For restaurant groups, dealing with everything from employment and regulatory issues to contracts and brand protection is a fact of life. As a full-service attorney who focuses on your industry, I can help you with these challenges, including the following:
Business Counsel
- Purchase and sale of businesses with liquor licenses
- Change of officers/owners application process
- Commercial agreements (for manufacture, distribution, and importation)
- Private placement, joint ventures, other investor-related transactions
- Exit strategies
- Succession planning
Leasing & Real Estate
- Due diligence and evaluation on properties and locations
- Negotiations and risk management relating to use restrictions
- Lease draft and review
- Compliance re building construction & management, zoning, land use, environmental conditions
- Representation before City and State Councils in permit proceedings
Liquor Licensing
- City, State, and Federal Licensing for restaurants, bars, brewpubs, breweries, distilleries, and importers throughout the U.S.
- Liquor moratoriums
- Proximity restrictions (e.g. proximity to places of worship, schools, hospitals)
General Labor and Employment
- Representation before state and local agencies (including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Department of Labor, and the Illinois Department of Labor)
- Compliance with federal, state and local employment laws
- Creation of policies, contracts, non-compete agreements, confidentiality and other restrictive covenants
- Terminations, including strategy, severance agreements
- Employee disputes relating to maternity and medical leave, allegations of sexual harassment, working conditions
Marketing & Sales Compliance:
- Best practice counsel related to marketing and sale of alcoholic beverages to ensure compliance with liquor laws throughout the country
- Compliance relating to restaurant sweepstakes and marketing materials (e.g. menus)
Citation Defense
- Representation of clients through investigation and hearings by U.S. Bureau of Trade & Taxation, State Liquor Control Authorities, and Municipalities.
At a broader level, I also offer legal expertise in the general Food & Beverage industry. This includes experience in managing your legal requirements in real estate risk management, intellectual property protection, third party contracts and employee relations. I’ve worked with both domestic and international food processors and producers, beverage companies, suppliers, wholesalers and distributors.