Attorney | Steptoe

Dina Adham has over 25 years’ experience representing numerous companies in complex business disputes in state and federal courts. During a respite from BigLaw, Ms. Adham served as in-house counsel for a major motion picture studio as well as general counsel for a restaurant chain. She joined Steptoe’s Chemical and Life Science Group four years ago, and now advises manufacturers, distributors, and retailers regarding compliance with California’s Proposition 65.

Executive Director | Restaurant Law Center

Angelo Amador is Executive Director of the Restaurant Law Center. He also serves as Senior Vice President of Legal Advocacy and Regulatory Counsel for the National Restaurant Association.

Amador serves as chief litigation officer for the Association, prioritizing legal matters to be pursued through amicus briefs or first party litigation. He also represents the Association’s interests by advocating before regulatory agencies; testifying at public hearings; drafting and filing regulatory comments; and, when necessary, recommending and managing legal challenges.

Prior to his current role, Amador was vice president of labor and workforce policy. He was  responsible for working with the business community to develop the restaurant industry’s position on labor, health care, immigration, education and other issues affecting the benefits, availability and quality of the workforce. He advocated on behalf of the Association and its members before Congress and the executive branch.

Before joining the National Restaurant Association, Amador served as an executive director in the Labor, Immigration and Employee Benefits Division of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, he had responsibility for workforce issues, global migration, and travel/border policy. Previously, he was in private practice and served as law clerk to the Hon. David T. Stitt, judge in the 19th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. Prior to his clerkship, he worked in Washington, D.C., for the governor of Puerto Rico as assistant director/legislative counsel and as staff attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Member of the Firm | Epstein Becker Green P.C.

Employers in a range of industries, including health care, retail, hospitality and insurance, count on Kathleen Barrett to defend them in employment litigation in state and federal courts. Kathleen has represented companies across the country in wage and hour class actions. She also regularly represents companies in cases involving allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or wrongful termination brought by single-plaintiff employees at all levels of a company.

In addition, Kathleen proactively counsels clients to ensure their employment practices comply with current or new workplace laws and regulations. For example, she has guided clients through new workplace issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also offered training and guidance on the legalization of recreational and medical cannabis and its impact on a client’s workplace drug policies, complaint procedures, disciplinary action policies, and accommodations practices.

Before joining Epstein Becker Green, Kathleen worked in medical prosecutions at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. She has published numerous articles and presented on a variety of employment law topics, including the impact of the legalization of cannabis on the workplace, wage and hour compliance, and reasonable accommodations in health care workplaces. She also speaks on developments in wage and hour class action law, managing remote employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fair Labor Standards Act classification, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and cannabis workplace issues.

Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | NW Natural Gas

Partner | Baker Botts

Vern Cassin helps to solve complex problems for clients in high-value litigation, often involving claims of $1 billion. He has led or had a senior role in litigation on behalf of major U.S. and foreign companies, as well as foreign states litigating in U.S. courts. Mr. Cassin’s litigation experience covers a wide range of sectors, with particular focus on the media and energy sectors. His cases often involve working closely with subject matter experts on technical issues, including financial analysis, engineering, and construction.

Mr. Cassin has considerable experience counseling clients in disputes arising from mergers and acquisitions, including shareholder class actions and securities fraud litigation. In addition to representing clients in court, Mr. Cassin frequently advises corporations on risk mitigation during corporate transactions that may face shareholder action.

Mr. Cassin has been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Washington D.C. Super Lawyers in 2017 and 2018. He is Vice President of the U.S. Court Tennis Association and a member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Court Tennis Preservation Foundation.

President & Chief Executive Officer | California Restaurant Association

Jot Condie joined the California Restaurant Association (CRA) in May of 1999 as the association’s vice president of government affairs and public policy, serving as the restaurant industry’s chief lobbyist in California. He was promoted to the position of president + chief executive officer on May 17, 2004.

