how to find food lawyer

What is it like to be a food lawyer?

Being a food lawyer not only allows, but requires, interdisciplinary thinking and using the existing system in inventive ways. The legal cafes give free advice to new food businesses. Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

How do I find a good lawyer?

Most communities have referral services to help people find lawyers. You might be able to find them under “Lawyer Referral Service” or something similar in your yellow pages. These services usually recommend a lawyer in the area to evaluate a situation.

How do I find a good lawyer referral service?

Some services make referrals without concern for the lawyer’s type or level of experience. You may want to seek out a lawyer referral service that participates in the American Bar Association-sponsored certification program, which uses a logo to identify lawyer referral programs that comply with certain quality standards developed by the ABA.

What kind of laws apply to the food industry?

There are also extensive state laws that typically govern topics like packaging, distribution, adulteration and fraud in the food industry. How a food lawyer helps their client comply with food laws starts with understanding the client’s business operates.

Who We Are

Food Lawyer Network is an Illinois organization based in the Chicago area that supports a vibrant, local food system--diverse in both the food products available and the people who grow, raise, produce, cook and sell them.

Other Legal Resources

Farm Commons: A nonprofit organization that provides the legal resources sustainable farmers need to become the stable, resilient foundation of a community-based food system.

Get Help

The Food Lawyer Network is happy to offer its services to those in need. Please simply use the link below to access our application page where your can outline your needs. Our team will review your submission and respond to your concerns as soon as possible.

How to Help

If you're an attorney looking to work with the Food Lawyer Network, please use the link below to submit your information. Our team will review your application and get back to you as soon as possible.

How Do I Get Paid as a Server?

Servers in the restaurant industry typically earn a small hourly wage paid by their employer and also tips received from the diners they serve. Restaurant laws and regulations regarding server pay vary from state to state and even from city to city.

Do I Have to Share My Tips?

Servers in restaurants earn tips from diners in addition to their hourly wage. Restaurant tip policy for employees varies from restaurant to restaurant. Tips are collected and distributed among restaurant workers in a variety of ways, including the following:

What Licenses and Permits Do Restaurants Need to Open?

There are a number of licenses and permits that a restaurant must obtain to operate legally. An experienced food industry lawyer can be of great help and should be knowledgeable about the various types of licenses and permits and the processes for obtaining them. Among the licenses and certificates that are needed are the following:

Do I Need an Attorney for the Food Service Industry?

An experienced business lawyer can help both restaurant owners and restaurant employees in a number of ways.

How do food lawyers help their clients?

Food attorneys help their clients comply with food law. How a food lawyer helps their client comply with food laws starts with understanding the client’s business operates. A meat processor and distributor has a different set of laws and regulations to follow than a restaurant. Likewise, a farmer has a different set of laws to follow ...

Why do food lawyers work?

They help their clients react if they’re accused of violating a federal or state law. Lawyers may also work as lobbyists in order to present issues to legislators on behalf of their clients.

What is food law?

Food law is the collection of laws and regulations that govern food production, distribution and consumption. Food laws aim to protect consumers and provide for the efficient growth and use of food in the United States. Food attorneys focus their careers on helping clients comply with food laws and regulations.

What are food laws? What are some examples?

For example, the Food and Drug Administration regulates the production of bottled water. Food laws regulate what supplement producers can claim about the effectiveness of their products. The U.S. food stamp program is part of food law and run under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Food laws can even cover constitutional law topics like whether the federal government can lawfully regulate local farm production.

How does the government regulate food production?

Another way that the government regulates food production is through the regulation of pesticide use. The Food Quality Protection Act is a 1996 law that standardizes pesticide regulations. The Act changes the way that the federal government approves pesticide use with special protections intended for vulnerable members of society like infants.

What was the Food and Drug Act of 1906?

Even before Congress created the FDA, the Food and Drug Act of 1906 prohibited dishonest labeling and manufacturing in food sales. The Food and Drug Act allows federal regulation of a range of products that together make up approximately 25 percent of the U.S. domestic product.

What is the food stamp program?

The U.S. food stamp program is part of food law and run under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Food laws can even cover constitutional law topics like whether the federal government can lawfully regulate local farm production.

What should I look for when choosing a lawyer?

The lawyer will be helping you solve your problems, so the first qualification is that you must feel comfortable enough to tell him or her, honestly and completely, all the facts necessary to resolve your problem.

Are there any practical considerations to keep in mind when choosing a lawyer?

Yes, the lawyer’s area of expertise and prior experience are important. Many states have specialization programs that certify lawyers as specialists in certain types of law.

Where should I start to look for a lawyer?

There are many ways to find a reliable lawyer. One of the best is a recommendation from a trusted friend, relative, or business associate. Be aware, however, that each legal case is different and that a lawyer who is right for someone else may not suit you or your legal problem.

Are advertisements a good place to look for a lawyer?

In some ways, yes, ads are useful. However, always be careful about believing everything you read and hear — and nowhere is this truer than with advertisements. Newspaper, telephone directory, radio, television, and Internet ads, along with direct mail, can make you familiar with the names of lawyers who may be appropriate for your legal needs.

What about a local referral service?

Most communities have referral services to help people find lawyers. You might be able to find them under “Lawyer Referral Service” or something similar in your yellow pages. These services usually recommend a lawyer in the area to evaluate a situation.

My new job offers a prepaid legal services plan. What can I expect?

Legal services, like many other things, are often less expensive when bought in bulk. Some employers, labor and credit unions, and other groups have formed “legal insurance” plans. These plans vary. Many cover most, if not all, of the cost of legal consultations, document preparation, and court representation in routine legal matters.

I want to hire a lawyer, but I do not have much money. Where can I find low-cost legal help?

Several legal assistance programs offer inexpensive or free legal services to those in need. Look in the yellow pages under topics such as “legal clinics,” “legal aid,” or “legal advice,” or search online. Most legal aid programs have special guidelines for eligibility, often based on where you live, the size of your family, and your income.