Keep your restaurant, food and beverage business nourished with sound legal advice. With increasing globalization and competition, more discerning consumers and growing regulation, today’s restaurant, food and beverage businesses face unprecedented challenges — yet against this very backdrop are also tremendous opportunities for growth.

When businesses in this industry seek legal counsel to help them meet their business challenges and capitalize on new growth opportunities, they turn to the experienced attorneys at Lathrop GPM. Representing food and beverage purveyors across the U.S. and globally, the breadth and depth of our nationally ranked practice is unparalleled.

Several of our attorneys have held in-house positions with some of the nation’s most prominent food and beverage brand names and franchises, and have been instrumental in shaping some of the laws and policies governing the industry today.

Our attorneys provide savvy representation and practical advice in the areas including the following:

Bankruptcy

Our national bankruptcy experience allows us to serve as lead counsel on bankruptcy matters involving both debtors’ and creditors’ rights. We regularly handle bankruptcy matters in the hospitality industry involving hotels, restaurants and golf courses. We take restaurant chains through reorganizations, in the process liquidating some assets by sale while restructuring other obligations. We counsel franchisors of restaurants in bankruptcies filed by their franchisees. We represent secured lenders and national hotel franchisors working to “keep the flag” on properties and return properties to financial health. And we assist purchasers of bankrupt hospitality debtors’ assets in navigating the bankruptcy sales processes.

Development

Lathrop GPM routinely counsels clients in the use of development incentives, collaboration with public and private entities, negotiation with contracts, and more.

We prepare and present financing plans, redevelopment agreements, value calculations, tax abatement impact analyses, tax increment financing policies, and proposed ordinances. In the process of advocating new development or redevelopment applications — often for complex projects — we strive to seek all available project incentives, enhancements, deferments, and abatements. Moreover, several of our real estate attorneys are former city attorneys; their knowledge of the inner workings of local government provides insight into the planning and zoning process.

We know that a successful project begins with construction contracts that clearly define the rights and responsibilities of the participants. We commonly address a wide range of construction issues, including:

  • Scope of work
  • Payment process and compliance with prompt payment statutes
  • Fixed price, cost-plus and Guaranteed Maximum Price agreements
  • Design-build agreements
  • Insurance and bond requirements
  • Indemnity clauses and compliance with anti-indemnity statutes
  • Intellectual property issues including ownership and copyright of design documents
  • Scheduling concerns
  • Liquidated damages
  • Consequential damages
  • Safety
  • Insurability of provisions under professional liability policies
  • Termination for convenience or cause
  • Dispute resolution (nonbinding mediation, dispute review boards, project neutrals, arbitration, or litigation)
  • Immigration

Litigation

Some disputes are unavoidable. When litigation is necessary, our attorneys help food, beverage and hospitality clients achieve the best results possible. Lathrop GPM litigators have achieved nationwide success in matters involving bankruptcy, construction, employment, and more.

Ongoing Business Matters

Once development is complete, myriad legal issues come into play — from everyday needs like vendor contracts, to complex concerns like intellectual property and corporate finance. Our attorneys advise clients on the gamut of labor and employment issues that may arise, including practices and policies and labor negotiations. While well-versed in the restaurant, food and beverage industry as a whole, Lathrop GPM attorneys dedicate themselves to in-depth knowledge of each client’s business, allowing us to offer individualized advice informed by industry custom.

We represent some of the nation’s most recognized food and beverage brands and the companies who create them.

We draw upon that depth of experience to guide companies doing business in the food and beverage space — from farm to table — including:

  • Casual dining establishments
  • Convenience stores
  • Dessert eateries
  • E-commerce venues
  • Fast food chains
  • Food and beverage manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and retailers
  • Food equipment dealers
  • Food producers and growers
  • Food trade associations
  • Full-service restaurants
  • Grocery stores and retail outlets
  • Shopping center food courts
  • Sports venue food service

Primary Contacts