food and beverage

Are you thinking about distributing a food product in India or the U.S.? Do your food clients have cross-border interests that include India or the U.S.?

This webinar presented by Mohit Kapoor, Co-Founder of Universal Legal Advocates, and Danielle DeFilippis, Co-Chair or the Norris McLaughlin Intellectual Property Law Practice Group, will explain food distribution in the U.S. and India, legal issues arising from cross-border food distribution, and include practical tips and insights. Discussion topics include:

• Indian Food and Beverage Industry
• Food Products
• Packaging and Labeling
• Quality Control
• Cross-Border Food Recall
• Food Distribution in the U.S.
• Distribution Leaders in the U.S.
• Considerations Before Entering the U.S. Market
• Cross-Border Legal Issues
• Significance of Review of Contractual Arrangements
• Themes

When: Thursday, September 26, 2019

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. EDT

6:30 – 7:30 p.m. IST

Where: Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 838 658 566

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Registration: Eventbrite

Posted in: Danielle M. DeFilippis, Events, Food & Beverage Law | Tags: cross-border, food and beverage

Danielle M. DeFilippis, Rashmee Rayna Sinha, Stephanie S. Spangler, and Michael J. Locke, of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will present “Food Law 101,” a food and beverage panel discussion, for WeWork Food Labs. The event will take place on Thursday, May 16, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., at WeWork 148 Lafayette Street in New York.

The presentation will cover a variety of legal issues encountered by food and beverage startups. DeFilippis will discuss basic contract issues that arise between food and beverage companies and external and internal parties. Sinha will cover key labor and employment law issues and updates for startup companies in the food and beverage industry. Spangler will speak on intellectual property issues that food and beverage companies face in the operations of their company, and Locke will speak on corporate formation, governance, and equity issues that are commonly faced by startups and early-stage companies. WeWork Food Labs is a first-of-its-kind innovation space and global platform dedicated to startups impacting the future of sustainable food. For more information, please click here.

DeFilippis, Co-Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Law Group and founding member of the Food, Beverage & Hospitality Group, focuses her practice on intellectual property matters and litigation. She represents individual and corporate clients in all phases of litigation, from commencement through trial, and regularly serves as lead counsel in cases before federal and state courts, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and alternative resolution forums. She has represented clients in a variety of industries, most notably, food and beverage, liquor, jewelry, and cosmetics. She has handled cases involving trademark and copyright infringement, false advertising, commercial disparagement, business torts, deceptive trade practices, Lanham Act claims, state and federal unfair competition laws, and other business disputes.  She is an author for Norris McLaughlin’s trademark, copyright, and unfair competition blog, More Than Your Mark, www.morethanyourmark.com. DeFilippis received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.A. from The Pennsylvania State University.

As a logical, strategic, and pro-active employment defense attorney, Sinha has a proven track record of extricating clients from suit in the early stages of litigation. She primarily handles claims under Employment Practices Liability Insurance, Directors and Officers and Errors and Omissions polices related to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, failure to accommodate, whistle-blower, and wrongful discharge on the basis of protected categories (i.e. age, sex, disability, race, gender, national origin, religion, pregnancy etc.).

Sinha represents employers from industries including healthcare, construction, financial services, property management, insurance, technology, transportation, building services, hotel and hospitality, retail, manufacturing, power and energy, and pharmaceutical.

Sinha is experienced in all areas of employment litigation in both federal and state courts. She has defended administrative proceedings and regulatory compliance investigations before numerous employment practice agencies including the EEOC, and the federal and state Department of Labor and the Department of Health. Sinha counsels employers on employment and compliance issues including employment policies, contracts, discipline, terminations, leaves of absence, accommodations, complaints, investigations, benefits, proprietary information, restrictive covenants, reorganizations, and executive compensation.

Sinha is a member of the Labor of Employment Section of the American Bar Association and the New Jersey State Bar Association. She is also a member of the Legal Committee, Fairways Community Condominium, Teaneck, New Jersey, as well an active member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society, the Commerce Industry Association of New Jersey, the Mahwah Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, and the Asian Indian Chamber of Commerce. Sinha earned her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, and her B.A. from Boston University.

Spangler, Co-Chair of the firm’s Cannabis Law Group and a member of the Food, Beverage & Hospitality Group, focuses her practice on trademark and copyright litigation, prosecution and enforcement.  She appears in state and federal courts and before the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in opposition and cancellation proceedings.  She counsels clients in industries including startups, technology, food and beverage, cannabis, and arts and entertainment.  She is a co-author for the firm’s trademark, copyright, and unfair competition law blog, More Than Your Ma®k, and the firm’s Cannabis Law Group blog, Legally Grown.

