Attorney Jeremiah Hawkes Appointed to Judgeship
BSM is pleased to announce that Senior Counsel Jeremiah Hawkes was recently appointed as a Circuit Court Judge in Florida’s 2nd Judicial Circuit. Jeremiah was Senior Counsel wi
Best Steps for Organizing Succession Plans – Don’t Let the Manufacturer Take Advantage of a Succession Event to Put Your Franchise in Peril
By Micah A. Andrews Last Fall, General Motors provided its dealer network with the 2025 Dealer Sales and Service Agreement, a network-wide re-contracting which General Motors perfo
JLRNA’S Business Builder Bonus Program
By: Andrew G. Thomas, Esq. Jaguar and Land Rover dealers are familiar with JLRNA’s Business Builder Bonus Program (the “Program”), as it has been around for years. The Progra
The Exodus of Genesis Dealers: All to Plan?
By: Nick Bader and Kirby Bissell In the several years since Hyundai’s separation of the Genesis line-make, the number of Genesis dealers has been greatly reduced. This leads one
Dealers Seek Summary Judgment in Challenge to Scout Direct Sales Model in Florida
BSM is representing twenty-eight (28) Florida Volkswagen and Audi dealers challenging Scout’s plans to sell vehicle directly to Florida consumers. Florida law prohibits a com
Dealers Prevail in OEM Attempt to Delay Time Guide Litigation
BSM is representing ten (10) New York Volkswagen and Audi dealers in a challenge to Volkswagen of America’s refusal to properly reimburse dealers for warranty labor time. N
Sony-Honda Afeela Vehicle Sales Challenged in California
On August 19, 2025 the California New Car Dealers Association (“CNCDA”) filed a lawsuit against Sony Honda Mobility, (“SHM”) a joint venture between Sony and Honda, challen
Who’s Minding the Store – Liability Settlements by Insurance Carriers and Their Impact on Dealers
By Denise Branch Dealers spend millions of dollars each year on liability insurance. In exchange for steep premiums, dealers trust their liability carriers to represent their
Mercedes-Benz Implements Wide-Scale Changes to Dealer Territory
By Richard Sox & Andrew Thomas Mercedes-Benz USA recently informed dealers that it would be changing their Car and Light Truck Area of Influence (AOI) and Commercial Vehicle Pr
Does Anyone Work Here? – 1099 vs. W2 Employees
By Denise W. Branch In an effort to keep employment costs down, many dealers have increased their use of independent contractors, or 1099 workers. These workers are not emplo