Hospitality Industry
Bars / Restaurants / Food & Beverage / Wine
A fast-paced industry like hospitality requires a team of attorneys who are
in tune with the business’ ever-changing dynamics. Our experienced, highly
capable attorneys are equipped to assist in every aspect of your enterprise – from forming your company to representing it in administrative proceedings and
litigation. We can also help you develop a comprehensive strategy to expand your
operations and address any project-driven problems that might arise. We know
the industry and we know that it is unlike any other.
There are five key aspects with which most hospitality industry clients need legal
assistance:
We are experts in the five corners of owning, managing, and operating bars,
restaurants, and wineries. We represent the full spectrum of restaurant types –
national and regional chains; franchisors and franchisees; upscale, top-tier
establishments; chefs’ restaurants; casual dining; quick serve restaurants; food
trucks; and stand-alone facilities. Our team also represents executive chefs and
restaurant design and development companies. No client or establishment is too
small or too big for our team to handle.
Our hospitality clients rely on us for corporate matters such as entity
formation, business planning, and corporate governance; real estate
transactions, including leasing, acquisitions and sales; ABC compliance;
drafting employment agreements, handbooks, and policies; trademark issues; and
litigation, including defending against claims of sexual harassment,
discrimination, wage and hour violations, ADA compliance, food poisoning,
trademark infringement, and civil rights law.
Representative Matters
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Serve as outside general counsel for a private chain of restaurants based in
Southern California that has multiple units and concepts. In this capacity, we
manage and oversee all litigation and provide a full range of core legal
services.
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Regularly represent national restaurant franchisor in connection with the
negotiation of franchise leases and ancillary documents.
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Restaurant (2015-2016). Represented a new restaurant and its sole owner
in a trademark infringement case brought by a multi-million dollar restaurant
chain. Achieved favorable settlement and dismissal of action with
prejudice.
- Privately Owned Hospitality Train (2015-2016). Represented and obtained an amicable resolution for train owner, operator, and employees in a high-profile civil rights and discrimination lawsuit arising out of the alleged wrongful removal of eleven women from a privately owned wine train.
- Restaurant Chain (2015). Represented burger chain in a wrongful termination, sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit. Successfully procured early dismissal with prejudice.
- Wine Importer (2015). Settled workers’ compensation claim pre-litigation on behalf of international wine importer.
- Restaurant Chain & Food Manufacturer (2014-2015). Represented terminated corporate employee of a national restaurant chain and producer of convenience foods in connection with the breach of a severance agreement. Achieved early favorable settlement.
- Restaurant (2014-2015). Represented an officer of a new restaurant in a trademark/copyright infringement case brought by a competing chain. We brought a successful motion to dismiss and thereafter obtained a complete dismissal for our client.
- Restaurant Chain (2014). Represented a small chain of Mexican restaurants in a trademark infringement case brought by a competing chain. We successfully defended against a motion seeking a preliminary injunction based on the alleged infringement and settled the case on favorable terms, enforcing the initial settlement after the plaintiffs attempted to renege.
- Fast Food Establishment (2014). Achieved settlement of a lawsuit alleging sexual and racial harassment, battery, and wage violations on behalf of local branch of a national restaurant chain.
- Multi‐Unit Restaurant (2014-2015). Represented multi-unit restaurant start up in connection with corporate formation, business planning, and raising capital and securities compliance.