The automotive industry is seeing rising energy, raw material, parts, capital, labor and health care costs; fierce global and domestic competition; market saturation; growing crossover and hybrid segments; new products, features, styling and architecture; incentive, interest rate and pricing pressures; narrowing margins; closings and expansion; complicated federal- and state-regulated relationships; and ongoing safety, quality, productivity, inventory-to-demand mix and labor relations issues.
Sutherland is one of the nation’s premier law firms in automotive dealer, distributor and franchise litigation. Our clients include most of the world’s major manufacturers and importers operating in the U.S. marketplace. We represent automobile, truck and motorcycle manufacturers and their financing companies—usually in manufacturer-dealer disputes about adding, relocating and terminating dealerships; dealership ownership/management changes; and warranty reimbursement. We also counsel makers on issues such as dealership buying/selling, securities, bankruptcy, and employment and commercial loan service subsidiary matters.
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