Our hospitality & liquor law attorneys are intimately familiar with both state and municipal regulatory processes required for launching service-oriented businesses in the hospitality industry. Additionally, they consistently provide guidance to clients on a wide range of legal compliance matters.

We have extensive experience advising on regulatory standards for merchandising and distribution of beer, wine, and spirituous liquor. Additionally, we provide counsel on compliance enforcement actions, tax negotiations, permitting violation resolution, and objections to licensing.

Possessing in-depth knowledge of the hospitality industry, our group leverages this expertise to advise clients and provide the most beneficial strategies for navigating matters before the Ohio Liquor Control Commission and Division of Liquor Control, ensuring that we are contributing to the continued operation and success of their business.

How We Help

Clients rely on the counsel of our hospitality & liquor law attorneys for assistance with regulatory, permitting, zoning, and licensing requirements. Our primary goal is to reduce the likelihood of business interruptions, which can result in costs for both the business and, ultimately, the business owner.

Our attorneys assist clients with the following types of matters:

• Procuring, Maintaining, & Transferring Vendor, Food, & Liquor Permits
• Drafting and/or Reviewing Distribution Agreements
• Crafting Management & Employment Agreements for Bars, Restaurants, and Other Liquor & Hospitality Focused Business
• Providing State & Local Government Relations Counseling
• Handling Liquor Liability Matters, Code Violations, or Other Regulatory Enforcement Actions
• Negotiating & Acquiring and/or Leasing Real Property Associated with Bars, Restaurants, Petroleum Stations with Convenient Stores, Entertainment Venues, and Other Liquor & Hospitality Focused Businesses
• Negotiating & Acquiring Assets or Ownership Interest of Bars, Restaurants, Hotels, Petroleum Stations with Convenient Stores, and Other Liquor & Hospitality Focused Businesses
• Establishing Financing Agreements for Bars, Restaurants, Entertainment Venues, and Other Liquor & Hospitality Focused Businesses
• Managing Ownership Transition for Business Succession
• Managing Ownership Transition for Business Sale
• Conducting Franchise Due Diligence, Permitting, and Compliance
• Structuring & Establishing Franchises
• Drafting & Reviewing Franchise Agreements
• Assisting Municipalities with the Creation of Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas
• Assisting Developers & Municipalities with the Creation of Community Entertainment Districts
• Representing Clients in Matters Before the Liquor Control Commission

We are prepared to meet the growing demands of our clients in the highly competitive hospitality industry. Whether the legal requirements are transactional, regulatory, or involve advocacy for you or your business, our team has the ideal blend of skill and experience to facilitate your success as well as the success of your business.

Who We Represent

Our clients include local start-ups, entrepreneurs, owners of family-run businesses with multi-generational leadership, solopreneurs fulfilling a lifelong dream of running their own hospitality business, and franchisors and franchisees of local, regional, and national brands. Whether our client is large or small, our attorneys meticulously adhere to all state and federal statutes pertinent to each client’s distinct situation, aiming to mitigate any risks and promote long-term sustainable success.

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McCarthy Lebit has a team of lawyers dedicated to helping founders, entrepreneurs, startups, and emerging growth companies in all industries with venture capital or strategic growth transactions.  We also work closely with angel and venture capital funds, corporate strategic investors, family offices, and institutional investors structuring investments and transactions. We combine our in-depth market knowledge with our strong network to provide practical counsel designed for the unique needs of emerging growth companies.

We serve as cost-efficient general counsel for emerging companies, offering services such as:

• Acquisition & Growth Structuring
• Corporate Governance & Tax Planning & Compliance
• Equity Incentive Programs for Founders & Key Employees
• Fund Structuring
• Negotiating Investments on the Fund or Company Side (Seed – Series A)
• Portfolio Company Counsel

Private Equity

Today’s private equity market is evolving and competitive. Private equity funds need experienced counsel to close deals. Portfolio companies need a full-service firm able to handle the fast-paced growth private equity demands. We represent private equity institutions, management teams, debt pro-vides, and portfolio companies through the entire private equity lifecycle – from financing a business acquisition, to operating the business, through the eventual sale. We advise clients in all areas relating to transactions and post-acquisition operation and provide a full-service platform for our clients to rely on while maintaining a cost-efficient team structure.