Before joining CRA, Jot was the legislative director for the California Manufacturer’s Association, where he lobbied on behalf of California’s Fortune 500 companies. He also served as the chief lobbyist for the Southern California Air Quality Alliance, a consortium of aerospace, manufacturing and high-tech companies with an interest in air quality regulation issues. Before joining the Manufacturer’s Association, Jot worked in the State Capitol as staff director for Assistant Assembly Majority Leader, directing a staff of policy consultants and legislative aides. Prior to serving as staff director he was a legislative director for the Assembly Minority Whip and managed political campaigns in state legislative races.

He is past president of the national Council of State Restaurants Associations, served as Vice Chairman of Operations for Visit California, served two terms as a Board of Director for the National Restaurant Association, and serves as a board adviser to the California State University Hospitality & Tourism Management Education Initiative.

Member of the Firm | Epstein Becker Green P.C.

Paul DeCamp is a Member of the Firm in the Employment, Labor & Workforce Management practice, in the Washington, DC, office of Epstein Becker Green. He is Co-Chair of the firm’s national Wage and Hour practice group. A former Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Wage and Hour Division, Mr. DeCamp has more than two decades of experience representing employers and trade associations in the most complex and challenging wage and hour litigations, government investigations, and counseling matters.

Additionally, Mr. DeCamp has served as lead counsel in class and collective actions across the country. His work spans a broad range of industries, including aerospace, financial services, gaming, health care, hospitality, manufacturing, restaurants, retail, and transportation, as well as many others.

Appointed as Wage and Hour Administrator by the President of the United States in 2006, Mr. DeCamp was the chief federal officer responsible for interpreting and enforcing the nation’s wage and hour laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and a variety of prevailing wage statutes affecting government contractors. Most recently, Mr. DeCamp was a partner at a labor and employment law firm, where he served as National Chair of its Wage and Hour practice for eight years.

Principal | Jackson Lewis P.C.

Felice B. Ekelman is a Principal in the New York City office of Jackson Lewis P.C. where she serves as the Co-Lead of the Firm’s Restaurant Industry Team, and Leads the Firm’s Hospitality Industry Group (restaurants, hotels and fitness).  Felice is an established leader and has served on the Jackson Lewis Board of Directors, as well as the Boards of other organizations.  Felice approaches the attorney-client relationship as a business partnership, and clients rely on her to develop both legal and business strategies and when necessary, to litigate “bet the company” cases.

Felice places paramount importance on understanding her clients’ businesses, their goals and tolerance for risk. She has decades-long relationships with clients because of her ability to communicate with senior management, develop consensuses in problem solving, and work with clients to execute their goals. Known for her ability to develop thoughtful and creative solutions to complex workplace issues, clients trust her judgment.  Felice has in-depth knowledge of the challenges facing employers in the hospitality industry.  Her experience in the industry is wide-ranging.  She is a well-known class action litigator and has defended countless wage and hour claims both in court and before arbitrators.  She is an experienced trainer and investigator, having investigated claims of wrongdoing asserted by employees as well as customers.   Felice prides herself on providing practical well thought out advice that addresses the particular needs of the employers she represents.  Her experience in the hospitality industry is well established, and she is a sought-out speaker at industry events.

Chief Executive Officer & General Counsel | Cohn Restaurant Group

Michael Feinman joined Cohn Restaurant Group in 2013, where he is the Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel and is a part of the family ownership group.  Cohn Restaurant Group has 25 restaurants located in Southern California and Maui, Hawaii.

Shareholder | Littler Mendelson P.C.

Eli Freedberg is an experienced lawyer who has worked on cases on behalf of major corporations, mid-sized and small businesses, and individuals. Eli works to create workplace solutions for his clients across the hospitality (including hotels, restaurants, resorts, spas, country clubs, golf clubs, and fitness clubs), health care, retail, and financial industries.

