Practice Areas
Automotive Industry Law
Our firm provides legal services to businesses in the automotive industry, including Volkswagen Group of America, which is building its new manufacturing plant in Chattanooga, and Coker Tire Company, the world’s largest supplier of antique, vintage and classic tires. Our multidisciplinary approach and our local, national and international resources allow us to provide coordinated, focused service to companies operating on a global scale. Our services include:
Project Development. We provide transaction planning, negotiation and documentation in a wide range of business contexts. We handle a variety of contracts and matters related to entity formation and governance, technology and licensing, investments, employment, sales, financing and leasing.
Suppliers. We handle manufacturing and supplier issues, regularly preparing and negotiating terms and conditions for the procurement of supplies and equipment, information technology and other services. We advise on supply chain and licensing agreements, capital equipment and infrastructure transactions, and the purchase and financing of prototypes and component parts. We regularly assist in the negotiation of OEM equipment supply contracts and other outsourcing contracts, product distribution agreements, health care services and food/vending services agreements and distributor/dealer agreements.
Construction. We prepare and negotiate construction contracts, including those for architects, general contractors and subcontractors, engineers and construction managers. We also assist with performance and completion guarantees, bid documents and letters of credit. We have litigation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) experience and work with clients to resolve insurance, safety and licensing issues, construction claims, mechanics’/materialmen’s liens, bid issues and construction/design defects.
Intellectual Property. We provide legal services relating to intellectual property matters, including licensing, patents and trademark and related protection actions and disputes. We prepare and negotiate intellectual property contract terms associated with key issues in the automotive and manufacturing industries, such as tooling, manufacturing designs and processes, IP services, software and other work product. We also handle patent and trademark infringement matters, copyright claims, trade secret disputes and domain name disputes.
Labor and Employment. We work with our clients on a broad range of labor and employment issues, including workers’ compensation; preventing and defending claims of discrimination under state and federal statutes (such as Title VII, ADA, FMLA and USERRA); preparing affirmative action plans and handling audits conducted by the OFCCP; developing personnel policies; conducting management training (including union avoidance); wage and hour compliance; developing and administering substance abuse testing programs; structuring layoffs; preparing noncompetition and severance agreements; negotiating collective bargaining agreements; and representing clients in labor arbitrations and in matters before the National Labor Relations Board.
Safety and Health. We work with clients to ensure compliance with state and federal safety regulations, including those under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) . We advise on issues relating to inspections and citations, safety and health standards, training and documentation, and employee safety. We also advise clients on employee health matters, including plan design and compliance, HIPAA portability and privacy reporting.
Real Estate/Environment. We advise on commercial real estate issues, including land use and zoning, acquisition and development, commercial leasing, real estate financing, ownership entity structuring, work outs and bankruptcy, due diligence review and title insurance and estate planning. We also handle environmental matters, including environmental compliance, resolution of environmental problems, environmental issues in real estate transactions and environmental enforcement actions and litigation.
Infrastructure/Utilities. We represent independent project developers as well as electric and gas utilities in many aspects of their businesses, including project structuring, finance and regulatory compliance. Our work also includes preparing and negotiating agreements pertaining to energy supply, transportation and storage, pipeline and power network expansion and interconnection, joint venture agreements and land use, and easements and entitlements.
We also assist with tax, environmental and other regulatory permitting, reporting and compliance issues. We have experience with the state and federal statutes applicable to the natural gas and electric power industries and represent clients in administrative hearings before both federal and state regulatory commissions.
Bankruptcy/Workouts. We handle a broad range of bankruptcy and workout/collection matters, including those relating to contractors and suppliers of equipment and other products and various services. We advise on creditors rights, workout agreements, bankruptcy claims and related commercial matters. We also handle all types of commercial and bankruptcy litigation and dispute resolution.
Antitrust and Trade Regulation. We provide legal services on a range of antitrust and trade regulation issues, including negotiating joint purchasing agreements, pricing issues, product distribution arrangements, monopolization and territorial restraint matters, regulatory review and other business matters related to joint ventures.
Litigation and Dispute Resolution. We handle litigation and dispute resolution matters in state and federal courts and before arbitrators, mediators and regulatory bodies. Our experience encompasses many areas, including environmental and toxic torts, construction, labor and employment, intellectual property, product liability, safety and health and trade regulation.
Industry Involvement. Our attorneys regularly work with federal, state and local officials on behalf of our clients. We are active members of Chattanooga Manufacturers Association, Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association, Original Equipment Suppliers Association, Tennessee Automotive Manufacturers Association, the German-American, Tennessee and Chattanooga Chambers of Commerce.