Representative services include:

• Acquisition & Growth Financing
• Corporate Governance
• Due Diligence
• Employee Relations
• Portfolio Company General Counsel
• Structuring & Negotiating Acquisitions and Sales of Portfolio Companies

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Our Trusts & Estates practice group includes attorneys who are Board Certified Specialists in Federal Taxation Law, a designation held by fewer than 15 attorneys in the State of Ohio. Our practice also includes several certified public accountants who understand complex financial and tax planning issues. We maintain a national practice with attorneys admitted to practice in Ohio, Florida, and other states to enable us to assist our clients with their multi state needs.

How We Help

We specialize in the administration of estates from the probate of a decedent’s will through the final accounting and distribution of assets. We draft court documents and prepare federal and state estate tax returns, guiding our clients throughout the estate administration process.

We are experienced in handling complex assets and in representing clients in estate tax audits on the agent, appellate and tax court levels. When the situation dictates, we will either challenge or defend the estates, trusts, beneficiaries, and foundations. We also advise trustees with respect to the proper administration of trusts and beneficiaries with respect to their rights in such entities.

Our services include the preparation of wills, trusts, financial powers of attorney, living wills, and when appropriate, health care directives, charitable planning, and charitable giving from direct gifts to charities, charitable trusts, family foundations, and gifts to public foundations and donor-advised funds.

Our trust & estate planning and administration capabilities include:

Who We Represent

Our clients include family business owners, executives, physicians, attorneys, and other professionals who require sophisticated estate planning tools to design their estate plans. Our Trusts & Estates practice employs sophisticated planning techniques to meet both an individual’s or a family’s personal or business goals while minimizing transfer and estate taxes.

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McCarthy Lebit’s tax attorneys are recognized as among the best in the state. Several of our tax attorneys previously earned CPA licenses or have extensively studied finance and accounting, and many of them have earned either a Master of Business Administration or LLM in Taxation.

We do not practice “cookie cutter” law nor do we “draft by template.” Instead, our team discusses client scenarios in a collaborative environment to ensure all issues are identified and potential solutions are vetted.

Our clients turn to us before they start a business, structure a business plan, or launch a new product because they rely on our depth of business acumen and experience in handling these particular matters.

How We Help

We routinely counsel clients on finance, operations, compliance, and administration matters. The primary focus of our practice is representing businesses in matters involving audits, collections, appeals, and litigation before the IRS, Ohio Department of Taxation, and local tax authorities. We also counsel individuals in tax matters involving audits, collections, appeals, and litigation. We resolve controversies involving business and individual income tax returns and net profits tax returns, estate taxes, payroll taxes, trust fund taxes, sales taxes, real estate taxes, and commercial activity taxes.

Our lawyers prepare clients for audits and propose offers in compromise, extension, and mitigation of penalty. We also handle federal, state, and local appeals, representing our clients in various forums, including U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, local Boards of Revision, and the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals.

Our services and capabilities include:

Who We Represent

McCarthy Lebit’s tax attorneys serve individuals and businesses. We have successfully represented companies of every size and in virtually every industry. In particular, our tax attorneys have substantial experience representing closely held businesses.

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Our Real Estate & Construction group focuses on commercial real estate transactions, including the development of office, retail, warehouse, industrial, mixed-use properties, as well as condominium, multi-family, and residential development. They also support the firm’s business/corporate clients in their personal residential transactions.

We represent institutional, regional, and private lenders in sophisticated real estate finance transactions. Our team excels in collaborating with developers and project owners to secure financing by connecting them with lenders and representing the borrower in the execution of sales and deal financing agreements. We are also adept at drafting opinion letters for borrowers and lenders in property transactions. Additionally, we are proficient in enforcing the rights of secured parties through foreclosure, workouts, and other remedies.

