Case Note: Protecting Name and Likeness in a Partner Exit

The Situation

A well-known chef was negotiating his departure from a restaurant in which he was a minority partner. The restaurant had used, and continued to benefit from, his name and likeness. While he wanted to remain supportive of the venture’s success, he also needed to ensure that his personal brand, reputation, and intellectual property were not compromised as part of the exit.

The challenge was to unwind the ownership relationship without severing goodwill or creating future disputes over control of his name and image.

The Strategy

We helped structure an exit and collaboration agreement that addressed both sides of the relationship.

The agreement clarified ownership of intellectual property, confirming that the chef retained full ownership of his personal name, likeness, and brand. At the same time, it granted carefully defined, limited rights allowing the restaurant to continue benefiting from that association under agreed terms. The structure aligned incentives so that all parties benefited from the restaurant’s continued success, while avoiding ambiguity around future use, control, or expansion of the brand.

By addressing these issues directly in the exit documentation, the agreement reduced the risk of later disputes over branding, marketing, or attribution.

The Outcome

The parties reached a negotiated resolution that allowed the chef to step away from ownership while preserving goodwill and ongoing collaboration. The restaurant retained the ability to benefit from the chef’s association, and the chef preserved clear, enforceable ownership of his intellectual property.

The relationship transitioned to collaboration, without disruption to the business or the brand.

The Takeaway

Name, likeness, and personal brand are often a business’s most valuable assets, particularly in hospitality and media-driven ventures. When ownership relationships change, those assets must be addressed with precision rather than assumption.

Advisory Note

If your business or personal brand is intertwined with a venture you are leaving, exit terms should define not only what you give up, but what you keep. Clear intellectual property boundaries can preserve both value and relationships long after ownership ends.