Locke focuses on providing counsel to small businesses in all phases of their corporate existence, from formation through merger and acquisition. Locke also works closely with clients as they grow and expand their businesses, offering advice and legal guidance in connection with customer and supplier agreements, terms and conditions of use (for both physical and digital products), inter-business relationships (including joint ventures), export regulations, securities regulations, litigation support, and more.

Locke is especially focused on working with businesses that seek to bridge the gap between commercial success and environmental or social responsibility. He has counseled clients in forming “benefit corporations” (also known as “B-corps”) and drafting corporate governing documents for those seeking to maximize profitability and have a positive effect on their communities while simultaneously minimizing their environmental impacts.

Locke also has experience assisting larger corporations conduct cross-border transactions, including the international purchase and sale of goods as well as the international purchase and sale of assets and equity. Locke earned his J.D. in 2013, cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School, and his B.A. in 2010, magna cum laude, from Rutgers University.

Posted in: Danielle M. DeFilippis, Food & Beverage Law, Intellectual Property, Michael J. Locke, News, Rashmee Rayna Sinha, Stephanie S. Spangler | Tags: contract law, corporate law, employment law, food and beverage, food and beverage entrepreneurs, food and beverage industry, food and beverage law, Food Labs, Food Law, governance, Intellectual Property, startups, WeWork, WeWork Labs Food Labs

Danielle M. DeFilippis, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will present “Food Business Basics” hosted by the Rutgers Food Innovation Center.  If you are thinking of starting a food business, then this seminar is a must!  As a unique opportunity for food entrepreneurs to learn critical aspects of entering the prepared food business industry, discussion topics include:

When: Thursday, April 18, 2019, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Where: Rutgers Food Innovation Center, 450 E. Broad St., Bridgeton, NJ 08302

Attendees will have the opportunity for Q&A and networking with fellow attendees and presenters. For more information and to register, please click here or contact Diane Holtaway, Associate Director of Client Services at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center, by email at , or by phone at 856-459-1900 ext. 4514.

Posted in: Danielle M. DeFilippis, Events, Food & Beverage Law, Intellectual Property | Tags: Danielle DeFilippis, Danielle M. DeFilippis, food and beverage, food and beverage entrepreneurs, food and beverage industry, food and beverage law, food safety, IP law, Rutgers Food Innovation Center, trademark, trademark law

Danielle M. DeFilippis, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will discuss trademark law at “Food Business Basics” hosted by the Rutgers Food Innovation Center on Thursday, April 18. Seminar topics will include food entrepreneurship, trends in the marketplace, business planning, intellectual property and trademark basics, merchandising for success, packaging, food technology and product development, food safety and regulations, and how the Food Innovation Center can help grow your business.

The seminar will be held 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., at the Food Innovation Center facility in Bridgeton.  For more information and to register, please click here or contact Diane Holtaway, Associate Director of Client Services at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center, by email at , or by phone at 856-459-1900 ext. 4514.

DeFilippis focuses her practice on intellectual property matters and litigation.  She represents individual and corporate clients in all phases of litigation, from commencement through trial, and regularly serves as lead counsel in cases before federal and state courts, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and alternative resolution forums.  DeFilippis has represented clients in a variety of industries, most notably, food and beverage, liquor, jewelry, and cosmetics.  DeFilippis has handled cases involving trademark and copyright infringement, false advertising, commercial disparagement, business torts, deceptive trade practices, Lanham Act claims, state and federal unfair competition laws, and other business disputes.  She is an author for Norris McLaughlin’s trademark, copyright, and unfair competition blog, More Than Your Mark.  DeFilippis received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.A. from The Pennsylvania State University.

Posted in: Danielle M. DeFilippis, Food & Beverage Law, News | Tags: Danielle DeFilippis, food and beverage, Food and Beveragle Law, Food Business, Food Entrepreneurship, Food Innovation Center, Food Law, Rutgers Food Innovation Center

Jeanne M. Hamburg, a Member of the law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will be a panelist on Monday, April 8, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m., at the 2019 Specialty Food Business Summit hosted by the Specialty Food Association at the Hilton Rosemont Chicago O’Hare in Chicago.  The panel is entitled “Managing Risk: Minimize, Monitor, and Control,” and will present a myriad of ways to minimize legal exposure through contracts, proper trademark clearance, registration and use, food labeling, insurance, and certifications.

