Our attorneys help keep your business running smoothly and safely, protect your interests, and give you peace of mind. We assist retailers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, and those working with them in matters related to:

  • Premises liability, including slips and falls, falling merchandise, and negligent security claims
  • Product liability, such as claims for breach of contract, breach of express and implied warranties, inadequate labeling and warnings, and negligent misrepresentation
  • Food liability, including claims of foreign objects in food and food-borne illnesses
  • Loss prevention, false imprisonment, and malicious prosecution claims
  • Dram shop and liquor liability
  • Labor and employment issues, such as best practices in hiring, training, and firing in a high turnover industry as well as helping clients protect and defend against discrimination claims and overtime disputes
  • Business operations, risk management, and intellectual property issues, including strategic business entity types, vendor agreement negotiation and documentation, intellectual property protection with trademark and copyright, compliance with marketing and advertising requirements, and franchise legal needs
  • Business disputes and litigation, such as claims for breach of contract, breach of warranty, violation of non-compete, non-disclosure or non-solicitation agreements, misappropriation of trade secrets, and unfair and deceptive trade practices
  • Workers’ compensation defense

The group is led by chair Deedee Gasch and a team of veteran trial lawyers who bring business savvy and litigation experience to the table.

The Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Practice Group covers the entire state of North Carolina, with offices in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Wilmington. For more information, contact Deedee Gasch.


Most Recent Posts

  News

Deedee Gasch Accepted Into NRRDA

Deedee Gasch, a Partner at Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law), was accepted into membership of the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association (NRRDA). … Read More

  News

Stephanie Gaston Poley Article Featured by NCRLA

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An article by Stephanie Gaston Poley was featured in a recent email from the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association. “COVID-19 Recovery Act and Limited Immunity for Essential Business” discusses how North Carolina’s COVID-19 Recovery Act may impact certain businesses.… Read More

  News

Deedee Gasch Featured in At Your Service

plate and fork

Deedee Gasch, an attorney in the Wilmington office of Cranfill Sumner LLP, was recently featured in At Your Service magazine, a publication of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association.… Read More

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Cranfill Sumner Attorneys to Host Alcohol Liability Webinar with NCRLA

Gavel on Computer Keyboard

Deedee Gasch and Jennifer Welch will present at the upcoming Alcohol Liability Webinar hosted by the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA) and Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner).  The webinar will address information about North Carolina’s Dram Shop Laws and the best practices to avoid claims and lawsuits regarding overserved individuals.… Read More

  News

Cranfill Sumner Attorneys Published in DRI Publication

DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar

Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner) attorneys were recently featured in the Spring 2018 edition of In-House Defense Quarterly. The article, “Current Trends in Handling False Labeling Claims,” discusses legal issues surrounding labeling of food items.… Read More

  News

Stephanie Poley to Address DRI Product Liability Seminar

DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar

Stephanie Gaston Poley, Chair of the Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Practice Group at Cranfill Sumner LLP, will speak at the DRI Product Liability Seminar on Feb. 9.  Stephanie and Richard Heller, General Counsel for Legal Sea Foods, will present “Menu Labeling Rules: What’s New and Where Will We Go From Here?”… Read More

  News

Russ Racine to Speak at TAP Talk

Chip reader

Russ Racine, Of Counsel with Cranfill Sumner LLP, will present at the Nov. 14 TAP Talk presented by the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association.  The event will be held at the Pitt Community College Small Business Center in Greenville.… Read More

  News

Benton Toups to Lead Employment Law Seminar for Hospitality Industry

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Benton Toups, an attorney in the Wilmington office of Cranfill Sumner LLP (Cranfill Sumner), will lead “Ten Ways to Get in Trouble with Your Employees and How to Avoid Them” on Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon. The seminar will discuss how to avoid employment lawsuits in the hospitality industry as well as provide an update on state and national legislative issues. … Read More

  News

Russ Racine to Present at NCRMA TAP Talks

Chip reader

Russ Racine, an attorney in the Charlotte office of Cranfill Sumner LLP, will serve as a featured speaker at the Raleigh and Charlotte editions of TAP Talks. TAP Talks is an event sponsored by the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association. … Read More

  News

Katie Hartzog Presents at NCRLA Expo

Photo of Downtown Raleigh skyline at Night

Katie Weaver Hartzog, a partner in the Raleigh office of Cranfill Sumner LLP, presented the “Top Reasons Employers Get Into Legal Trouble with Employees” at the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA) Expo on Aug. 30. … Read More

  News

Tips for Hiring Your Seasonal Help

NCRLA Logo

Stephanie Gaston Poley and Virginia Wooten are featured in the July 2016 edition of At Your Service, the magazine for the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association. Their article, “Tips for Hiring Your Seasonal Help,” explains the legal issues that must be considered when hiring seasonal staff. … Read More

  News

Russ Racine to Speak at NCRMA TAP Talk Seminar

Russ Racine | Professional Liability Attorney

Russ Racine, an attorney in the Charlotte office of Cranfill Sumner LLP, will be a featured speaker at the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association Retail TAP Talk. The seminars offer information for retail businesses from marketing, legal and insurance perspectives. Russ will discuss “Intellectual Property Issues for Retail Businesses.”… Read More