He defends employers in litigation at both the federal and state levels, including matters related to the FLSA, ADA, Title VII, FMLA, and various state and local laws. Eli is an experienced litigator who has taken cases to arbitration and prevailed on motions for summary judgment. He also advises clients regarding the protection of trade secrets and the misappropriation of confidential or proprietary information, both defending employers and pursuing enforcement against former employees.​

Partner | Jenner & Block LLP

An appellate and complex commercial litigator, Gabriel Gillett develops, evaluates, and executes successful long-term legal strategies for clients facing multifaceted disputes. He crafts winning briefs and arguments in courts across the country on a range of issues, including contract and business disputes, class actions, government regulation, insurance coverage, antitrust, civil procedure, securities, preemption, and constitutional and administrative law.

Leading Jenner & Block’s partnership with the Restaurant Law Center, Mr. Gillett has been a go-to lawyer on major issues impacting restaurant and hospitality companies, franchisors, and franchisees. He has led the firm’s high-profile lawsuits in Chicago and New York on behalf of iconic restaurants seeking business interruption coverage from their insurance carriers. Mr. Gillett has also served as appellate counsel for the Restaurant Law Center and state restaurant associations in many federal and state cases involving business interruption claims, regulatory challenges, antitrust, ERISA, and other important issues.

Partner | Steptoe LLP

Tony Hopp is an experienced trial lawyer who represents clients in complex commercial, environmental, and mass tort matters. Tony handles all phases of single plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, and class action claims, and has tried multiple commercial and mass tort cases to verdict in state and federal courts. He has also argued and won appeals in Illinois, California, New York, Nebraska, and the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Some of these matters include defeating class certification in multiple consumer class actions, obtaining decertification of a consumer class, and defeating class certification for medical monitoring after a multi-day evidentiary hearing. Tony has also argued and won multiple motions to dismiss in putative consumer class actions involving allegations of consumer fraud and “slack fill”. He has successfully litigated numerous matters involving Lanham Act violations, trade secret claims, and breaches of post-employment restrictive covenants.

Over the course of his career, Tony has handled a wide variety of litigation and counseling engagements. His litigation experience includes mass tort matters, CERCLA cases, RCRA private citizen suits, consumer class actions, insurance coverage disputes including bad faith, unfair competition and Lanham Act claims, trade secret claims, actions for violation of non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, shareholder derivative claims, dealership termination cases, housing discrimination and zoning litigation. His counseling experience includes risk management and product stewardship issues, environmental audits, internal corporate investigations, and local siting of solid waste management facilities.

Shareholder | Greenberg Traurig LLP

Riley Lagesen, chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Restaurant Industry Group, serves as lead counsel to many of the nation’s most well-known restaurant brands and culinary talent. Riley’s passion for the restaurant industry comes from his many years as a restaurant employee, and later, a restaurant owner, in Los Angeles. He saw an opportunity for law firms to better serve restaurant industry clients, and has dedicated his career to supporting both clients and the restaurant industry.

Ranked and recognized in the restaurant industry as a leading legal and business advisor, Riley has deep restaurant finance and development experience, enabling him to help clients develop and execute up growth strategies. He is also well-connected in restaurant and food policy circles, leading efforts to create greater public access to real food, among other things.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Riley co-founded the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund (RERF) with his long-time client Chef Guy Fieri, which raised approximately $23 million and provided over 40,000 grants to impacted restaurant employees. In recognition of this work, Riley was selected as by the National Law Journal as a 2020 Crisis Leadership Trailblazer. Riley also founded and created Restaurant High, a popular not-for-profit and invitation only business, leadership and advocacy summit that attracts leading restaurant minds from around the country.

Office Managing Principal | Jackson Lewis

Ryan Lessmann is the Office Managing Principal of the Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah offices of Jackson Lewis P.C. and the National Practice Head of the firm’s Specialty group He practices primarily in the area of employment litigation, including representing employers against claims alleging discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination, matters involving trade secret protection, restrictive covenants and unfair competition, and various contract issues.

