Overview

Kelly Caralis is a shareholder of the firm and co-chairs the firm’s Hospitality Practice Group. Kelly is a member of the firm’s Corporate & Business Department, Commercial Real Estate, Franchise, and Employment Practice Groups.

Kelly represents and advises private companies and family-owned businesses and owners, serving as outside general counsel on a wide range of transactional, corporate, finance, real estate and business law matters such as mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, entity formation and corporate structures, joint ventures, commercial agreements and real estate leases, sales and purchases.

While Kelly’s work ranges across industries such as professional services, technology, franchise, food and beverage and real estate development, she has extensive experience in the restaurant industry, working side by side with restaurant owners and operators=.

As a restaurant owner herself, Kelly understands the unique business challenges and legal concerns faced by businesses in the restaurant industry and implements that knowledge in the work she performs for her clients in a practical manner. Her significant corporate and real estate experience lends itself well to addressing the issues associated with leasing, selling, purchasing and financing of restaurant and franchise locations.

Over the past 16 years, Kelly has represented some of Boston’s most well-known restaurants while also helping restauranteurs get started in the restaurant industry.

Her clients include commercial real estate owners and developers, retail and office tenants and landlords, professional service companies and restaurant owners and operators, including James Beard-awarding winning chefs, industry recognized fast-casual companies and established multi-unit operators.

ASSOCIATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

  • Massachusetts Restaurant Association
  • Massachusetts Restaurant Association Education Foundation, Board of Directors
  • Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys

COMMUNITY & CHARITABLE INVOLVEMENT

  • PbS Institute, former member, Board of Directors

Education

B.S.B.A. Suffolk University, cum laude, 1994 

J.D. Suffolk University Law School, 1998

Bar & Court Admission

  • All Massachusetts Courts

Representative Matters

  • Represented real estate developer in connection with $7,000,000 debt financing to construct a boutique hotel in the City of Boston.
  • Served as counsel to full-service restaurant and bar with multiple locations across New England with debt financings totaling $52,000,000.
  • Represented digital marketing agency on a $50,000,000 private equity investment.
  • Served as corporate and leasing counsel to full-service restaurant and bar with multiple locations in City of Boston in connection with expansion throughout Massachusetts and into New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
  • Served as corporate and leasing counsel to well-known celebrity chef in connection with private placement of securities and opening of second restaurant location in City of Boston.
  • Served as corporate and leasing counsel to well-known full-service Italian restaurant operator in connection with opening 8 additional Italian restaurants and 5 newly branded American restaurants throughout Massachusetts.
  • Represented renowned Boston restaurateur in a private placement of securities in connection with the opening of four new locations in the City of Boston.
  • Served as corporate and leasing counsel to multi-state franchise operator relative the acquisitions and disposition of numerous locations and related corporate reorganization.
  • Represented several real estate developers relative to commercial lease negotiations with restaurant operators throughout the City of Boston.
  • Served as corporate and leasing counsel to dozens of new and existing restaurants in the City of Boston and throughout New England.

Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Management Judge, MRA 2024 ProStart Invitational, Massachusetts Restaurant Association, (February 2024)
  • Speaker, New England Restaurant & Bar Show on Successfully Managing the Life Cycle of a Restaurant, (February 2024)
  • Speaker, Massachusetts Restaurant Association Leadership Conference on Successfully Managing the Life Cycle of a Restaurant, (November 2023)
  • Management Judge, MRA 2023 ProStart Invitational, Massachusetts Restaurant Association, (March 2023)
  • Speaker, First Annual Women In Hospitality Conference, Massachusetts Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, (January 2023)
  • Speaker, Restaurant Leasing, National Tenants Association 2022 Conference, (September 2022)
  • Presenter and Co-Chair, 28th Annual Restaurant Trends Event, City Winery Boston, (September 2021)
  • Moderator, “Re-Opening Guidance for the Massachusetts Restaurant Industry”, RIW Webinar (June 2020)
  • Moderator, “Restaurant Industry Discussion on Legal & Business Issues Related to COVID-19 Outbreak“, RIW Webinar (March 2020)
  • Moderator, Boston Magazine’s Top 50 Restaurants Event (October 2018)
  • Moderator, Boston Magazine’s Top 50 New Restaurants Event (October 2017)
  • Moderator, Boston Magazine’s Top 50 New Restaurants Event (October 2016)
  • Speaker, Estoppels and SNDAs, National Tenants Association 2016 Conference (September 2016)