What is Franchise Law?
Franchise Law is a specialized area of business or corporate law. The owner/operator of your local coffee shop or pizza parlour is most likely an example of a franchisee. The franchisor is the famous company that owns the name of the coffee shop/pizza parlour and makes its money selling supplies to the franchisee and taking a portion of the profits as royalties.
Most Business Lawyers can properly advise and assist a franchisee with respect to the day-to-day challenges of operating the business. However, if you are considering buying a franchise and do not have experience as a franchisee, you would be bordering on foolish if you signed the franchise agreement without reviewing it with Franchise Lawyer. Beyond just reviewing the terms of the contract, a Franchise Lawyer will be able to answer the many questions you should ask before committing to starting up a franchised location of what is in many respects someone else’s business. They may also be able to assist by researching the franchisor and accessing and assessing information that you may not be aware is available.
When Do I Need a Lawyer?
If you have a successful business that you think is scalable (i.e., could be an even bigger success with multiple locations, you may want to set your company up as a franchisor and offer to let people mimic your formula for success as franchisees. In that case, you will most assuredly need a Franchise Lawyer experienced handling the many details that go into setting up a successful franchise operation.