Friday, Eldredge & Clark’s lawyers have represented a variety of wholesale and retail industry clients in transactions and litigation, including class action litigation. Clients turn to us for seasoned counsel and vigorous advocacy, coupled with a strong client focus. Wholesale and retail clients get our undivided, client-focused attention, coupled with a strong background in the industry sectors.
Client focus
- Beverage bottlers and distributors
- Food and consumer goods wholesalers
- Department and specialty stores
- Convenience stores and gas stations
- Home improvement and building materials companies
Services to wholesale and retail companies
Environmental
Some of the largest and most prestigious wholesale and retail companies doing business in Arkansas have relied on us for guidance and representation in environmental matters involving transactions, litigation, and administrative hearings. They engage us for advice and representation in environmental matters including permitting and compliance; toxic torts; environmental due diligence and all appropriate inquiries; environmental issues in commercial real estate transactions; environmental issues in commercial lending; and management of environmental risks and liabilities. We have represented clients in issues involving remediation and abatement; petroleum products and underground and aboveground storage tanks and managing and apportioning liability among potentially responsible parties. We advise our clients regarding environmental business and tax incentives and strategies for adapting to and thriving in an increasingly “green” business and regulatory environment. Our clients rely on us to represent them before regulatory agencies as well as in courts. We have represented clients in defense of toxic tort claims and related claims for personal injury and property damage. In addition, we have represented clients in issues of federal and state program eligibility ranging from the Conservation Reserve Program to the Arkansas Petroleum Storage Tank Trust Fund.
ERISA and Benefits
Wholesale and retail industry employers rely on Friday, Eldredge & Clark to handle all their employee benefit needs. We handle every legal aspect of employee benefit plans, from design, implementation and administration to compliance, audits and mergers and acquisitions. One of the region's largest retailers has long called on us to manage a number of terminations and mergers of plans as they acquired other companies. We have the largest dedicated employee benefits practice in the state, representing employers who in total have more than 1,000 separate benefit and compensation plans.
Labor and Employment
Wholesale and retail industry clients call on Friday, Eldredge & Clark labor and employment lawyers for guidance and advocacy in a full range of labor and employment issues, including compliance with all federal and state laws and as well as vigorous defense in litigation. We offer proactive counseling to help identify problems that can become employment disputes. We represent wholesale and retail industry clients in such areas as wage and hour compliance, employment discrimination litigation of all types, EEOC investigations, labor relations, and covenants not to compete.
Litigation
On behalf of our wholesale and retail clients, we have litigated business and commercial litigation issues as well as personal injury and premises liability matters, including business torts, contract disputes, employment discrimination, false imprisonment, construction disputes, and trade secrets. Our lawyers have tried numerous multi-million-dollar cases involving retailer/vendor contract disputes, as well as retail factoring/financing litigation.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Friday, Eldredge & Clark represents wholesale and retail companies in a variety of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. We have helped clients with the structuring, negotiation, documentation and closing of their deals, using our firm’s full resources for everything from due diligence and tax-efficient deal structures, to financing and antitrust approval, to the review of employee benefits and non-compete agreements in the acquired wholesale or retail entity.
Real Estate
Wholesale and retail companies turn to us for representation and counsel with regard to commercial and retail development projects in Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri and Kansas, including transactions from routine purchase agreements to complicated development plans and multi-state sales, acquisition and financing. Our work has included acquisition, disposition, leasing and operation of real property, debt and equity financing, partnerships, joint ventures and other investment vehicles, and land use, brokerage and management agreements. Our practice also extends to representing clients with respect to all types of state and local taxes, including sales and use, income taxes, property taxes and assessment challenges, and economic inducements.
Tax
One of the region's largest retailers has retained us for tax representation and guidance for many years.
