Daytime cafe operator First Watch Restaurants Inc. has hired Jay Wolszczak as its first general counsel, the company announced.

Wolszczak, who also holds the title of chief legal officer, arrives from Orlando, Florida-based Hard Rock Cafe International Inc., where, during his 20-plus-year stint, he was involved in the company's growth from 30 to 181 cafes, and from one to 25 hotels and 11 casinos.

In an interview with Corporate Counsel, Wolszczak said he was drawn to First Watch because of its growth and current leadership team, noting the company has added 50 restaurants in the past year alone.

The team is “full of individuals who have made strong contributions in the industry, and, after learning more about them, I'm confident it's the perfect fit,” Wolszczak said of his new position, adding that he and First Watch president Chris Tomasso worked together in his early years at Hard Rock Cafe.   

First Watch operates over 320 restaurants under the brands First Watch, The Egg & I and Bread & Co. across 29 states. Last summer a private equity firm took a majority stake in the company, a deal that put its value between $300 million and $500 million, according to a Reuters report.

Prior to joining Hard Rock Cafe as assistant GC and business affairs manager in 1997, Wolszczak was an associate at Holland & Knight from 1993 to 1995, according to a June 2005 National Law Journal profile. He followed this with a two-year stint at Orlando's Akerman, Senterfitt & Eidson (now Akerman). His primary practice areas were real estate and transactional work. In September 2001, he earned the top-lawyer post at Hard Rock Cafe.

Wolszczak said his first order of business will be assessing how First Watch operates its legal functions as it hits its aggressive growth strategy.

“I'll be digging in and learning how they manage their legal processes and their structure and the outside counsel they use as well,” he said, adding that, as someone who “enjoys practicing law, not just watching from the sidelines,” he may end up taking some of that work in-house.

Wolszczak earned his law degree from the University of Florida College of Law.