Massachusetts Restaurant Law

The Firm represents Massachusetts supermarkets, restaurants and liquor stores in all areas of their businesses. From routine licensing transactions to complex disputes between partners of a restaurant venture, the Firm excels in delivering cost effective solutions to its clientele in this setting.

Restaurant ventures in particular can be a complex business enterprise commencing with the formation of the proper business entity, agreements between shareholders and financing. Once a venture has proceeded through formation, its owners are required to navigate through the myriad of issues relating to the purchase of an existing restaurant business or the start-up of a new venture; zoning issues; negotiating and drafting a commercial lease; complying with zoning restrictions; and the acquisition of an alcoholic beverage license. Even then, site issues ordinarily present construction and sometimes Union issues, as well as the coordination of all final licenses, inspections and permits. Ventures that successfully come on-line are then faced with branding and copyright issues, employment policies needed for its staff and whether to provide employment agreements for its key personal.

Once up and running, restaurants, like any other business, can face such challenges as claimed harassment or discrimination in the workplace; employee theft; license violations; unresponsive or uncooperative landlords; injuries or assaults sustained on the premises; state labor practice investigations; partnership disputes or, as happens, a cash flow that simply will not sustain the business over the long run. The Firm excels in defending and guiding the owners of these business ventures through difficult times and has a special appreciation for the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs and their managers.

The Firm has over twenty years of litigation experience and, together with its focus on the food and beverage industry, has defended businesses and their owners in Court before judges and juries, as well as before municipal and the state licensing boards. The Firm has also represented through extensive litigation proceedings those internal disputes that will arise between managers, owners, partners and shareholders. In short, the Firm stands ready to aid and assist those restauranteurs and investors who want to build, defend or save their businesses when challenged with serious legal obstacles in the market place.

© 2012 Law Offices of John P. Connell, P.C., 112 Water St., Suite 201, Boston, MA 02109

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