Hospitality & Food/Beverage Law

The Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A. represents small businesses such as restaurants, liquor stores, hotels, catering establishments, and supermarkets throughout Maryland. We help clients through all stages in the life of their businesses, from initial formation to ongoing operation and growth and even to eventual sale or dissolution.

Business Formation: Corporations/Partnerships/LLC/LLP
The Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A. provides legal counsel and representation in the formation and organization of business entities such as Partnerships, Corporations, Limited Liability Company (LLC), or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP). We also advise clients on joint ventures, franchising, business successions, shareholder disputes and shielding directors and officers from liability. In addition, we are frequently called upon to arrange divestitures of partners in partnerships and corporations. We have abundant experience drafting buy-out agreements.

Business Logistics: Location/Leasing, Franchises, Liquor License & Capitalization
The Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A. through its affiliation with Focal Realty provides site selection and analysis. Once a location is identified, then we assist with the review and negotiation of a lease or contract of sale. To the extent a client is buying an existing business, we assist in the preparation and negotiation of an asset purchase agreement.

We have significant experience in reviewing and negotiating franchise agreements and providing practical guidance as Kirk Halpin and his family previously owned and operated a Dairy Queen franchise located in the Midwest.

The Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A. has represented clients before Liquor Boards throughout the State of Maryland and has assisted clients with liquor license applications and transfer requests.

We assist clients in drafting private placement memoranda to raise money from investors. In addition, the Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A. represents a number of community banks and other lending institutions throughout Maryland and provides assistance in obtaining traditional and non-traditional financing.

Business Operations: Employees, Contract Review & Regulatory Compliance
The Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A. assists its clients with drafting employee manuals, hiring and firing employees, and updating company policies and procedures to deal with day-to-day operational issues.

We have significant experience in preparing, reviewing and negotiating myriads of contracts for the food, beverage and hospitality industry from dealing with the contractors performing the initial build-out to the suppliers providing, installing and maintaining the furniture, fixtures and equipment, and from the vendors and distributors delivering food and drink items to customers entering into rental or catering agreements.

The Law Offices of Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A. provides regular updates to its clients on changes to local, state and federal regulations which may impact business operations. In addition, we assist clients in responding to and defending complaints by regulators.

Practice Areas

• Banking, Finance & Lending Law
• Business & Corporate Law
• Building & Construction Law
• Commercial Transactions & Contracts
• Employer/Employee Law
• Franchise Law
• Hospitality & Food/Beverage Law
• Intellectual Property & Technology Law
• Landlord/Tenant Matters
• Litigation
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Real Estate
• Zoning & Land Use