How We Help

We advise and negotiate commercial real estate transactions, drafting agreements for the development, leasing, and disposition of various properties. We oversee client interests in diverse real estate disputes, handling litigation matters related to development, construction, and property transactions. This includes breach of contract, construction defects, foreclosures, mechanic’s liens, land use and zoning decisions, property disputes, commercial lease disputes, and title insurance claims.

Fully understanding various litigation strategies guides our decisions on when to engage, and we have intimate familiarity with settlement negotiation and mediation procedures.

Our capabilities include the following:

Who We Represent

We represent developers, builders, buyers, sellers, real estate investment trusts, individual investors, title underwriters and agents, brokers, lenders, insurers, business owners, landlords, and tenants nationwide.

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Our Personal Injury & Wrongful Death practice in Cleveland, Ohio offers highly skilled and experienced attorneys. Our team is led by Christian Patno, one of Ohio’s most peer-respected attorneys with a proven record of trial and settlement accomplishments in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death.

We advocate for our clients, and we’re prepared to take your case to trial. Additionally, we contribute to legal education for attorneys, judges, and current & past officers and directors. Our involvement has led to legal changes in Ohio and improvements in safety practices stemming from cases we have handled.

How We Help

Our personal injury lawyers in Cleveland have achieved success in a range of cases, including birth injuries, car & transportation accidents, dangerous or defective premises, dog attacks, workplace accidents, and product liability matters. These cases have resulted in serious injuries, such as brain injuries, paralysis, amputation, and severe burns. We have also resolved numerous wrongful death matters through jury verdicts, securing compensation for the families of fatal accident and malpractice victims.

Our capabilities include:

• Wrongful Death
• Medical Malpractice
• Premises Liability
• Product Liability
• Transportation Crashes
• Dog Attacks
• Employer Intentional Tort

Who We Represent

Our personal injury lawyers specialize in cases of severe, catastrophic injury or death, including egregious medical malpractice claims connected to significant illness, injury, dog attacks, or death. Additionally, we handle cases related to intentional acts of harm, torts, where purposeful actions against a victim result in significant injury or death. We also advocate for fiduciaries of estates for deceased victims, irrespective of where the injury or death occurred, whether in America or abroad.

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Our Mergers & Acquisitions lawyers are focused on making transactions timely and cost-efficient. Our attorneys have experience representing companies, private equity groups, family offices, financial sponsors, boards of directors and committees, financial advisors, and management teams. This perspective enables us to understand the concerns of all parties, protect client interests, and effectively execute deals.

We take an integrated approach to M&A and corporate transactions, providing seamless deal teams that draw upon our corporate & finance practices, as well as on tax, antitrust, employment, IP, environmental, and other related fields.

How We Help

We protect client interests by facilitating a smooth transition in the processes of buying, selling, merging, consolidating, and reorganizing businesses. We offer sophisticated counsel that enables clients to seize opportunities while minimizing risk and potential liability, supported by a depth of market knowledge, an international network, and highly practiced deal-making skills. We also handle mergers or consolidations and corporate restructurings and assist international companies with the purchase, restructuring, and formation of businesses in the United States.

The range of our M&A capabilities touch on the following:

Who We Represent

We represent buyers and sellers in all aspects of the transaction including structuring, performing due diligence, securing financing relationships, negotiating terms, and documenting transactions. Our practice is industry agnostic, which gives our attorneys the luxury of applying lessons learned from their experience on prior deals, regardless of industry focus.

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McCarthy Lebit’s trial lawyers are uniquely positioned to provide strong trial advocacy and practical out-of-court solutions to promote success. We deliver highly effective legal advocacy on a statewide, regional, and national level. We routinely handle multi-jurisdictional matters, appearing before Federal and State courts and various governmental agencies throughout the country. In and out of the courtroom, we bring practical resolutions to meet objectives.

Our firm and several of our lawyers individually have received numerous honors and accolades for litigation.

