Chris LeSourd specializes in the Restaurant and Franchising Industries. He has 40 years of experience as a manager, executive, consultant and CPA for restaurant and hospitality businesses. His litigation experience includes expert testimony regarding: Foodborne Illness, Accident & Injury in the Workplace, Restaurant Industry Practices & Standards, Franchise Litigation, Restaurant Lost Revenue/Profit Damages, Restaurant Business Valuation, Forecasts and Projections and Proprietary Trademark, Trade Dress, Menus and Recipes.
LeSourd’s consulting work includes: Financial Evaluations, Business Plan Preparation, Restaurant Business Valuation, Human Resource Programs, Concept Development & Planning, Franchise Program Planning and Development, Operations, Marketing and Real Estate Analysis, and Restaurant Acquisition or Sale Assistance.
Background
Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:A: B.S. Cornell School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration, Certified Public Accountant, Real Estate License-Washington State
Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
A: AICPA, WSCPA, CORNELL HOTEL SCHOOL, ISHC, CAYUGA HOSPITALITY ADVISORS, National Restaurant Association
Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
A: Washington State University, Part time Professor for the School of Business
Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
A: NO
Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
A: Provided litigation support and testified in litigation regarding:
ï Foodborne Illness, Accident and Injury in the restaurant work place. Testified to training, documentation, safety, maintenance and cleanliness standards and practices in the restaurant industry.
ï Restaurant lost revenue and profit damages caused by foodborne illness, inadequate parking, competition, building conditions, road construction and other factors. Including future financial projections of sales and profits.
ï The Franchiserís performance of its obligations to multiple Franchisees of a major U.S. restaurant company. Including the sale of the franchise, financial disclosures, real estate and site analysis, marketing and operations support.
ï Restaurant Industry Standards and Practices.
ï Whether restaurant business forecasts contained in a Confidential Placement Memorandum were reasonably based in fact and the most probable outcome as represented.
ï Whether the investors materially overpaid in the acquisition of a small chain of restaurants.
ï The fairness of lease payments made to the landlord of a multi-unit restaurant operator.
ï The business valuation of individual and multi-unit restaurant operations.
ï Restaurant real estate site analysis evaluation.
ï Provided expert testimony in the analysis of the impact of trade dress similarities between two restaurant concepts.
ï Provided expert testimony and analysis of the impact of pirated confidential menus and recipes on a restaurant company.
ï Estimated revenues and profits earned by a multi-unit restaurant company from the sale of soups based on the original proprietary recipes developed by a soup company.
Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
A: SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES
LeSourd Associates, Inc. provides operational, financial and expert litigation services to restaurant, franchise and hospitality industry businesses. The range of services offered by LeSourd Associates, Inc. are as follows :
ï Feasibility and Financial Evaluations
Investment package and business plan preparation. Market, operational, feasibility and financial analysis.
ï Restaurant Business Valuation
Estimated business valuations based on accepted restaurant industry guidelines.
ï Human Resource Programs
Video training programs. Operational and procedural training aids and documentation. Management and employee compensation programs. Incentive and employee motivation programs.
ï Concept Development and Planning
Restaurant concept development. Concept enhancement and revitalization studies. Market and strategic concept repositioning. Franchise program planning and development. Corporate organizational and operational studies.
ï Operations, Marketing and Real Estate
Assistance in restaurant development from conceptual planning through the initial stages of operation. Strategic market planning. Operational and cost efficiency studies. Menu, food and beverage program enhancement. Assistance in real estate site selection and lease negotiation.
ï Restaurant Acquisition or Sale
Market and financial analysis for restaurant acquisitions. Assistance in the marketing and selling or leasing of a restaurant or restaurant site.
ï Foodservice Management
Management and operation of restaurant and other foodservice facilities under management contract.
ï Litigation Support and Expert Witness Services
Litigation support and expert witness services related to the restaurant, franchise and hospitality industries.
ï Management Seminars
We prepare and conduct management seminars on a variety of topics for hospitality industry associations and business organizations.
References
References:Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll
James E. Magleby
Salt Lake City, UT (801) 531-3000
Royal Aloha Coffee Co. Bankruptcy
Law Offices of David E. Powell
David E. Powell
Seattle, WA (206) 525-1144
Steak Escape v. BDK Inc.
