We represent retailers ranging from startups to large public companies in corporate matters. We assist clients with mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and partnering arrangements, public and private securities offerings, restructurings and reorganizations, and venture capital and other financing transactions. Frequently, these transactions involve such disparate legal areas as environmental, real estate, labor, and employee benefits. Our transactional attorneys regularly team with attorneys in these and other practice areas to resolve client problems. For example, our corporate and securities attorneys work closely with the firm’s tax group to employ structures designed to maximize the tax benefits available to our clients. Corporate attorneys also work closely with the intellectual property and antitrust practices in advising clients on licensing, technology transfer, and other transactions.
We are experienced in advising leading designers, manufacturers, and retailers in intellectual property matters, including managing extensive global portfolios of patents, trademarks and copyrights, and representing clients in all types of infringement litigation. We are nationally known for our work in anti-counterfeiting actions, especially injunctions and seizure orders. We have obtained numerous individual, national, and facility injunctions to protect the trademarks and copyrights of major software, novelty, jewelry and designer consumer product manufacturers, and retailers from around the world. We also have extensive experience in intellectual property issues related to online retailing.
We represent retailers in all aspects of human resource management, from counseling on day-to-day employment issues to strategic counseling regarding business transactions. We are also experienced in resolving a wide variety of employment and benefits litigation for retail clients, including wage-and-hour litigation, EEOC charges, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation litigation, NLRB charges, OSHA issues, and unfair competition, trade secret, and restrictive covenant counseling and litigation..
We handle a full range of debtor/creditor matters, regardless of the complexity, location, industry, or market sector involved. Members of the group have addressed many complex subjects necessary to the successful resolution of bankruptcy and reorganization matters, including environmental, collective bargaining, transportation, leveraged buyout, toxic tort, pension, intellectual property, health care, financial institution, mortgage banking, real estate, construction/surety, insurance and tax issues.
The group’s bankruptcy experience has developed over the years through the representation of substantial interests in complex business failures. In addition, we have handled the reorganization of many retail businesses, including service station and auto parts chains, retail grocery chains, clothing chains, hardware chains, restaurant chains, department stores, candy stores, electronics and appliance chains, specialty food stores, and discount department stores.
We handle a wide array of disputes for retailers. In addition to general commercial litigation, we are skilled in antitrust and competition litigation, securities and shareholder litigation, insurance and reinsurance litigation, and white-collar criminal defense. We also have experience assisting companies in managing the many challenges that arise in a franchise or distribution relationship.
In addition, we help retail clients in developing, improving, and defending their advertising and marketing practices, including representing them in enforcement proceedings initiated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and by state attorneys general and other parties.
Troutman Pepper Locke’s ERISA and employee benefits lawyers have experience with the complex and unique coverage and non-discrimination testing issues faced by employers, and have worked with such employers to help design compliant and effective qualified and non-qualified retirement planning opportunities. Our lawyers also work with retailers to comply with the Affordable Care Act.
Troutman Pepper Locke’s franchise lawyers have a unique combination of in-depth experience handling all types of franchising and distribution matters with the backing of a full-service law firm that enables us to efficiently provide all the legal services needed by both seasoned and startup franchisors.
Our attorneys defend manufacturers, distributors and retailers of various consumer products in state and federal courts and in administrative and regulatory proceedings across the country. We advise manufacturers regarding the regulatory framework governing various products, including those involving the Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture. We also advise on conducting consumer product recalls. In addition, we mediate, arbitrate and settle hundreds of cases at great savings to our clients and actively pursue alternative dispute resolutions. The unique combination of our products liability, toxic tort, consumer product and commercial class action experience sets our Firm apart.
Our real estate lawyers represent owners and tenants of all sizes — big box, freestanding, hotel, shopping centers or street retail — in leasing and management of their store locations, construction projects as well as acquisition and sale of real estate nationwide. Our lawyers partner with our clients to identify valuable opportunities during the transaction and guide them through potential issues with a thorough but practical approach. The firm’s real estate and finance + banking practices are complemented by a knowledgeable team of environmental lawyers who address not only traditional environmental issues but also are leaders in the requirements for sustainable and energy-efficient sites.
Our international trade lawyers help retailers design systems to detect and prevent violations. When questions arise, our white collar and government investigations teams have the background and knowledge to help retailers find the facts and resolve the issues with the applicable governmental agencies.
Our attorneys regularly assists retailers with all aspects of technology outsourcing, including enterprise cloud and mobile computing solutions. In addition, we assist virtual companies and e-commerce teams of brick and mortar chains in working with credit card companies, securing customer data, complying with privacy laws, utilizing cutting-edge digital marketing technology, maximizing the use of compliant e-signature and e-payment methods, financial and health information of employees and responding to data breaches.
Our team of tax attorneys help businesses of all sizes and in all types of industries manage their tax responsibilities and handle their global tax liabilities. We closely monitor changing tax laws and regulations to ensure that our clients maximize the benefits of tax planning by structuring their transactions, assets and operations to minimize taxes assessed against them while achieving their business objectives.
