NYC Sidewalk Cafes Capture City Attention for Zoning Violations

Many urban restaurateurs have latched onto the popular concept of the sidewalk cafe, offering street side seating for customers to sip their lattes or dine al fresco as they watch the masses pass. But the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs isn’t quite so laissez-faire about the whole thing. Our Manhattan restaurant lawyers have […]

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Defense

Retailers, restaurants, and other businesses are increasingly becoming targets of a growing number of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lawsuits. While the underlying purpose of these lawsuits—ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities—is valid, many claims may be exaggerated or fraudulent. Recently, U.S. District Judge Sterling Johnson Jr. issued a stern warning to two ADA plaintiffs’ […]

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NYC Restaurant Crowdfunding Popular, But Legal Considerations Abound

In years past, opening a new restaurant or expanding an existing operation required the approval stamp of a major bank willing to extend the loan. Our New York City restaurant lawyers know that in recent years, that is not as often the case, as crowdfunding campaigns across the country allow entrepreneurs to grow their businesses […]

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Commercial Leases Should Hold Building Owners Accountable for Storm Damage Repairs

New Yorkers are known for their resilience. As the rest of the Northeast Coast and we work to recover from storm damage from Hurricane Sandy, our New York City restaurant lawyers know many restaurants and retailers were hit hard. Those that may end up bouncing back more quickly include businesses that have negotiated disaster provisions […]

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NYC Restaurant Leases, Franchise Agreements & Mall Real Estate Issues

Chain restaurants are going into vacant box-store locations, Home Depot parking lots, and Sears stores as the struggling retail industry reinvents itself in the wake of the recession. The Wall Street Journal reported Darden Restaurants Inc., owner of Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and the Longhorn Steakhouse, has been opening Olive Gardens in closed supermarkets and […]

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Restaurant Music Copyright Law: What’s Playing?

New York City restaurant owners need to make sure establishing the proper vibe for their restaurant doesn’t include music copyright violations.  Manhattan restaurant lawyers are seeing a significant increase in the number of copyright violations filed nationwide. In large part, this is due to the birth of the information age and the onslaught of data […]

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Chilly Relations in the Ice Cream Business-Franchise Litigation

That old saying that the partners start to fight when the money gets tight has never been more true than in the current world of franchising. Cold Stone Creamery and Edible Arrangements have now followed Burger King onto the Court dockets in lawsuits between franchise owners and management. In the current economic downturn, where people limit their […]

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