How We Help

Our goal is to advance and protect client interests most effectively. When appropriate, we implement alternative dispute resolution techniques such as mediation and arbitration. This approach can often achieve objectives and provide sound solutions. Our practice covers a wide range of legal disputes, including:

Who We Represent

Our attorneys have significant experience representing individuals and businesses in:

• Complex Commercial & Business Litigation
• Business Divorce or Shareholder/Partnership/Member Disputes
• Disputes From Non-Compete/Non-Solicitation Agreements
• Disputes Related to Trade Secrets
• Business Torts
• Breach of Contract Claims
• Real Estate, Landlord-Tenant Disputes, Construction, and Eminent Domain
• Financial Services Disputes
• Fiduciary Litigation
• Director & Officer Litigation (D&O)
• Class Action Litigation

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For starters, we learned this game by working for the enemy. Today, we work solely on the side of abused investors. But we didn’t start out that way. We spent many years defending national and regional brokerage firms, learning everything there was to know about the brokerage industry’s corporate culture and the methods used by broker-dealers to attack and eliminate customer claims. Most claimant-only lawyers today have no experience representing big brokerage firms, let alone the deep level of experience we bring to the table.

We do hours of work and give you real answers for free, before you hire us.

Almost every law firm will tell you its lawyers provide a “free initial consultation”, which usually means they’ll listen to your story and tell you how much they charge. We don’t do free initial consultations. We do an entire preliminary workup of your case, free of charge and without any obligation on your part to retain us. That’s the only way you and we can know whether you have valid and provable claims — the only kind of claims we handle. If your case isn’t legally, factually, or financially justified, we’ll carefully explain why and you’ll at least have the answers you came for (plus, if you want them, the names of other lawyers who could give you a competent second opinion). If we think you should pursue compensation, we’ll tell you the strengths and weaknesses of your case, how the arbitration or litigation process works, how much it might cost, how long it likely will take to complete, and how our fee (if any) will be determined. Then, and only then, will you need to decide whether to hire us.

You don’t just get a lawyer; you get our whole team.

Most law firms who do this kind of work, or claim to, will hand your file off to one of their attorneys. When you hire us, you get our entire team — a senior lawyer, his partners, associates, and our amazing support staff.  Every case we accept is fully staffed, with the right person taking charge of what he or she does best. This team approach ensures that each of us is invested in your case, constantly sharing ideas and information and minimizing the chance that something important could slip by. In other words, we don’t just give you our all. We give you all of us, and we do it at no extra cost to you.

NOW AVAILABLE: Affordable Tax Counseling Services for Investor Recovery Clients. Let McCarthy Lebit’s Tax lawyers help you keep more of your settlement or award. Click here to learn how.

For us, helping victimized investors is about more than money.

We did well representing brokerage firms. We did well, but we didn’t do good. We really grew to despise the way broker-dealers and many financial advisors treated and still treat their customers. In fact, we got so sick of defending bad guys that we, in essence, fired our broker-dealer clients and built something we could feel good about. So now we represent investors.

For more information about our practice and for current thought leadership from our practice Leader, visit https://stockmarketloss.com.

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Our Intellectual Property lawyers in Cleveland, Ohio are admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. They have cultivated relationships with intellectual property professionals worldwide, ensuring comprehensive protection of our clients’ IP rights.

How We Help

Our intellectual property attorneys advise on patent and trademark enforcement and infringement issues. Additionally, we prepare advisory opinions on patent and trademark matters, perform IP audits, draft and address cease and desist letters, and handle inter partes trademark proceedings, such as oppositions and cancellations. We also handle contractual matters related to IP, including assignments, licenses, non-disclosure agreements, master service agreements, and technology agreements.

The range of our IP services and capabilities include the following:

Our knowledgeable team is equipped to conduct intellectual property audits, a crucial process for businesses to maximize the potential benefits of all their IP assets. This allows a company to make better informed business decisions, maintaining the proper protection and care of intellectual property.

Who We Represent

We serve a diverse range of clients, encompassing individuals, start-up businesses, and small to mid-size corporations. Any business, entity, trust, or individual with intellectual property recognized by the USPTO, or those seeking to secure protection for their work through a USPTO registration, can benefit from the knowledge and experience of our exceptional team of IP attorneys. Our clients come from a wide range of industries, however, many come to us for IP support related to technology products in biomedical, mechanical, automotive, electronic, software, and consumer products.

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