Auto Dealerships

As advisors and counselors to auto dealerships, we offer our clients diverse legal services focused on responsive and efficient problem solving. Our attorneys have years of experience representing dealers throughout the Southeast. We know the auto dealer industry, which gives us an informed perspective in helping to solve your business challenges.

We can help you with:

Dealership Transactions

• acquisition, sale and financing of dealerships
• due diligence
• manufacturer applications
• franchise issues, including manufacturer right of first refusal and general manager appointments and transfers
• transfer, assignment and assumption of vendor agreements, security agreements, consignment sales agreements and distributorship agreements
• dealership valuation issues

Business Advisory Counsel

• selection, formation and structuring of appropriate business entities
• shareholder buy/sell agreements, buyout agreements and voting agreements
• stock options, family limited partnerships and land trusts
• regulatory compliance

Tax and Estate Planning

• federal, state, and local tax matters
• tax controversies
• estate planning

Manufacturer and Franchise Issues

• guidance on franchise law
• franchise litigation

Employee Benefits

• employee benefits guidance including ESOPs, 401(k) plans, pension plans, health plans, disability plans, cafeteria plans, nonqualified deferred compensation, stock-based compensation, severance arrangements, and executive compensation

Real Estate

• land use and zoning
• site plan approval
• leasing, acquisitions and sales
• complex financings

Employment Law

• employment agreements including non-competes, confidentiality and severance agreements
• employment policies and procedures development
• union and labor law counsel, including NLRB proceedings, union election campaigns and negotiation of collective bargaining agreements

Worksite Enforcement & Immigration Compliance

• immigration compliance
• VISAs
• IRS or ICE audits

Intellectual Property, Advertising and Technology

• technology transfers
• technical assistance agreements
• software and hardware licenses
• software development agreements
• computer licenses
• web hosting agreements and internet and cyberspace law
• advertising and marketing laws including: the Truth-in-Lending Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Trade Commission Rules and Federal and State Anti-Spam laws

Litigation

• insurance coverage claims
• premises liability
• lemon law issues
• general commercial litigation