Illinois Restaurant & Bar Services
Offering legal advice to restaurant and bar owners
Hays Firm LLC provides legal counsel and advice to restaurant and bar owners regarding the day-to-day operations unique to this type of business. We also provide counsel when a dispute arises involving a restaurant or bar.
The firm has an understanding of restaurant law, the hospitality industry, and the various types of challenges that bar and restaurant owners encounter on a daily basis. Whether you are in the beginning stages of forming your restaurant or bar, or need to maintain your already steady business, Hays Firm LLC attorneys work one-on-one with you to serve your business.
Restaurant & Bar Legal Services
Our experienced attorneys can provide the following legal services:
FORMATION
Our attorneys advise on what type of business entity is most advantageous based on what you are looking to do.
DOCUMENTS
Our attorneys draft all the necessary documents to create the entity so you can focus on your restaurant or bar.
SECRETARY OF STATE
Our attorneys file the documents with the Illinois Secretary of State which are required to register your business.
REGISTERED AGENT
Our attorneys act as the registered agent for your restaurant or bar in the State of Illinois.
LICENSING
Our attorneys prepare the necessary documents to obtain all of the required licensing and registration.
AGREEMENTS
Our attorneys analyze and negotiate lease agreements, purchase agreements, and vendor and distributor agreements.
OPERATIONAL ISSUES
Our attorneys advise on landlord, vendor, and shareholder issues; as well as commercial and business-related disputes.
OTHER ISSUES
Our attorneys are equipped to handle all legal issues related to the operation of a bar or business.
More Info About Restaurant & Bar Services
Is your property subject to a moratorium?
The term generally refers to certain sections of the city which have imposed a moratorium on all new tavern or liquor store licenses. The Chicago City Ordinance restricts the issuance of new liquor licenses in various locations throughout the City. Determining whether your business, or proposed business, lies within a moratorium district seems straightforward, but in actuality it is anything but simple. The moratorium classifications can be complicated as certain moratoriums affect different sections of the City in different ways. The moratorium ordinances also greatly restrict the transfer of existing tavern and packaged goods licenses.
The experienced liquor license attorneys at Hays Firm LLC are available to assist you in the process of determining whether your business lies within a moratorium ordinance and guide you throughout the entire application process.
What is the initial application process for a liquor license?
- Complete a “Business Information Sheet”.
- Meet with a Business Consultant at the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection in City Hall.
— Be prepared to answer all questions about your proposed operation.
— The Business Consultant may also assist with obtaining building permits or any other city services needed. - Complete a Written Application that is presented to the Department of Zoning.
- After obtaining approval from the Department of Zoning, file the application with the application fee with the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection in City Hall.
- Upon filing, the Business Consultant will provide a list of all documents required, schedule all required inspections, and prepare any required public notifications.
- All items need to be completed within 30 Days of the date the written application is filed.
- Inspections by the Departments of Health, Fire, and Buildings and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.
- Undergo Background check and spouses of owners need to submit a Spousal Affidavit.
- Notify the Public.
- Submit all remaining documents.
- Application review.
— A decision is issued 60 days after all documents are submitted to the city.
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Restaurant & Bar Services Articles
You cannot bring more than minimal amounts of alcohol into the State of Illinois. These restrictions do not only apply to businesses, but also apply to individual Illinois residents.
All restaurant and liquor store owners must be diligent to ensure that all of the liquor sold in their establishments was properly purchased from an Illinois distributor.
The City of Chicago has established a conditional approval process for liquor licenses which ensures that a business owner can obtain assurance from the City of Chicago that it will issue a liquor license upon completion of the construction project