Duane Morris LLP - Industries

Related Practices

Past Events

Duane Morris Partner Marc D. Brookman to Moderate Discussion Panel at Pennsylvania Gaming Congress
Doing Business With The Casinos: A Workshop For Minority- and Female-Owned Firms

Attorney Listing

Gaming

The gaming industry in the United States is growing at a rapid pace and spreading to all corners of the country. As recently as 1988, casinos operated legally in only two states. Currently, more than 20 states permit gambling and this number continues to increase. Business opportunities abound in the gaming industry, but it is also one of the most highly regulated and closely scrutinized businesses (there is no room for error). Duane Morris' Gaming Law Group draws upon the experience and knowledge of a multidisciplinary team of lawyers who assist clients in establishing their gaming enterprises and dealing with issues that arise while operating those businesses.

Duane Morris' gaming clients receive seamless counsel and advice in a myriad of areas, including licensing and regulatory issues, real estate development, litigation, intellectual property matters, financing and tax issues, corporate matters, and labor and employment concerns. Our lawyers represent diverse members of the gaming industry, including casinos, gaming executives, gaming equipment manufacturers and distributors, investment advisors, greyhound and horse racetracks, Internet and software development companies, and other parties that provide services and products to gaming enterprises. Our large geographic footprint and diverse capabilities make Duane Morris particularly well suited to support the needs of large and growing gaming establishments that intertwine entertainment, retail, hospitality and community development.

Range of Services

Corporate

We work with our entrepreneurial clients in the gaming industry to develop and implement creative strategies to help accomplish their corporate finance and acquisition objectives. Our attorneys also advise public companies of all sizes regarding compliance with ongoing reporting obligations under securities laws and other regulated areas. We are prominent members of various regional venture capital and technology organizations and have closed major transactions in a variety of industries, including communications, software, supply chain and process management, premises and system security, financial services and franchise.

Regulatory

Duane Morris gaming law attorneys understand the intricate relationships between local, state and federal governments and the gaming industry, and we have working relationships with individuals in many of these groups. Our lawyers are experienced in representing gaming clients before administrative and regulatory boards and commissions. We can assist clients in the licensing process, from preparing an initial application through final regulatory hearings.

Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution

We employ a multidisciplinary approach - drawing on the appropriate practice group and industry-specific professionals - and rely on attorneys from our many offices for multijurisdictional matters. Our gaming attorneys represent corporate and individual clients in all types of civil litigation, from inception through trial and appeal. Our litigators have experience across a broad spectrum of subject areas, from complex business and commercial disputes, class actions and patent, copyright and trademark issues to professional liability and employment matters.

Our trial lawyers also counsel clients in resolving matters without conventional litigation through alternative dispute resolution and other nonjudicial options. Our trial lawyers are skilled in 21st century litigation technology, including database management of documents and depositions, digital video testimony and the latest electronic courtroom media, and they are experienced in issues relating to electronic discovery.

Real Estate

We understand that there is more to real estate than a site or the structures that exist on it. Our experience includes handling the routine issues involved in real estate matters, as well as handling difficult dilemmas that require solid working relationships within the industry and community. We utilize a creative understanding of the nuances of deals, regulations, profitability, leverage and liability protection to help find solutions for our clients' complex real estate issues. We assist with setting up an ownership entity, property acquisitions, financing, construction, zoning issues, environmental concerns and other legal matters.

Employment and Immigration Law

Our employment lawyers focus on problem prevention and proactive counseling, helping clients comply with state and federal laws that affect employment relations to reduce the risk of costly litigation. When claims arise, our employment lawyers assist clients with confidential internal investigations. We also draft and negotiate employment agreements, such as executive contracts, noncompete agreements, confidentiality agreements and separation agreements. We offer advisory services to help navigate the complex areas of work authorization and immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services.

Complex Financial Transactions

Our attorneys represent clients in numerous types of complex financial transactions, including municipal financing, as well as project and structured finance transactions. We counsel gaming clients on tax matters, including corporate net income and capital stock taxes, business privilege and mercantile license taxes, sales and use taxes, and realty transfer and real property taxes. Our project and structured finance attorneys represent clients in securitized and syndicated loans, participating and convertible loans, mezzanine and other hybrid loans and credit lease, synthetic lease and government lease financings. We have represented private equity funds in multimillion-dollar investments in casinos and Native American gaming establishments. Also, our affordable housing attorneys have experience representing developers and investors in employer-assisted, low-income housing tax credit projects.

Intellectual Property

Our gaming attorneys are knowledgeable about intellectual property issues relating to all aspects of gaming, including patents for various games, gaming hardware, security systems and other gaming processes, as well as trademarks and copyright issues.

For Additional Information

For additional information, please contact J. Scott Kramer, Marc D. Brookman, or any of the lawyers referenced on the Attorney Listing.