Tricia McDermott-Spikes

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT TRICIA MCDERMOTT-SPIKES

Reports directly to the President, CEO and Founder, and is a Board-fluent General Counsel and advisor to public and private companies. Ongoing responsibilities as Corporate Secretary. Formerly General Counsel for publicly traded, Perry Ellis International, Inc, a nearly $1B vertically integrated apparel manufacturer, designer and licensor of over 30 iconic brands with a 150-country global footprint which served hundreds of retail locations, a digital retail site, wholesale, private label and licensing business. In a leveraged buyout by the Company\'s Chairman, I helped take the company private in a successful, compliant transaction. Thereafter, ensuring seamless integration by revamping the step plan to mitigate excessive costs and taxes on a global basis. A significant part of my practice includes: Commercial Transactions: Structuring deals, negotiating and drafting a wide range of commercial agreements, including: sales & distribution agreements, supply contracts, retailer agreements, confidentiality, sports and celebrity sponsorships and co-branding, IP assignments, licenses (trademark, patent, music, software), private label, consents, permissions, coexistence and de-branding agreements. Solely responsible for managing franchise, distribution and agency agreements for the company\'s EU Headquarters; specialized experience drafting agreements pertaining to the EMEA, which includes particular attention to anti-competition provisions. Real Estate: Represent the Company in a variety of real estate transactions, including retail lease negotiations, purchase of distribution centers and office lease & sublease negotiations. Led acquisition of 5.8M square foot distribution center (formerly Fred\'s DC) in Dublin, GA. Today, with Shoe Show, primarily responsible for lease negotiations for over 1100 store locations and purchasing retail shopping centers. Employment Law: manage and direct matters pertaining to employees, including policies and litigation. Negotiate employment/compensation agreements. Responsible for diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives. Litigation Management: Oversee global litigation and direct strategy relating thereto. Budgetary Responsibilities: Manage legal department budget including evaluating strategies to ensure budgetary goals are met. Oversee the retention and strategic direction of external law firm relationships.