Hospitality Law

Whether you’re a celebrity chef trademarking your latest concept, a restaurant chain wrestling with regulatory compliance, or a travel brand updating its agreements, the Frankfurt Kurnit Hospitality Law Group can help. From finance, employment, and real estate to media opportunities and legal compliance—our firm covers a wide range of legal issues and business opportunities facing hospitality companies and professionals today.

OUR CLIENTS

Based in New York and Los Angeles, we advise chefs, food personalities, restaurateurs, investors, hospitality management companies, fast-casual restaurant brands, travel companies, hotels, and others on the deals that start and grow businesses—and on the day-to-day operational concerns that keep them moving forward.

CLIENT BENEFITS

We help our clients:

Compliance and Transactions

Our lawyers help clients comply with government and industry rules and regulations, including identifying advertising claims requiring substantiation, helping clients assemble the appropriate support and ensuring that their claims are stated properly with the right disclosures. We also help clients with compliance with the myriad laws and regulations affecting their communications with their customers, in all media, and with their incentive programs, such as sweepstakes and skill contests, gift cards, coupons and rebates. In addition, we assist clients with all their agreements, including sponsorships, influencer deals, co-promotions, licensing, commercial co-ventures, and more.

Build the Right Management Team

We help celebrity chefs negotiate with top talent agents and managers, licensing and merchandising agents, and advertising, branding and public relations professionals.

Penetrate Different Media

We help our clients extend their unique brands into social media, film and television projects, books, music, video games, and other media.

Launch Apparel Lines and Other Products

We help our clients determine strategic business objectives and exploit licensing and merchandising opportunities in countless markets, including food, apparel, housewares, toys, video games, fashion accessories, and other goods and services.

Clear and Protect Trademarks

We help large brands as well as individuals assess the availability of and secure trademarks, names, designs, slogans, advertising, packaging, and marketing plans, and we file trademark applications and registrations in the U.S. and abroad.

Oppose Infringements

We also represent hospitality brands and individuals against infringing works, and litigate infringement, dilution, false advertising, and other cases when necessary.

Handle Disputes

We advise on comparative advertising and other disputes between competitors, and we bring and defend challenges before the Federal Trade Commission, State Attorneys General, the National Advertising Division, the National Advertising Review Board, and other regulatory bodies. We also advise on a full range of real estate-related disputes.

Respond to “Cyber Crises”

We help clients research and register domain names and defend against cybersquatting, website attacks, data security breaches, and other cyberspace vulnerabilities.

Structure Mergers, Sales, and Other Transactions

We help our clients structure mergers, reorganizations, recapitalizations, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and other business combinations and arrangements, and our Tax Group advises on the tax considerations of proposed transactions.

Structure Corporate and Marketing Agreements

We help food, beverage and travel industry clients with the full range of agreements—including partnership, shareholder and operating agreements, joint venture agreements, employment agreements, sponsorship agreements, influencer agreements, and more.

Negotiate Real Estate Agreements

Our real estate team handles the leasing of restaurant locations, “good guy” guaranties, surrender agreements, catering and event agreements, and more.

Get Technology Right

We help clients with emerging technology issues such as the proper use of AI.

Pursue Philanthropic Goals

We help clients establish tax exempt foundations and assist them in pursuing their various philanthropic activities.