Mr. Lessmann also counsels and defends employers in wage and hour compliance matters. Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Mr. Lessmann was an associate at a large Denver law firm practicing in the areas of employment and general commercial litigation.

Following law school, Mr. Lessmann served as a judicial clerk to The Honorable Nathan B. Coats of the Colorado Supreme Court. During law school, Mr. Lessmann was a summer clerk for the Honorable John Kane, U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Mr. Lessmann also served as an articles editor for the Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy, a research assistant to Professor Carolyn Ramsey, and a legal writing teacher’s assistant.

In his spare time, Mr. Lessmann enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, competing in various athletic endeavors, and recreating in Colorado’s mountains.

Special Counsel | Baker Botts

Mark Little focuses his practice on complex legal and regulatory challenges. He has significant experience protecting clients’ interests through challenges to national, state, and local regulations. Most recently, Mark has been at the forefront of the legal challenges against state and local governments’ attempts to ban natural gas in new and existing buildings.

Mark also represents clients in a broad range of appeals and original proceedings in federal and state courts across the country. He has argued a number of cases in courts ranging from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to the Texas and Washington Supreme Courts.

Mark is the Chair-Elect of the Houston Bar Association’s Appellate Section and Editor-in-Chief of the Appellate Lawyer, the Section’s Journal. He received his law degree from The University of Texas, where he graduated first in his class, was on the editorial board of the Texas Law Review, and received awards in trial advocacy and moot court competitions.

Before joining Baker Botts, Mark served as a law clerk to the Honorable J. Harvie Wilkinson III of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Partner | Fisher Phillips LLP

Emily Litzinger is a partner in Fisher Phillips’ Louisville, Kentucky office and serves clients nationwide.  Emily understands the impact employment litigation can have on a business, and she partners with companies to minimize liability and reduce risk with preventative strategies focused on compliance, training, and the implementation of best practices.  When workplace disputes arise and litigation cannot be avoided, these same companies call on Emily to represent them throughout every phase of the adversarial process.

As a member of the Board of Directors for the Kentucky Restaurant Association, Emily is often tapped to speak and write about topics that impact the hospitality industry. She is known for her presentations on preventing workplace harassment and discrimination, conducting effective internal investigations and ensuring compliance with wage and hour practices.

Vice President of Legal, Employment & Franchise Law | Dutch Bros

Josh Lute began his journey with Dutch Bros in 1995 as a teenage “broista” when the company had just four locations. He returned in 2012 as General Counsel and has served in various legal roles for the company ever since. In his ten years as General Counsel, Josh guided Dutch Bros through rapid growth, a major shift from franchising to a company-owned model, and its 2021 IPO. During that time, he grew the Legal Department to over 20 employees and later led the hiring of Dutch Bros’ first Chief Legal Officer, Victoria Tullett. Today, Josh is Vice President of Legal – Employment and Franchise Law, supporting the company’s legacy franchise system, 1000+ locations, and 20,000+ broistas across 21 states.

Partner, Complex Litigation and Trials; Mass Torts, Insurance and Consumer Litigation | Skadden LLP

For more than two decades, Mike McTigue has represented companies in class action defenses and complex civil litigation in jurisdictions across the country.

Mr. McTigue has counseled clients in international arbitration proceedings in the United States and in international forums. Additionally, he has substantial experience representing companies in the financial services, retail, telecommunications, technology, pharmaceutical and life sciences, education, hospitality and insurance industries.

Mr. McTigue has a successful record of obtaining early dismissals and plaintiffs’ voluntarily dismissal of claims, defending cases on the merits, defeating class certification, negotiating favorable individual settlements and curtailing the efforts of professional litigants. He routinely defends clients in matters that involve federal and state statutes, including numerous consumer protection laws, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act, among many others.

