawsuit, including by entering into a settlement.

2. Initiating Court Proceedings:
   
   Once a party decides to start a lawsuit, it must prepare its pleadings, which set out the details of its claims. Based on the jurisdiction and nature of the proceeding, it will generally deliver a Statement of Claim or Notice of Application. The other party then delivers its responding pleadings. In some cases, the party who started the lawsuit can deliver a Reply to the new issues raised by the responding party.

3. Discovery of Evidence:
   
   The parties exchange documents and have an opportunity to ask questions, in the form of an examination, relevant to the issues in the lawsuit.

4. Other Litigation Steps that Can Occur Before Trial:
   
   Some steps before getting to trial can include the bringing of a motion to get the court’s direction in resolving an issue in the lawsuit, the retaining of experts to provide specialized opinions, meditation, and a pre-trial conference with a judge who acts a neutral facilitator.

5. Trial:
   
   If there is no resolution in your case, then it will proceed to trial, where a judge or in some cases jury, will make their decision. The decision may be subject to appeal.