Restaurant Industry Legal Services

WHAT WE DO

From lease negotiation and liquor licensing to litigation and regulatory actions, franchise agreements, and multi-unit acquisitions, our team delivers practical, business-minded counsel grounded in decades of experience serving food and hospitality businesses.

Restaurant formation, real estate, and site development

• Advise on entity selection, ownership structure, and corporate governance for single-unit and multi-unit restaurant businesses
• Draft and negotiate commercial leases for restaurant spaces, including build-out allowances, co-tenancy provisions, exclusivity clauses, and personal guarantee limitations — critical for operators navigating competitive urban and suburban markets
• Counsel on letter of intent strategy, lease assignment and sublease rights, and landlord default remedies
• Assess ground leases, sale-leaseback transactions, and real estate acquisitions for restaurant owner-operators
• Review zoning, permitting, and land use requirements for new restaurant locations, outdoor dining expansions, and drive-through developments
• Assist with construction contracts, contractor disputes, and certificate of occupancy matters

Licensing, permits, and regulatory compliance

• Advise on and manage liquor license applications, renewals, transfers, and modifications
• Represent restaurant operators in ABC board hearings, LCB hearings, license protests, and enforcement proceedings
• Counsel on health department compliance, food handler certification requirements, and inspection response protocols
• Guide clients on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance for restaurant facilities, websites, and mobile ordering platforms
• Ensure compliance with local signage, noise, and outdoor dining permit requirements
• Advise on tobacco, cannabis, and specialty product licensing requirements for on-premises consumption
• Represent clients in regulatory investigations and enforcement actions by local health, fire, and building departments

Employment law, labor compliance, and workforce management

• Review federal and state wage and hour compliance, including tip pooling, tip credits, overtime obligations, and minimum wage requirements for tipped and nontipped employees
• Defend class and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state wage payment laws
• Draft employee handbooks, offer letters, nondisclosure agreements, and manager employment agreements
• Counsel on hiring practices, background check compliance, and ban-the-box and fair chance hiring laws
• Advise on scheduling law compliance, predictive scheduling requirements, and split shift premium obligations
• Represent restaurant employers in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charges, harassment and discrimination claims, and wrongful termination litigation
• Provide guidance on immigration compliance for restaurant workforces, including I-9 audits and E-Verify obligations
• Counsel on union issues, arbitration, collective bargaining, and labor relations

Franchise law: Franchisors and franchisees

• Draft and register franchise disclosure documents (FDDs)
• Advise franchisors on state franchise registration and exemption requirements
• Negotiate and review franchise agreements, area development agreements, and master franchise arrangements
• Counsel franchisors on system standards enforcement, franchisee default, and termination and nonrenewal procedures
• Offer advice to franchisees on renewal rights, transfer approval processes, and dispute resolution mechanisms
• Represent clients in franchise relationship disputes, encroachment claims, and earnings claim compliance matters
• Review conversion franchising, refranchising transactions, and franchise portfolio acquisitions

Intellectual property, brand protection, and trade secrets

• Register and enforce trademarks for restaurant names, logos, menu item names, and brand identities
• Protect trade dress for restaurant interiors, packaging, and distinctive visual brand elements
• Advise on trade secret protection for proprietary recipes, food formulations, operational systems, and sourcing relationships
• Draft and enforce nondisclosure agreements, confidentiality provisions, and noncompete covenants for key culinary and management personnel
• Respond to trademark infringement claims, copycat concept disputes, and brand impersonation
• Handle domain name disputes, social media handle conflicts, and online review platform defamation matters
• Consult on licensing proprietary concepts, menus, and brand identities

Restaurant transactions, financing, and mergers and acquisitions

• Advise on restaurant acquisitions and sales, including asset purchase and stock purchase structures, due diligence, and closing mechanics
• Represent buyers and sellers in single-unit and multi-unit restaurant transactions
• Counsel on SBA loan financing, mezzanine debt, and equity investment structures
• Draft and negotiate management agreements, operating agreements, and investor side letters for restaurant joint ventures
• Guide private equity sponsors on restaurant platform acquisitions, add-on strategies, and exit planning
• Structure and document licensing and distribution agreements for consumer products
• Counsel on earn-out provisions, seller financing arrangements, and post-closing transition agreements

Food safety, liability, and consumer protection

• Counsel on Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance obligations for restaurant operators with commissary, catering, and food manufacturing operations
• Review allergen disclosure obligations, menu labeling requirements under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Menu Labeling Rule, and calorie posting compliance
• Develop food safety protocols, crisis response plans, and recall procedures for restaurant groups and catering operations
• Defend restaurant operators against foodborne illness claims, foreign object injury suits, and negligent food preparation litigation
• Advise on third-party delivery platform agreements, including liability allocation for delivery errors, food safety incidents, and customer disputes
• Respond to health department closure orders, consent agreements, and public health enforcement actions
• Counsel on gift card compliance, automatic gratuity disclosures, and consumer-facing pricing transparency requirements