Impact of Divorce on Your Restaurant Business

As a divorce lawyer, I’ve had the privilege of representing many small business owners. Restaurant owners are my hands down favorite because restaurants are held together by hearts and souls. Restaurants bear witness to friendship, love, and celebration: young couples on first dates, families celebrating birthdays, the neighborhood baseball team grabbing a bite after a tough game.

The two greatest risks to a restaurant during the owner’s divorce are accusations of unreported cash income or of code violations that put patrons at risk.

More than any other type of business, restaurant owners bring all of themselves to their businesses. Unfortunately, that means a restaurant is no ordinary asset when it comes to dividing it in a divorce. The emotional impact of a divorce takes its toll on both the owner and the business. Worse, the attorney’s fees related to the disposition of a restaurant can exceed the value of the restaurant itself.

The two greatest risks to a restaurant during…