The Summit, which takes place April 7-9, also features sessions in strategic planning, brand positioning, data-driven selling, shopper marketing, purpose-driven leadership, and maximizing profit.  For more information and to register, visit the Specialty Food Association website at www.specialtyfood.com.

A resident of New York, Hamburg focuses her practice in all aspects of copyright and trademark law, both in litigation and in the transactional area, assisting clients in the food, beverage, and restaurant industries with their IP needs.  In each year since 2009, she has been recognized in New York Super Lawyers® for Intellectual Property and Intellectual Property Litigation.  Only five percent of New York attorneys are given this honor.  Additionally, Hamburg is ranked in the 2019 World Trademark Review 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals (WTR 1000).  Among a group of fewer than 90 trademark professionals in New York, she was named a top trademark attorney in the areas of enforcement and litigation.

Hamburg has litigated in federal courts across the country, acting as national counsel to bring and defend infringement claims for clients both foreign and domestic.  Most recently, she litigated through appeal to the Federal Circuit a food trademark case that has been described as generating one of the most important trademark decisions in 2018.

In the transactional area, Hamburg counsels clients on intellectual property aspects of mergers and acquisitions.  She is experienced in copyright and trademark clearance, prosecution, and enforcement, and has particular expertise with contentious and transactional issues arising from the Internet.

Hamburg frequently speaks and writes about intellectual property topics before trade food, beverage, and restaurant groups, and is a member of the Specialty Food Association and the New York State Restaurant Association.  She is also a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA), currently serving on its Government Officials Training Committee.

Hamburg attended Wellesley College, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and received her B.A., magna cum laude, in English and Psychology, with Honors in English, in 1987.  In 1990, she received her J.D. at Columbia University School of Law, where she was editor of the Columbia Law Review.

Posted in: Food & Beverage Law, Jeanne Hamburg, News | Tags: Food & Beverage, food and beverage, food and beverage industry, food and beverage law, Food Business, Jeanne Hamburg, Specialty Food Association

Jeanne M. Hamburg, a Member of the law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will be a panelist at the 2019 Specialty Food Business Summit hosted by the Specialty Food Association in Chicago.  The panel is entitled “Managing Risk: Minimize, Monitor, and Control,” and will present a myriad of ways to minimize legal exposure through contracts, proper trademark clearance, registration and use, food labeling, insurance, and certifications.  The Summit, which takes place April 7-9, also features sessions in strategic planning, brand positioning, data-driven selling, shopper marketing, purpose-driven leadership, and maximizing profit.

When: Monday, April 8, 2019

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Where: Hilton Rosemont Chicago O’Hare

5550 N. River Road

Rosemont, IL 60018

For more information and to register, please click here.

Posted in: Events, Food & Beverage Law, Jeanne Hamburg | Tags: Food & Beverage, food and beverage, food and beverage industry, food and beverage law, Food Business, Jeanne Hamburg

Danielle M. DeFilippis, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will present “An Appetite for Branding: Securing Trademark Protection & Other Legal Issues” on Wednesday, March 27, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the Garden State Kitchen in Orange.

A legal and contracting workshop, the discussion will cover key topics including branding, trademarks, intellectual property, contracts, and other legal issues that impact food-based businesses.  For more information and to register, click here.

DeFilippis focuses her practice on intellectual property matters and litigation.  She represents individual and corporate clients in all phases of litigation, from commencement through trial, and regularly serves as lead counsel in cases before federal and state courts, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and alternative resolution forums.  DeFilippis has handled cases involving trademark and copyright infringement, false advertising, commercial disparagement, business torts, deceptive trade practices, Lanham Act claims, state and federal unfair competition laws, and other business disputes.  She is an author for Norris McLaughlin’s trademark, copyright, and unfair competition blog, More Than Your Mark.  DeFilippis received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.A. from The Pennsylvania State University.

Posted in: Danielle M. DeFilippis, Food & Beverage Law, News | Tags: Danielle DeFilippis, Danielle M. DeFilippis, food and beverage, food and beverage entrepreneurs, food and beverage industry, food and beverage law, Food Business

Jeanne M. Hamburg, Andrew D. Linden, Svetlana (Lana) Ros, and Stephanie S. Spangler, of the law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will be featured speakers on Tuesday, March 5, at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.  They will present a panel discussion titled “Exploring the Legal Haze of Cannabis for Restaurants.” The show, which takes place March 3-5, also features over 40 education sessions and over 500 of the leading vendors serving the restaurant and foodservice industry.

