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Christy Reuter loves her shoppers. Not simply as names on a contract — in an actual, roll-up-her-sleeves, answer-emails-at-midnight form of manner.
“My shoppers are somewhat loopy,” admits the Blank Rome LLP accomplice and chair of its hospitality observe. “However I really like that about them. It’s a must to be somewhat loopy to be on this enterprise.”
That is precisely why Reuter thrives in hospitality legislation. Eating places are fast-paced, unpredictable and stuffed with high-stakes choices. When operators want somebody to guard their enterprise, whether or not it is a last-minute lease negotiation, a licensing deal or a trademark dispute, Reuter is the one they name.
She ensures her shoppers keep protected in an business the place the proper authorized steerage can imply all the things.
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The restaurant business is constructed on ardour, however ardour alone will not shield you from a nasty deal. That is the place an skilled hospitality lawyer makes all of the distinction.
“I can inform straight away when somebody would not perceive this business,” Reuter tells Shawn Walchef, host of the Restaurant Influencers podcast. “They argue over the unsuitable issues, miss essential particulars and find yourself making horrible offers.”
She compares it to going to the unsuitable sort of physician. “You do not go to a heart specialist in case your foot hurts,” Reuter says. “It is the identical factor with legal professionals. You need somebody who lives and breathes hospitality legislation, who understands the nuances of restaurant offers.”
Reuter’s capacity to navigate high-pressure hospitality offers did not develop in a single day. As common counsel for Cipriani, she helped lead the restaurant firm by means of main authorized battles, together with the financial disaster and high-profile tax issues.
“When you’ve gotten over 500 staff, making certain that everybody is aware of all the things’s going to be okay is a problem,” she says. “I realized the right way to put out fires quick as a result of, on this enterprise, small authorized missteps can flip into huge issues.”
She’s labored on main restaurant offers in New York, Miami, Las Vegas and past. From negotiating restaurant administration contracts to serving to manufacturers increase globally, her authorized experience ensures that operators aren’t simply protected — however positioned for fulfillment.
And one of many biggest mistakes she sees? Not defending the model.
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Defending your model
For a lot of restaurant operators, the authorized aspect of branding is an afterthought. They construct an ideal idea, launch a killer menu and develop a loyal following — solely to comprehend too late that they by no means protected their title.
“Operators do not all the time take into consideration trademarking their model early on,” Reuter says. “However should you do not shield your title, another person will. And when you lose management of your model, it is virtually unimaginable to get it again.”
A strong trademark is not only a authorized technicality — it is the inspiration of a restaurant’s long-term success. Whether or not it is licensing alternatives, enlargement plans or just protecting a competitor from stealing the title, Reuter ensures her shoppers keep in management.
On the finish of the day, Reuter’s job is about greater than contracts and negotiations. It is about defending the individuals and companies of which she believes.
“My job is not simply to overview contracts,” she says. “It is to ensure my shoppers aren’t signing one thing that might harm them years down the street.”
That is why she fights for each deal prefer it’s her personal. As a result of in hospitality, the proper lawyer is not simply an advisor — they are a accomplice within the enterprise.
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