Beigel & Sandler
Cary Goldberg
Chicago, IL (312) 986-8600
Wiselman v. Oppenheimer
Romero Montague, P.S.
Justin D. Park, Attorney at Law
Seattle, WA (425) 450-5000
Olympic Peninsula v. Trendwest (Worldmark)
Byrnes & Keller
Brad Keller
Seattle, WA (206) 622-2000
Coulter v. Happy Guests International
Sasser & Inglis, P.C.
Jason G. Dykstra
Boise, ID (208) 344-8474
CWN Management v. Prospectors Inc.
The Rosen Law Firm
Steven O. Rosen
Elizabeth R. Bain
Portland, OR (503) 525-2525
Winger v.Thatcher
Cairncross & Hempelmann
John McKay
Seattle, WA (206) 587-0700
Foodmaker (Jack in the Box) Litigation
Law Offices of Christon C. Skinner
Christon C. Skinner
Oak Harbor, WA (360) 679-1240
Marty v. Strong-Roberts
Christensen OíConner Johnson Kindness
Thomas Theisen
Seattle, WA (206) 682-8100
RUI v. Tom Finnerty
Smith & Leary
James A. Smith
Seattle, WA (206) 292-1770
McGowen v. Pillsbury Co.
Davis Wright Tremaine
William Rasmussen
Rhys Farren
Seattle, WA (206)622-3150
World Wrapps v. Sun Orchards, Inc.
Bellevue Pacific Partners v. Tea Treasures
Smith, Smart, Hancock & Tabler
Walter Tabler
Seattle, WA (206) 624-7272
P.B. Industries v. Jacob Buttnick
Dayle Gartland Nelson & McCleery
David Wade
Eugene, OR (503) 344-2174
Glickman v. Pillsbury Co.
Short Cressman & Burgess
Scott Smith, Robert Shaw,
Paul Chuey
Seattle, WA (206) 682-3333
Yakima Pizza Hut v., BIG
Golmarvi v. Ingalls
Saba Corp. v. Lonnie Lee
Farella Braun & Martel
Bruce Goldstein
San Francisco, CA (415) 954-4400
Razvan Inc. v. Round Table Pizza
Steinhart & Falconer
Nancy J. Newman
San Francisco, CA (415) 777-3999
Bell Tower Properties v. Cookers
Friedlander & Kamelhair
Bruce Friedlander
Miami, FL (305) 371-7386
Jackson's Bistro v. Lincoln Island Associates #3
Heller Wiegenstein
Thomas A. Heller
Elisha S. Smith
Poulsbo, WA (360) 394-3500
Meyer v. Sonrise
Phelps Dunbar, LLP
Lawrence P. Ingram
Tampa, FL (813) 472-7550
Jackson's Bistro v. Lincoln Island Associates #3
Steptoe & Johnson
David Bodney
Phoenix, AZ (602) 257-5212
Wayne Cook Enterprises Litigation
Holland & Knight
Christopher Howard
Seattle, WA (206) 340-1825
Anderson v. ARG Enterprises (Black Angus)
Stoel Rives Law Firm
John E. Glowney
Seattle, WA (206) 624-0900
Bellevue Foods v. Houlihanís
Johnson McLean Riccelli Devlin & Miller
Scott Miller
Spokane, WA (509) 327-5591
C.A. Marchand v. M.J.N. Inc.
Taft Stettinius & Hollister
Henry Kasson
Cincinnati, OH (513) 381-0205
Star Bank (Rax Restaurants, Inc.)
Jones & Scheich
Chris Jones
Toledo, OH (419) 241-6450
Harvey Tolson v. Behrouz Aynafshar
Thomas M. Kiley & Associates
Jan Schlichtmann
Andover, MA (508) 474-8670
Bay State Chowda v. Au Bon Pan
Pettingill & Grisham
William Pettingill
San Diego, CA (619) 233-1311
Foodmaker (Jack in the Box) v. The Von Companies
Wells St. John
Mark W. Hendricksen
Spokane, WA (509) 624-4276
CWN Management v. Prospectors Inc.
Wisconsin Department of Revenue
Linda Mintener
Madison, WI (608) 267-7764
Havi (McDonaldís) v. Wisconsin
Schmidt & Hoffer
Thomas Schmidt
Houston, TX (713) 651-0771
Marble Slab v. CryJac Holdings