The panel discussion will also be presented on Tuesday, March 26, at the firm’s WeWork office, 222 Broadway, in New York in two sessions: 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.  The discussion explores the myriad of legal issues and risks of incorporating cannabis into your restaurant business, answering questions about the legal risks and ramifications of providing food and beverages with cannabis; the legal issues related to selling alcoholic beverages infused with or containing cannabis; the state of federal, state, and local laws and regulations impacting restaurants that wish to serve cannabis foods and beverages; and the requirements and hurdles for obtaining federal trademark registration for cannabis-related goods and services.  For more information and to register, please click here.

Hamburg is experienced in all aspects of copyright and trademark law, both in litigation and in the transactional area, assisting clients in the food, beverage and restaurant industries with their IP needs.  She has litigated in federal courts across the country, acting as national counsel to bring and defend infringement claims for clients both foreign and domestic.  Most recently, Hamburg litigated through appeal to the Federal Circuit a food trademark case that has been described as generating one of the most important trademark decisions in 2018. She was also recently ranked in the 2019 World Trademark Review 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals (WTR 1000). Among a group of fewer than 90 trademark professionals in New York, Hamburg was named a top trademark attorney in the areas of enforcement and litigation. Hamburg frequently speaks and writes about intellectual property topics before trade food, beverage and restaurant groups, and is a member of the New York State Restaurant Association as well as the Specialty Food Association.  Hamburg attended Wellesley College, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and received her B.A., magna cum laude, in English and Psychology, with Honors in English, in 1987.  In 1990, she received her J.D. at Columbia University School of Law, where she was editor of the Columbia Law Review.

Linden assists marijuana entrepreneurs, suppliers, growers, retailers, and investors to navigate complex statutory and regulatory schemes, including those related to permitting and licensing, such as initial applications, transfers, expansions, changes to ownership, and related disclosures, distribution, and general business operations such as sales, storage of product, and recordkeeping. He assists clients in all tiers of the distribution chain with compliance and business law issues. Linden also counsels alcoholic beverage manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers with all facets of their business. These include licensing and regulatory compliance, business formation, and product labeling. He has assisted craft breweries and distilleries with applications before the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control and retailers with applications before the local municipality. Linden provides guidance in connection with TTB federal permitting laws, advises clients on federal and state labeling requirements and approval processes, and helps them navigate state distribution and beer franchise laws. Linden attended Seton Hall University School of Law, where he received his J.D., cum laude, in 2007.  He earned a B.S., with honors, from Lehigh University in 2004, majoring in Accounting and Marketing.

Ros focuses her practice in the area of health care law, including civil and administrative litigation, professional licensure defense, hospital medical staff matters, hospital disciplinary actions, regulatory compliance, managed care and government audits, and refund demands and investigations. She also handles transactional and regulatory matters affecting health care providers. She has successfully defended physicians before medical boards, OPMC, and SBME, and in OPD investigations, as well as Medicare fraud, fraud and abuse, RAC audits, Medicare audits, OIG fraud, health care fraud, medical audits, and health plan billing audits. Ros frequently lectures at hospitals throughout New Jersey and New York about legal issues affecting health care professionals. She earned her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.S. in biotechnology and nutrition from Rutgers University.

Spangler focuses her practice on trademark and copyright litigation, prosecution and enforcement.  She appears in state and federal courts and before the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in opposition and cancellation proceedings.  She counsels clients in industries including startups, technology, food and beverage, and arts and entertainment.  Spangler earned her B.A. in International Studies from Emory University in 2005, and her J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law with a concentration in Intellectual Property and Communications Law in 2010.  During law school, she was Articles Editor for Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal.  She is the former Development Chair of Cardozo’s Black, Asian, and Latino Law Students Association Alumni Group and is part of its mentoring program for 1L law students.

Posted in: Andrew D. Linden, Cannabis Law, Food & Beverage Law, Jeanne Hamburg, News, Stephanie S. Spangler, Svetlana (Lana) Ros | Tags: Andrew D. Linden, Andrew Linden, cannabis, Cannabis Attorney, cannabis law, food and beverage, food and beverage industry, food and beverage law, Food Business, Jeanne Hamburg, Lana Ros, Norris McLaughlin, restaurant, Stephanie Spangler

Danielle M. DeFilippis, Daniel R. Guadalupe, and Deanna L. Koestel, Members of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will present a three-part webinar series on important legal issues for food and beverage businesses, manufacturers, distributors; supermarkets; and restaurants.