In recognition of his work, he has been repeatedly recognized by the BTI Consulting Group, Benchmark Litigation and The Legal Intelligencer for client service and contributions to the legal profession.

For several years, he has co-authored the Pennsylvania chapter of the International Comparative Legal Guide to Litigation and Dispute Resolution as well as the USA chapter of the International Comparative Legal Guide to Consumer Protection Laws and Regulations. Additionally, he has been a guest lecturer at Villanova University School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.

Chief Executive Officer | Princess Awesome

Rebecca Melsky has a BA from Brown and a Masters Degree in Education from Northwestern. Prior to starting Princess Awesome, she taught elementary and middle school for ten years. Now Rebecca is the CEO of the small business and runs marketing, logistics, and financial operations. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and three kids.

Executive Director | National Federation of Independent Business

Beth Milito serves as the Executive Director of the Small Business Legal Department at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Ms. Milito came to NFIB from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs where she defended the agency in employment and labor lawsuits and was responsible for training and counseling managers on fair employment and HR practices. She has an extensive background in tort, medical malpractice and employment law.

Prior to serving as an attorney at the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Ms. Milito worked as a trial attorney at Nationwide Insurance Company. At Nationwide, she completed over 100 trials to verdict. Ms. Milito was the editor of notes and comments for the Maryland Law Review at the University of Maryland School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor degree in May of 1996. Following her education, she served as a clerk to the Honorable Alan M. Wilner on the Maryland Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.

Ms. Milito is responsible for managing litigation and amicus work for NFIB. She has testified before Congress, federal agencies, and state legislatures on the small business impact of labor and employment issues. She also comments and writes regularly on small business cases before federal and state courts. Ms. Milito frequently counsels businesses facing employment discrimination charges, wage and hour claims, wrongful termination lawsuits, and in most other areas of human resources law. She also provides and develops on-line and on-site training on a variety of employment law matters and is a frequent media spokesperson on employment and labor matters.

Chief Legal Officer | Red Robin 

Sarah has served as Chief Legal Officer since December 2022. As CLO, Sarah is responsible for leading all Red Robin legal matters including litigation, licensing, risk and food safety, and commercial matters. She is no stranger to Red Robin as she previously worked at company from 2011 to 2021, including in the roles of Associate General Counsel and Vice President, Deputy General Counsel. Prior to joining Red Robin, Sarah worked for the law firm of Holme Roberts & Owen LLP (now Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP). Most recently, Sarah served as Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel for Skillsoft, a learning application and technology company based in Denver.

Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan in Economics. She also holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Sarah brings a wealth of knowledge of legal experience and executive leadership know-how to Red Robin. Sarah lives in Denver with her husband Matt (also a lawyer), and their two daughters. She enjoys time in the mountains, skiing, and can often be found cheering on her kids at their youth sports games.

Shareholder | Littler Mendelson P.C.

James A. Paretti, Jr. is an experienced management-side employment and labor relations attorney with in-depth political and policy knowledge of labor, pension, healthcare and employment law, regulations and legislation. Jim is well versed in all aspects of legislative and political processes with demonstrated knowledge in the substance of federal labor and employment policy. He has over two decades of experience working with federal legislators and policymakers, including former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Chairmen of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and senior level administration officials.

Prior to joining Littler, Jim was chief of staff and senior counsel to the acting chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He provided legal and political counsel with respect to all aspects of agency business, administered and managed the Office of the Chair where he was responsible for over 2,200 employees and a 375 million dollar annual budget, and served as primary liaison to regulated stakeholders and Capitol Hill.

Regional Managing Partner • Co-Chair, Hospitality Industry Group | Fisher Phillips LLP

Alden Parker is the managing partner of the firm’s Sacramento office and the co-chair of the Hospitality Industry Group. Alden represents employers in all facets of employment law matters. He has considerable experience defending employers in litigation involving claims under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), California’s wage and hour laws, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), California Family Rights Act (CFRA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Alden has also defended employers against whistleblowing and retaliation claims, including claims under the California Whistleblower Act and various provisions of the California Labor Code.

