Automotive

Stevens & Lee has an in-depth understanding of the unique legal and business challenges facing our clients in this rapidly changing industry.

We provide a wide range of counseling, transaction assistance, and litigation services to national and international automotive industry clients seeking guidance with industry-specific issues, as well as traditional legal matters such as general corporate, litigation, labor and employment, real estate, succession planning, immigration, executive compensation, employee benefits, and tax. Our cross-disciplinary legal team represents automotive manufacturers, captive financial entities, suppliers, and distributors in developing comprehensive solutions to strengthen and expand their businesses.

Advisory

Establishment of national dealer networks for start-up and next-gen manufacturers
Federal and state legal and regulatory compliance, including administrative laws
Environmental law compliance
Establishment and assistance with reinsurance programs
Land use, real estate and zoning
Consumer fraud, warranties, lemon law, consumer leasing and consumer finance litigation
Administrative actions brought by the DMV and state Attorneys General
Franchise matters
Estate planning
Trademark, Service Mark, Intellectual Property issues
Succession planning (including ESOPs)

Finance/Transactional

Mergers and acquisitions (asset, equity, real estate, and financing)
Finance, banking, and insurance matters, including acting as national and regional outside counsel for several large captive finance companies and a manufacturer
Asset-based lending, real estate lending, construction loans, floorplan financing and leasing
Financial loan transactions, workouts and related litigation
Bankruptcy matters on behalf of manufacturers and lenders
Investment capital (e.g. private placements) for national dealer networks for start-up and next gen manufacturers

Commercial Disputes

Franchisor/dealer disputes, including legal issues under the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act (FPA) and the Automobile Dealers’ Day in Court Act
Trademark and intellectual property rights infringement disputes
Class actions
Construction development and disputes
Replevin Actions
Federal Truth-in-Lending Act and Truth-in-Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act
Federal and state Fair Credit Reporting Act

Labor and Employment

Union avoidance, initial union elections and union de-certifications
Collective bargaining and grievance arbitrations
Unfair labor practice charges
Misclassification issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in connection with the Financing/Credit Department, and issues arising from commissioned employees
Employee relations
Employment litigation, such as wage-and-hour, discrimination claims and enforcement of non-competition, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements
OSHA compliance
Immigration
Executive compensation
Employee benefits

In addition, our affiliated FINRA-licensed investment bank, Griffin Financial Group, provides a wide range of services to our automotive industry clients.