Kutak Rock’s Automotive Industry Group is comprised of experienced attorneys from several practices and areas of business who focus their professional practice in whole or in part on serving the needs of the automotive industry. Our clients include the largest companies with the highest profile names to emerging companies that are helping revolutionize the industry. Our attorneys offer more than just general corporate advice – they have the knowledge and skill to provide solutions that help clients capitalize on opportunities, manage risk, and overcome complex problems using innovative strategies developed through decades of work in the industry. Our clients include leading automobile manufacturers, independent and network dealers, fleet dealers and automobile finance companies.

Industry-Related Areas of Focus

Commercial Law and Finance
Kutak Rock has a broad and dynamic commercial and finance practice. The firm represents businesses--from startups to Fortune 100 corporations--across virtually every industry, including the automotive industry. The firm represents clients in a wide range of service areas including (but not limited to):

• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Joint Ventures
• Commercial Contracts
• Commercial Lending
• Securitization
• Government Contracts (GSA), Disputes and Protests
• Government Relations
• Corporate Governance
• Securities Regulation
• Private Placements

Litigation
Kutak Rock’s national litigation group undertakes a wide variety of litigation matters, and possesses significant experience in a number of industries including the automotive industry and manufacturing. In addition to representing clients in court proceedings, we also provide counsel on settling disputes without conventional litigation by using alternative dispute resolution options and advise on methods to anticipate and avoid litigation.

• Commercial Litigation
• Manufacturer Dealer
• Products Liability Litigation
• Toxic and Mass Tort Litigation
• Construction Litigation
• Governmental Investigations
• Financial Litigation
• Policyholder Insurance Litigation

Creditor/Debtor, Bankruptcy
Kutak Rock’s bankruptcy, restructuring and creditors’ rights group helps clients across a variety of industries protect their interests and mitigate losses.

• Troubled Suppliers
• Reorganizations, Workouts, and Liquidations
• Debtor Counsel in Chapter 11 Filings
• Creditor and Creditor Committee Counsel
• Secured Lender Representation
• Real Estate Landlords and Tenants in Distress

Real Property
Kutak Rock’s national real estate group represents manufacturers, owners, developers, lenders, servicers, sponsors and investors in the full range of real estate and real property matters including:

• Acquisitions and Dispositions
• Commercial Leasing
• Real Estate Finance
• Land Use and Title
• Eminent Domain
• Government Incentives and Tax Credits
• Construction and Contracting
• Water and Mineral Rights

Labor and Employment Law
Kutak Rock’s national employment group works with clients ranging from small start-up companies to Fortune 100 corporations with more than 100,000 employees. The firm represents clients in the full range of employment law matters including:

• Employment Counseling and Representation
• Employment Litigation
• FLSA and Wage and Hour Claims
• Employment Arbitration
• Social Media
• ADA Compliance
• Immigration
• Privacy

In addition to a large bench of employment attorneys, Kutak Rock also has a national management labor group that counsels and represents clients in virtually every industry on union-related matters including those resulting in litigation, collective bargaining, grievance and arbitration proceedings, primary and secondary work stoppage activity, unfair labor practice proceedings, federal and state lobbying, and the development of labor strategies for various business transactions.

Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation
Attorneys in the firm’s employee benefits and executive compensation practice are experienced in all aspects of employee benefits law including:

• Benefits Plans
• ERISA and non-ERISA Litigation
• Compliance Audits and Training
• Executive Compensation and Non-Qualified Plans
• Fiduciary Issues and Plan Governance
• Benefits Issues With Corporate Transactions

Intellectual Property
Kutak Rock’s intellectual property group is comprised of dozens of business-savvy attorneys practicing coast to coast. Deeply invested in their clients’ business and innovation goals, they partner with emerging companies and mature companies alike to realize the full potential of their intellectual property and market portfolio in all stages of the business life cycle.

• Patents
• Trademarks
• Risk Management
• Social Media
• Trade Secrets
• eCommerce

Technology
The firm’s technology group partners with companies small and large, helping them leverage and evolve technology and systems. The group’s attorneys help facilitate and close sophisticated transactions and possess a deep understanding of the assets, the synergies that are possible, and negotiation strategies that takes these into account.

• Innovative Technologies
• Privacy and Data Security
• Technology Acquisitions
• Technology Transfer
• Licensing
• Technology Outsourcing
• Technology Regulation
• SaaS Data Warehousing

Environmental
Kutak Rock’s environmental attorneys possess specialized knowledge of the intricate matrix of federal and state public welfare statutes enacted to protect human health and natural resources. Their work crosses a number of fronts, including regulatory, litigation, business transactions, strategic corporate planning, corporate governance and crisis management. They represents businesses, governmental clients and municipal entities in a wide range of services including:

• Due Diligence
• Brownfields Redevelopment
• Remediation
• Indemnity Agreements
• Environmental Insurance and Claims
• Environmental Litigation

Regulatory
The firm’s regulatory attorneys work across many practice and industry groups. They help clients better understand their responsibilities, manage risk and lessen the impact of complex regulatory regimes on their transactions or day-to-day operations.

• OSHA
• Clean Air Act, Emissions
• EPA and CARB Regulations
• Franchise and Distribution
• Vehicle Safety Laws
• Import/Export
• Antitrust and Competition

Energy
Kutak Rock’s energy group focuses on renewable energy transactions including generation, storage, transmission, finance, efficiency, energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs), smart grid technology and disputes. They also advise businesses whose interests intersect with energy interests in a variety of areas including:

• Energy Tax Credits
• Energy Agreements and Leasing
• Energy Finance
• Energy Efficiency