Alden has extensive experience defending employers in federal and state court, as well as in investigations by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), United States Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

In addition to defending his clients in litigation, Alden frequently counsels employers to assist them in avoiding litigation. He regularly advises clients on leave management issues and the interactive process for employees with disabilities, reinstatement obligations under various leave laws and wage and hour compliance. Alden has prepared employee handbooks and a variety of agreements, including independent contractor, employment, confidentiality and trade secrets agreements.

His clients are involved in a variety of industries, including restaurants, retail, construction, and healthcare. Alden is also a frequent speaker for many human resources organizations, including those affiliated with the Society for Human Resource Management.

Principal | JacksonLewis

As co-leader of the firm’s Immigration group, Amy Peck plays a pivotal role in ensuring the group’s attorneys—and the firm—achieve optimal success for employers on any immigration matter. She believes strongly in Jackson Lewis’ collegial culture and sets the tone for a work environment that expects, encourages, and celebrates collaboration among not just the practice group, but others across the firm as well.

Amy loves to dive into complex immigration and compliance issues in the workplace, especially those that intersect employment and immigration law. She approaches client service with the understanding that businesses need practical advice that take a 360-degree view. Amy is especially effective when confronted with a difficult and unique problem to solve for a client. In today’s regulatory environment, Amy is aware that every fact has an impact, and a proactive approach is the best protection.

Amy knew she wanted to practice immigration law when, as a new associate, she was assigned a pro bono asylum case. That experience made her realize that helping foreign nationals and immigrants out of difficult situations would be one of the most rewarding paths she could follow in her legal career. Her then firm did not have an immigration practice, but once she was all in on building an immigration practice, she decided to leave and start her own firm, where she practiced for 17 years before joining Jackson Lewis.

Amy previously served for 12 years as one of 21 directors elected to the Board of Governors of the 18,000-member American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and served for 3 years as the chair of the AILA National Verification Committee, which liaises with USCIS, ICE and OCAHO on I-9, E-verify and related worksite issues. She also previous chaired the AILA ICE and EOIR committees. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Immigration Council.

Amy is a frequent speaker on worksite enforcement issues and has recently been quoted in national media on employment and enforcement immigration issues.

SVP, General Counsel and Secretary | Golden Corral Corp.

Chappell Phillips is a Senior-level corporate attorney providing general counsel, strategic planning, executive leadership and department management. A proven and effective consensus-builder and manager of complex business and legal intiatives with significant experience in commercial transactions, M&A, real estate, employment, litigation, franchising, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance.
Some of Mr. Phillips’ specialties include commercial transactions, licensing, M&A/divestitures, corporate governance, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, real estate, employment, litigation, international law.
Mr. Phillips is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and obtained his Juris Doctor at The University of North Carolina School of Law.

Attorney, Separation of Powers | Pacific Legal Foundation

Josh Robbins is an attorney in Pacific Legal Foundation’s separation of powers group. He litigates cases to defend the structural protections of the U.S. and state constitutions that guarantee liberty for all Americans. He wants to help ensure Americans receive due process from the government when their lives and property are at stake and that the laws are made by our democratically elected representatives and not by unaccountable bureaucrats.

As an attorney in private practice, Josh saw firsthand how the government can embroil people (and even large corporations) in years-long legal battles. At PLF, he works to provide those without great resources an opportunity to vindicate their right to a properly ordered government, which is the right of all Americans.

Prior to joining PLF, Josh was an associate at a large law firm where he litigated cases in federal and state courts. He clerked for the Honorable Jerry E. Smith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston.

Josh earned a B.A. in economics and international studies from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. While at UVA, he served as an articles editor for the Virginia Law Review. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia, and enjoys hiking, swimming, and attending Washington Nationals games.

