FLB Law Managing Partner Eric Bernheim Joins National Restaurant Expansion Roundtable on Due Diligence
FLB Law Managing Partner Eric Bernheim recently participated in a national LinkedIn Live roundtable focused on due diligence, risk management and real estate strategy in restaurant expansion. The discussion, titled “Due Diligence or Due Disaster? Errors in Restaurant Expansion,” brought together senior leaders from restaurant development, design, operations and advisory firms to share practical lessons from projects across the country.
The session was moderated by Kaleb Harrell, CEO and cofounder of Hawkers Asian Street Fare, and featured an all-star panel including Eric, Brian Escamilla of Senior Vice President at Field Services Unlimited, Robert Fargo, Senior Vice President of Development at SPB Hospitality, Chelsea Meeks Mayers, VP of Development and Design at Barcelona Wine Bar and JoDee Johnson, Director of Design at Darden Restaurants.
Legal Perspective on Risk and Lease Protection
During the roundtable, Eric contributed the legal perspective on how early due diligence directly informs stronger lease negotiations and long-term protections for restaurant tenants. He discussed the importance of detailed work letters, clearly defined landlord and tenant responsibilities, hazard mitigation provisions and surrender terms that reduce unexpected costs at both the beginning and end of a lease.
Topics Covered:
Panelists explored a range of issues impacting restaurant growth, including:
The role of early due diligence in saving money, accelerating timelines and reducing risk.
Common causes of delayed openings and dead rent, such as utilities, permitting and third-party dependencies.
How technical surveys and digital site documentation improve budget accuracy.
Balancing brand standards, operational needs and design intent in both ground-up and second-generation spaces.
The conversation highlighted how collaboration between legal, development and design teams, grounded in accurate site data, is essential to successful restaurant expansion in today’s market.
Listen to the roundtable.