We Understand Your Business
Companies engaged in the retail and consumer products industries must keep abreast of rapidly changing consumer opinions and demands - along with a developing environment of regulatory and compliance issues - all within the context of their own business plans and objectives. This requires vigilant monitoring of a wide range of industry development and issues. For example:
- The marketplace is witnessing a significant phase in the evolution of big box stores and large national retailers, with consolidation within segments and a trend in retailer growth through more locally or niche-tailored stores, pop-up locations and smaller format concepts.
- The marketplace is similarly experiencing a continued trend toward internet-based or assisted retailing, with product sellers either competing with such sales channels or deciding to adopt such methods.
- New federal, state and local safety regulations increasingly impose requirements and compliance obligations on the sellers of a wide variety of products and services with substantially larger consequences and penalties for noncompliance.
- Retailers and other consumer-facing industry segments continue to be at a heightened state of alert regarding the protection of customer data. Data breaches and privacy concerns are spurring new policies and practices to safeguard protection of client data and to retain consumer trust.
Is your company positioned to succeed?
We Can Help
With nearly 2,000 attorneys throughout the United States and around the globe, Holland & Knight has the depth, experience and geographic reach to assist manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers of consumer products in all aspects of their operations, including:
- Litigation and Dispute Resolution: Business disputes and liability claims are common within the competitive world of retail and consumer products. Our team can help you resolve your disputes through various methods, including negotiation, settlement, alternative dispute resolution and, when in your best interest, litigation.
- Real Estate: Companies engaged in the manufacture, distribution and sale of consumer products require significant real property holdings to conduct their business. We can help you with the acquisition, development, leasing and sale of the real estate necessary for your operations.
- Public Policy & Regulation: The industry standards and regulations governing consumer products have serious implications for businesses of all types. Our team has a deep understanding of the laws and regulations that impact your operations and can represent your interests in compliance matters.
- Intellectual Property: With the rapid pace of product advancements in today's world, your intellectual property is likely one of your company's greatest assets. Our team can help you protect and optimize the value of your products through licensing and the registration and enforcement of copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade dress.
- International: The global market for consumer goods provides unlimited potential for worldwide business operations. Members of our team can assist you with your transactional, real estate and dispute resolution needs around the world.
- Environment: Manufacturing operations often give rise to environmental concerns. We can help you develop and implement compliance programs to avoid adverse impacts and assist in mitigating, remediating and litigating issues that may arise in order to protect both the environment and your business interests.
- Labor, Employment and Benefits: We can guide you through common employment issues such as policies, training and benefits as well as issues that are of importance to your industry such as the drafting and enforcement of non-compete provisions and protection of trade secrets. In addition, we can represent your interests in labor relations and defend you against claims arising out of employment relationships.
- Corporate Services: Consumer product manufacturers and retailers need experienced legal counsel to grow and sustain their operations. We can assist you with your corporate and tax needs, including transactions, contracts and agreements, data privacy and security, mergers and acquisitions and related tax considerations.
- Data Privacy and Security: It is critical for retail and consumer products companies to effectively manage data privacy and security matters and comply with the growing number of related regulations best practices and regulator guidance. We can provide you with highly experienced technical and legal counsel on a wide array of issues, from mobile apps and mobile device management to monetizing on-premises traffic, to marketing and utilizing social media platforms, to identifying gaps in your privacy policy. We can also help prevent or deal with data and security breaches, as well as respond to federal and state regulator inquiries and investigations.
- Financial Services: The development, manufacture, distribution and sale of consumer products require significant financial capital. Our team has extensive experience with all forms of financing and can help you secure the necessary funding for your operations from every possible source, including commercial lending, structured finance, private equity and venture capital.
- Insurance: Potential liability issues are an ever present concern for companies engaged in consumer products. We can help you anticipate risks and protect your interests through effective insurance planning.
Guidance You Can Trust
The combination of our thorough knowledge, our extensive experience and our sincere commitment to provide responsive service is why clients entrust our Retail & Consumer Products Team to handle their legal needs. These attributes are also the reason why members of our team have been recognized among the top legal professionals in the country by leading publications, including:
- Chambers USA – America's Leading Lawyers for Business recognized Holland & Knight as having one of the leading Retail practices in the United States and highlighted the firm's practice as "Recommended for Client Service" and "Recommended for Commercial Awareness."
- Chambers USA – America's Leading Lawyers for Business named several members of our Retail and Consumer Products practice as leading lawyers in the categories of Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Product Liability and Real Estate.
- Best Lawyers in America recognized several members of our Retail and Consumer Products practice among the leading lawyers in the categories of Advertising, Information Technology, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Product Liability and Real Estate.