Executive Director, Communications & Business Development | Watershed Hospitality Concepts

As an Executive with the Watershed Hospitality Group, the parent company of a locally owned independent family of restaurants, Anne Rollings wears many hats. Rollings has a professional background in a diverse range of industries, which includes the legal department at Turner Broadcasting, the City Attorney of Park City, Utah, then as Southeastern Region Business Development Associate for a global urban design and planning firm, and then back home to Sarasota as an Executive with the award-winning Gecko’s Hospitality Group and Watershed Hospitality Concepts. Rollings cites a common thread through all industries: the building of relationships.

In addition to Business Development, Public Relations and Government Relations, Rollings manages the WHC Charitable Giving program, which supports Veterans and military groups, law enforcement and dozens of schools in Sarasota County, in addition to the community’s over 1500 not-for-profits, charities and philanthropic endeavors.

The WHC is a newly formed family of restaurants with deep local roots and established industry presence and leadership. In the short years since its inception, WHC has created steady economic stimulus, generating first-time jobs and shaping the careers of a cadre of hospitality professionals.

Rollings grew up in Sarasota is a graduate of the University of Florida. She serves as a Key Advocate/Hill Runner for the National Restaurant Association, is past Chair of the Marketing Council for the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, is a graduate of Leadership Sarasota and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation Board Institute, was named Manatee County School District & Chamber of Commerce’s Business Coordinator of the Year in 2017, and was recognized as a Sarasota Woman of Influence. Rollings was awarded the Golden Image and the Judges Choice awards for The Shark Lady Philanthropic cocktail, which has – in increments of $1- raised more than $62,000 in support of Mote Marine Laboratory. In addition to volunteerism on numerous community committees and task forces, Rollings serves on the Board of Directors for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Charitable Foundation and is immediate past Executive Committee member of The Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation and the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.

Vice President & Associate General Counsel I GoTo Foods, LLC

Hans Schmidt is Vice President and Associate General Counsel for GoTo Foods LLC. He provides legal support and guidance to GoTo’s family of brands (including Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Schlotzsky’s) on trademarks, marketing (including loyalty programs, sweepstakes, press releases, menus and packaging, POP, and other marketing materials), litigation, and employment law matters. Hans also supports the Retail Channels licensing business, which involves licensing of brand trademarks for use in the CPG and foodservice space. Hans joined GoTo Foods in September 2019. Prior to joining GoTo Foods, Hans spent six years with a subsidiary of a global apparel manufacturer based in Nashville, TN, supporting its international workwear apparel business on wide variety of legal issues from supply and uniform contracts to global trade sanction and anti-bribery compliance. Prior to starting his in-house career, Hans spent eight years with a firm practicing business litigation and employment law in Birmingham, AL and Nashville, TN. When not working, Hans and his wife love raising their eight-year-old daughter and taking care of their two dogs.

Partner, Complex Litigation and Trials; Mass Torts, Insurance and Consumer Litigation | Skadden LLP

Meredith Slawe represents clients across a range of industries in class actions nationwide and mass arbitrations. She often secures early victories to help clients avoid protracted litigation, including by developing strategies that prompt plaintiffs to dismiss their claims, compelling arbitration, defeating class certification and obtaining dismissals at summary judgment. Ms. Slawe also advises retailers and consumer-facing companies in connection with artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.

Ms. Slawe frequently works on cases focused on cutting-edge privacy and consumer protection issues under federal and state statutes. Prior to joining Skadden, she served as head of her previous firm’s retail industry practice and co-head of its class actions practice, giving her deep experience in advising retailers and consumer companies on class actions and mitigating litigation and enforcement risk. She has handled matters in several jurisdictions involving compliance with federal and state laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, California Consumer Privacy Act and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, among many others.

