Restaurants

The only thing Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys love more than eating at the best restaurants is helping great restaurants grow. We help famous chefs, restaurateurs and food service businesses deal with the detailed regulations and business arrangements so they get to the top and remain there.

OUR CLIENTS

The Frankfurt Kurnit Restaurants Group provides legal advice to restaurateurs and their business partners in every borough of New York’s renowned food industry, in other parts of the US, and throughout the world. We represent developers, operators, managers, chefs, financiers, landlords, and a variety of food industry vendors.

CLIENT BENEFITS

Taking First Steps

We help restaurant clients flesh out their concept, review business plans and budgets, and identify and set up their businesses under the optimal corporate form. Contact us to get started.

Raising Financing

We counsel restaurant clients on capital formation – whether through friends-and- family, angel, seed and other sources – and we negotiate and structure the financing agreements.

Get a Good Space

Our Real Estate Group negotiates leases, subleases, and assignments for restaurateurs, and advises on construction, renovation, and build-out issues.

Hiring the Best

We negotiate and draft agreements for chefs, managers, and other personnel.

Protect Copyrights, Trademarks, and Other Intellectual Property

We identify opportunities to protect your restaurant name, décor, menu, recipes, Web domain names, and other items, and we file the necessary registrations and protect against infringing uses by your competitors.

Agreements with Vendors

We handle equipment leasing, contracts with suppliers, and other key third-party relationships.

Advertising and Marketing

We advise clients on advertising and marketing in both traditional and new media, and our Technology and eCommerce Group can help ensure your Web site and social media initiatives meet your goals while complying with law.

Ensuring Legal Compliance

We help clients comply with health and safety, immigration, beverage licensing, and other state and local regulations, and our Employment Group has special expertise advising restaurateurs on complicated wage and hour regulations - and in resolving complaints.

Franchising and Licensing

We help successful restaurateurs open franchises and we represent “star” chefs and successful restaurant management groups in their entertainment, licensing, and merchandising ventures.

Disputes and Litigation

We help restaurant industry clients resolve business disputes. And, when necessary, we handle real estate litigation, lending and guarantor litigation, construction litigation, and landlord-tenant litigation for these clients.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

We are members of (and chair) the New York City Bar Hospitality Committee. We speak on restaurant law during programs hosted by the New York City Bar Association. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we provided pro bono advice via a hotline for restaurateurs.