PROFESSIONALS

Denning Rodriguez

Partner

denning@rodriguezllc.com

+1.212.227.4183

Corporate Services  |  Private Equity | Venture Capital and Emerging Companies  |  Mergers and Acquisitions  |  Entertainment Law  | Media | Labor, Employment and Benefits  |  Intellectual Property  |  Fashion and Luxury Goods

Legal Services

Denning Rodriguez is a fashion, luxury goods and media attorney who focuses his practice on handling broad-based corporate transactions for clients in the entertainment media and fashion industries. Mr. Rodriguez serves as a legal advisor and consultant to prominent individuals and companies in creative fields, including creative directors, designers, photographers and executives of European and American fashion and luxury goods companies, as well as prominent models and agents.

Mr. Rodriguez is well-versed in a range of corporate work, including joint ventures and collaborations, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital transactions. He also has extensive experience structuring and negotiating a wide variety of agreements related to distribution, franchising, licensing, wholesale and retail, publishing, advertising and sponsorships. Clients call on him for counsel on corporate formation, development, strategies and commercial transactions.

In addition to his corporate practice, Mr. Rodriguez represents clients in employment and litigation matters. He handles executive and creative director compensation agreements, consulting and collaboration engagements for individuals and design-driven companies, as well as intellectual property matters, such as trademark infringement, product defects, and advertising and social media issues.

Prior to forming Rodriguez LLC, Mr. Rodriguez practiced at Am Law 100 firms Holland & Knight LLP and King & Spalding LLP, which provided representation, business strategy and support to leading professionals in the fashion, luxury goods and entertainment industries worldwide.

Business, Strategy, and Advisory Services

Outside of his legal profession, Mr. Rodriguez has acted as CEO, COO, and business advisor to over 100 startup, mid-cap, and international brands. Representative engagements have included:

• Engaged by emerging designer of namesake luxury accessories brand to develop business plan and launch brand. Providing ongoing CEO and CFO services to implement plan. Scaled brand from launch to $15m in revenue in four years.
• Engaged by luxury women’s wear brand to assess company’s financials and opportunities for strategic growth and development from Europe to United States. Created detailed business plan and identified and negotiated $20m in licensing opportunities and set up ongoing U.S. operations.
• Engaged by luxury accessories designer to evaluate company’s performance and growth opportunities. Providing ongoing CEO/COO services to implement development strategies to expand brand recognition and attain additional wholesale and retail accounts.
• Engaged by investor and designer jointly to create the partnership agreement between them to launch a new luxury menswear brand. Developed business plan and budget proposal that secured a multi-million-euro development grant. Created detailed operating budget, three-year business plan and strategy brief.
• Providing ongoing consulting and business support to help CEO in implementing the plan. Provided customer analysis and action plan for designer-founded luxury shoe company seeking to expand into emerging markets. Created and implemented protocols to identify and eliminate high-risk customers. Acted as interim COO.
• Engaged by luxury women’s wear brand to develop business strategy for expansion of international presence. Providing ongoing consulting services and business support to help Company finance operations and expansion.
• Launched e-commerce lifestyle brand for apparel and luxury goods, acting as COO. Assisted in capital financing sourcing, negotiation, and talent acquisition vettingLaunched athleisure apparel brand, acting as interim COO. Assisted in capital financing sourcing, negotiation, and talent acquisition vetting.
• Engaged by investor to evaluate and restructure recently acquired contemporary women’s apparel company. Collaborated with key employees to develop and execute program to reorganize operations and staff, refine marketing strategy and implement protocols and budgetary controls.
• Developed and executed emergency intervention program to forestall bankruptcy of a distressed luxury women’s wear company. Renegotiated vendor agreements to meet payment obligations and maintain critical supplier relationships. Conducted comprehensive review of operations to address and resolve fundamental vulnerabilities. Implemented critical measures to help regain financial stability.

Speaking engagements