The first part, the appetizer course, “Essential Contracts for Emerging and Established Food and Beverage Companies,” will be held Wednesday, March 6, noon – 1:00 p.m., available through Zoom Meeting. This webinar will include a primer on essential contracts for a food and beverage business such as equipment leases, vendor contracts, co-packing, distribution and supply agreements, and assignment and licensing agreements for intellectual property. Also discussed will be key provisions to include in those agreements, such as confidentiality and indemnity, as well as a few negotiation strategies and pitfalls to avoid. For more information and to register, please click here.

DeFilippis focuses her practice on intellectual property matters and litigation. She represents individual and corporate clients in all phases of litigation, from commencement through trial, and regularly serves as lead counsel in cases before federal and state courts, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and alternative resolution forums. DeFilippis has handled cases involving trademark and copyright infringement, false advertising, commercial disparagement, business torts, deceptive trade practices, Lanham Act claims, state and federal unfair competition laws, and other business disputes. She is an author for Norris McLaughlin’s trademark, copyright, and unfair competition blog, More Than Your Mark. DeFilippis received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.A. from The Pennsylvania State University.

Guadalupe provides “outside” general counsel advice and representation to two large food manufacturers located in New Jersey and New York City. Over the years, he has counseled several clients in the food industry, including restaurants, supermarkets, distributors, and manufacturers. He has drafted, revised, and negotiated many distribution agreements, equipment purchase, and lease agreements, as well as vendors’ terms and conditions. He is also a litigator and the Co-Chair of Norris McLaughlin’s Litigation Practice Group. Guadalupe has served as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and the International Court of Arbitration, International Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the Supreme Court of New Jersey Disciplinary Oversight Committee and Lawyers Advisory Committee to the Federal Courts and was a member of the Merit Selection Panel for Selection of U.S. Magistrates, the Local Federal Rules Revision Committee, and the District XIII Ethics Committee for the Office of Attorney Ethics. He was also on the Board of Trustees of CentraState Hospital in Freehold, New Jersey, for four years. Guadalupe is also a former president of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey and was General Counsel for the Hispanic National Bar Association for two different presidents. He was appointed by Governor Christie in 2011 to serve as an advisor to the New Jersey Hispanic Center for Policy & Research until 2013. Guadalupe earned his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and his B.A. from Columbia College.

Koestel is a commercial litigator and business law attorney who focuses on complex commercial and construction litigation, shareholder disputes, and general business law matters in New Jersey and New York. She has represented clients in a variety of industries with significant experience in the food and beverage, construction, and health care industries. She has represented both companies and individuals in the food and beverage industry including restaurants, supermarkets, winemakers, distilleries, wholesalers, importers, and producers. Koestel has experience litigating matters including breach of contract, breach of warranty, fraud and consumer fraud actions, breach of fiduciary duty, and other business disputes. She also regularly counsels clients regarding business law matters and contracts. She is an author for Norris McLaughlin’s construction law blog, Building on Legal Blocks. Koestel earned her J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 2002 and her B.A. from the University of Maryland in 1999.

Posted in: Daniel R. Guadalupe, Danielle M. DeFilippis, Deanna L. Koestel, Food & Beverage Law, News | Tags: Daniel Guadalupe, Danielle DeFilippis, Deanna Koestel, distributor, Food & Beverage, food and beverage, food and beverage entrepreneurs, food and beverage industry, food and beverage law, manufacturer, restaurant, supermarket

Danielle M. DeFilippis, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will present “An Appetite for Branding: Securing Trademark Protection & Other Legal Issues,” a legal and contracting workshop hosted by the Garden State Kitchen.  The discussion will cover key topics including branding, trademarks, intellectual property, contracts, and other legal issues that could impact your food-based business.

When: Wednesday, March 27, 2019

6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Where: Garden State Kitchen

406 Tompkins Street, City of Orange, NJ 07050

For more information and to register, please click here.

Posted in: Danielle M. DeFilippis, Events, Food & Beverage Law, Intellectual Property | Tags: branding, contracts, Danielle DeFilippis, Danielle M. DeFilippis, Food & Beverage, food and beverage, food and beverage entrepreneurs, food and beverage industry, food and beverage law, Intellectual Property, IP law, manufacturer, restaurant, supermarket, trademarks