LootsLaw PC

 Formerly The Law Offices of James M. Loots

Restaurant and Hospitality

Serving Small Business and Individuals Since 1984

There is perhaps no business operation with as many different legal needs as a restaurant, bar, or lodging establishment.  With multiple regulatory authorities claiming responsibility for various aspects of operations – from taxes to employment compliance to health to alcohol sales – the paperwork alone is daunting, but even that assumes your business knows and is in compliance with its legal obligations.  Informed and experienced legal assistance makes that job easier, and is essential if you are accused of running afoul of one or more of the myriad legal obligations.

Hospitality businesses also face unique landlord-tenant issues, both in the negotiation and renewal of leases and in the many lease provisions that are unique to this industry.  Franchised operations confront almost constant interaction and potential conflict with their franchisors, sometimes leading to compliance issues and litigation.  Finally, employees in the hospitality field are subject to differing and constantly changing interpretations of existing laws and implementation of new laws with specific and unique application to this industry.


Your best defense against the risk of complaint and exposure to liability is to work with legal counsel who has decades of experience in the field and deals with similar issues and changing legal requirements on a daily basis.  James Loots is such an attorney, regularly representing dozens of clients in the restaurant and hospitality field in a career spanning over three decades.


Some legal issues of special concern to restaurants and lodging, with which we regularly deal are:

  • Regulatory compliance enforcement actions by state and local agencies.
  • Discrimination and harassment Complaints.
  • Overtime compensation issues as applied to “tipped wage” workers.
  • Vendor and Landlord/Tenant contractual negotiations and disputes
  • Franchise agreement negotiation and conflict resolution.
  • Purchase and sale of restaurant businesses.