Ms. Slawe was elected to the American Law Institute and the American Bar Foundation and has been the recipient of numerous legal awards and accolades, including from The American Lawyer, Benchmark Litigation and The Legal 500. She is frequently invited to speak and write on issues pertaining to class actions, privacy, consumer arbitration and the retail industry. Additionally, she has been a guest lecturer on privacy at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and has presented at the Annenberg School of Communications. Ms. Slawe is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion and speaks regularly on issues pertaining to women in the profession.

Partner | Jenner & Block 

Consumer product manufacturers facing allegations of product mislabeling, false advertising, or unfair business practices turn to Alex Smith. Alex helps consumer-facing companies defend the labeling and advertising of their products—including iconic food, beverage, personal care, and household products found in millions of homes. He persuades courts that his clients’ advertising is not deceptive, and he proves consumers received what his clients promised.

Alex defends clients from claims by consumers, counsels on regulatory compliance and claim substantiation issues, and helps minimize the risk of false advertising or unfair business practices claims. He helps his clients cut through the complicated subject matter of consumer class actions— including technical FDA and FTC regulations, thorny questions of class action procedure, and complex technical, scientific, and economic issues that routinely arise in these cases. Chambers USA recently recognized Alex as an “Up and Coming” lawyer in the Food & Beverage – Regulatory and Litigation category and highlighted his “prowess in food labelling matters.”

Chief Creative Officer | Princess Awesome

Eva St. Clair graduated from Stanford University with a degree in medieval history and philosophy. She has been the Chief Creative Officer at Princess Awesome for the last ten years while raising her four children outside Washington, DC.

SVP & Association General Counsel | Darden Restaurants

In her role as AGC at Darden, Dawn oversees the company’s commercial litigation, employment dispute resolution, and employment law compliance practices.  Dawn has been on the Darden legal team since 2007, serving as a trusted advisor and business partner across the enterprise.  Darden’s family of restaurants features some of the most recognizable and successful brands in full-service dining — Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Chuy’s, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s and Bahama Breeze.  Darden owns and operates more than 2,100 restaurants and proudly employs 195,000 team members across the United States and Canada who serve up memorable experiences for 420 million guests every year.  Prior to joining Darden, Dawn practiced commercial litigation with the international law firm of Foley & Lardner.

Owner | Kokoro Restaurant

Vice President, Legal Advocacy, Office of General Counsel | National Association of Home Builders

Tom obtained his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Delaware and graduated from Widener University School of Law in 1994.

Tom joined NAHB’s Litigation Department in the fall of 1999.  Currently he oversees NAHB’s litigation efforts where he develops NAHB’s legal strategies and provides litigation support to local home builders associations.  He also supports NAHB’s lobbyists, and coordinates with NAHB’s regulatory staff to identify government activities (i.e. regulations or guidance documents) that may require involvement by the Litigation Department.  The matters that Tom has helped NAHB litigate include: wetland determinations, stormwater permitting, Fair Housing Act accessibility, federal flood insurance requirements, endangered species listing and critical habitat decisions, unlawful taking of private property and First Amendment issues relating to architecture.

Chief Administrative and People Officer | Salt & Straw

Todd Woodruff is Chief People & Administrative Officer at Salt & Straw, where he leads people and culture strategy as well as day-to-day administrative responsibilities for more than 50 scoop shops, a Portland production kitchen, and the company’s support offices in Portland’s historic Produce Row district.

With an undergraduate degree in Organizational Psychology and an MS in Human Resource Management, Todd has built a 30-year career in hospitality, supporting teams across 42 U.S. states and around the globe—from fine dining in Paris to the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

A former military brat, Todd now calls Portland’s Pearl District home, where he lives with his husband Aaron, a dean at a downtown prep school. They are the proud parents of three adult children and one grandbaby.

Todd is a true believer in the power of ice cream as a vehicle to share human kindness and build community connections. He is also a devout follower of a “holy trinity” consisting of Dolly Parton, Brené Brown, and Beyoncé.