Overview
Extensive Industry Knowledge
With experience in matters at all stages of development from concept to market and on to ultimate sale of the company, we represent food and beverage producers, vineyards, winemakers, processors, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, wholesalers, restaurateurs and investors.
The challenges facing clients in this highly competitive industry are unique—and so is our approach. We provide practical and cost-effective service, and can draw from experienced attorneys with corporate, employment & labor, intellectual property, real estate, succession and wealth planning, mergers and acquisitions, and litigation expertise who will work together seamlessly to help our clients meet their important business goals.
Experience
- Represented multiple food distributors in the lease and development of cold storage facilities in the Bay Area, including facilities with Global Food Safety Initiative certifications.
- For a local grocery store and national grocery chain, represented them in the leasing and subleasing of their stores, including licenses for use of space within the stores.
- Represented several Bay Area candy and chocolate manufacturers in the sale, or sale and lease-back, of manufacturing plants.
- Advised management of an international organic food manufacturing company on employment, real property, and trademark matters, and a complex reorganization that shifted manufacturing operations to a different state.
- Represented a large global fruit products producer in registering and protecting its portfolio of trademarks, product trade dress, and graphic designs and illustrations globally.
- For numerous wineries, provided representation in connection with selection, clearance and registration of house brand marks, product marks, and label protection, in the United States and Asian and European markets.
- Represented a company in a national joint venture between an East Coast candy distributor and a West Coast candy distributor. Advised management on the deal structure, tax consequences, and employment issues and negotiated all corresponding documents and agreements.
- Advised an organic food company, a co-packing company and a marketing company, on navigating the tax and legal issues in a transaction that combined ownership of all businesses under one holding company in order to achieve economies of scale and national growth.
- Developed a “private equity style” incentive compensation plan for executives of a food company.
- Won a complete defense verdict for the world’s largest manufacturer of mozzarella and pizza cheese in a federal jury trial involving a $1.3 million breach of contract claim, which was named as one of the "2006 Top Defense Verdicts” by the San Francisco Daily Journal.
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In California, even when employees do not incur additional expenses associated with working remotely, employers still must reimburse their employees for a reasonable percentage of the employee's cell ... Read more »