Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Award-winning restaurant executive, operator, consultant, and expert witness with over 45 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Extensive background in restaurant operations, hospitality management, franchising, staffing and training systems, operational safety, commercial kitchen design/build, concept development, business viability, and restaurant-related disputes. Over the course of his career, Mr. Coburn has helped create, open, operate, reposition, and advise hundreds of restaurant, bar, hospitality, and foodservice concepts throughout the United States ranging from independent restaurants to regional and national brands. His experience includes service as an owner, operator, franchisor, consultant, President, Chief Operating Officer, and General Manager. Mr. Coburn remains actively involved in restaurant operations and concept development through Restaurant Concept Innovations and current projects including Lily’s Donuts & Pops and Lily’s Donuts & Coffee in Santa Barbara, with additional expansion initiatives planned beyond 2026. His opinions are grounded not only in decades of industry leadership, but also in continued day-to-day operational involvement within the restaurant and hospitality industry. Mr. Coburn maintains an active expert witness practice involving restaurant and hospitality operations, premises safety, slip/trip/fall incidents, burns and hot beverage incidents, staffing and training, operational safety matters, alcohol awareness, and restaurant business and concept-related disputes. His engagements include over 70 cases across 14 states, with matters historically remaining relatively balanced between plaintiff and defense. Representative concepts and operations include Joe’s Crab Shack, Cask ‘n Cleaver, Lord Charlie’s, El Gato Gordo, Pizza Pronto, Safari Bar Restaurant, Shark Club, Bull Dog Grill, Stronghouse, Pangea, The Ballroom, Juarez Grill, Dickerson’s Club 29, Yucatan Liquor Stand, Zepp’s Atomic Tex Mex, Cabo Grill, Angel Stadium, In Cahoots, Slick Willie’s, Rodeo, Jake’s, Bobs on the Bay, Crabby Bob’s Seafood, PizzaRev, Honolulu Harry’s, Lahaina Mai Tai Lounge, Canyon Grill, Campagnia, Huey’s Grill & Brewery, Gladstone’s Long Beach, Pro’s Ranch Markets, Lily’s Donuts & Pops, and Lily’s Donuts & Coffee. Representative expert witness matters have involved restaurant operational standards, premises safety, slip/trip/fall incidents, hot beverage and burn incidents, staffing and training practices, alcohol awareness, restaurant concept viability, landlord/tenant disputes, lease assignment issues, business interruption, operational safety practices, and hospitality industry standards.