Legal Services for Chefs and Restaurants?

[WK2]

Hi all - Maybe my question is a bit obscure, but here goes. I'm a young-ish lawyer in NYC, just moved from a big extremely fancy firm to a smaller place where I have a lot more freedom to find my own clients. I'd like to develop a practice as a lawyer that serves, in part, the food community, especially smaller developing places in my neighborhood and elsewhere (though I'd never turn my nose up at a big restaurant group either, of course). It seems to me that many chefs and restaurants could benefit from really good, sophisticated legal advice from someone who cares a lot about food and the people who make it, and I don't think they're always getting it because, perhaps, they think it can't be economical.

So, assuming you're in the unfortunate situation of needing a lawyer, how do you go about it? Would it annoy you to be approached cold by someone like me? Do you rely on your friends? I'd love to hear any ideas.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I can, of course, only speak for myself; when I require legal representation, I go out and find it, often relying on friends for recommendations. However, I certainly wouldn't be adverse to being visited by a lawyer specializing in food service and given a card or whatnot and having a friendly chat, so long as there is no hard-sell involved (I find it incredibly offputting to be hard-sold at a cold meeting).

Then again, I live in Ecuador and the legal issues I deal with as a catering baker are minimal to nonexistent so long as I continue to adhere to the country's laws and normas governing what I do.

[Edward J]

Huge area to go into.

Lease reading is one area of expertise, new or partial build-outs tied to a lease are another.

Staffing is a biggie, and much of it depends on local laws

Lawsuits are another

Local bylaws regarding noise, opening hours, another

Liquor licensing another, and I hope that no U.S. state has as archaic and stupid liquor laws as Canada does.

Contract writing for catering another

and on

and on

and on

[JeanneCake]

What about presenting a seminar at a local community college on starting a food business....

[Lisa Shock]

You might want to see if a local culinary school would be interested in hosting an informal talk/seminar with you. I can recall being in school and attending some great extracurricular talks by groups like SCORE. People will remember you and call you later.

[WK2]

These are all terrific ideas, folks. Thanks for responding to me. I especially like the idea of teaming up with local culinary schools and giving seminars to cooks and chefs. That matches up with my personality (I'm a pretty academic lawyer; not really a salesman) and I think it would eventually pay dividends.

As for Ecuador, I'm sure most food people in New York would love to be in a less regulated environment! As part of my interest in the subject, I've been trying to collect all the recent appellate decisions in New York that have anything to do with restaurants and food - suffice to say, I've had no lack of examples.

UPDATE: Also, would you go to a more informal legal seminar held at a restaurant or bar? If so, what time and day would it have to be to attract people who actually run or own restaurants? I would have thought during the day is the only option.

Edited May 24, 2012 by WK2 (log)

[Lisa Shock]

Many places are closed Mondays, it's our traditional day off. So, that's a good day to hold an event. And, yes, the informal setting is fine.

[Dexter]

Mondays are definitely the easiest day to get to something like that. Where it's held is massively less important than when, at least in my experience. I'd also pitch in a vote for liquor laws and permitting. That's an area that lots of people get just buried in, sometimes delaying opening of their restaurants or bars by months.