The restaurant industry, in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association, launched the Restaurant Law Center yesterday, Jan. 12. The new Law Center, based in Washington, will provide legal advocacy on behalf of the restaurant industry to protect against over-regulation on a local, state and federal level.

"As the nation’s second largest private sector employer, the restaurant industry has a responsibility to fight for policies that will help our industry thrive – including in the courts," says Angelo Amador, executive director of the Restaurant Law Center and senior vice president and regulatory counsel for the National Restaurant Association. "Within the federal government, agencies like the Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) make purely political decisions that significantly impact restaurants, with little understanding of how the industry works. At the same time, state and local governments are creating a patchwork of policies on the minimum wage, paid sick leave, and shift scheduling, among others. All of this makes it harder for restaurant owners to grow their businesses, create jobs and keep prices affordable."

The Center will advocate for restaurant owners, team members and customers through the courts, Amador adds. "The Center will provide protection and advancement for the industry, including fighting against the government’s regulatory overreach on a local, state, and federal level. The restaurant industry has been participating in legal battles on behalf of restaurant owners and employees for years. as these fights become more and more prevalent, we must have the legal means and an apparatus to push back against outside groups that threaten the jobs and economic growth the restaurant industry creates, as well as to protect and advance the industry. The Center will streamline the industry’s ability to engage in legal proceedings and to seek just outcomes."

The Center’s board of directors is chaired by Jay Stieber, executive vice president and general counsel of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc.

To learn more about the organization, restaurant industry information, membership details or about the cases the Center is currently handling, visit RestaurantLawCenter.org or phone 202-331-5900/800-424-5156.