Franchise Agreement & Contract Lawyers
Our lawyers are experienced in supporting franchisors and franchisees with their legal needs, including around franchise agreements, contracts and IP.
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Our specialist franchising legal team works with franchisors and franchisees to ensure that requirements and agreements are fit for purpose and navigate any legal disputes that may arise throughout the franchise lifecycle.
We also help parties to understand their rights and stay compliant with their agreements, as well as assist trade mark and IP owners, property owners, landowners, investors and funders with all aspects of the franchise process.
With various forms of franchise available and many different elements that may be encapsulated in each model, having the support of an expert legal team is essential. Since we act on all sides, for all parties, we have exceptional knowledge of franchising and the various legal and financial challenges that can arise.
The most common franchise model is business format franchising, which includes licensing and control over branding, business systems, know-how, support services and intellectual property. Some franchises will include controls over property and merchandise, although these aspects may not be necessary for all franchises.
Our team contains experts in commercial contracts, intellectual property (IP), corporate, banking, property, employment law and much more to advise you all the way from the inception of your franchising arrangements to dealing with disposals, exits and terminations of franchise agreements.
We’re here to guide you through choosing the right strategy and franchise model, ensure that your IP and brand identity are protected and enforce franchise agreements wherever necessary.
Our franchise work includes deals relating to Hilton Hotels, Grosvenor, Papa Johns, Subway, James Hall (SPAR), Jane Norman, Network Rail, Mercedes Benz and Anytime Fitness.
Book a meeting with our experts today to find out how we can support you. Give us a call on 0333 004 4488, send us an email at hello@brabners.com or complete our contact form.
Specialist support throughout the franchise lifecycle
Our expertise includes:
- Advising on strategy and model options (including licensing, distribution and agency models) and their pros and cons, providing you with simple, practical checklists to ensure that your agreements are fit for purpose.
- Auditing, identifying and protecting your IP, including branding strategy and trade mark advice.
- Identifying the nature of the franchise and the agreement required, whether it’s a Master Franchise, International Franchise, Individual Franchise or Regional or Local Franchise.
- Addressing the full spectrum of employment challenges that a franchise can face.
- Navigating the property issues that can arise with support from our award-winning real estate team.
- Enforcing franchise agreements and resolving disputes.
- Dealing with acquisitions, disposals, restructuring, insolvency, exits and terminations of franchise agreements and other corporate matters.
Everything your franchise needs
We’ve identified a suite of documents and advice that franchise businesses typically require — including a prospectus, skeleton operations manual, mandatory policies and data protection documents — designed to provide you with everything you need to roll-out a successful franchise strategy.
This cost-effective offering is tried and tested. It also provides you with access to our trusted network of contacts, including international advisors and financial advisors.
We also have a dedicated Deal Advisory team of specialist accountants who can advise on your business plans and any franchise prospectus.
If you’re a franchise owner, you should review your existing models to ensure that they capture everything you need and improve your legal position and protection.
If you’re a new franchisor, you can use our suite as the basis for your model.
Genuine experts in franchise agreements
Our franchising team is led by partners and dual-qualified Solicitors and Chartered Trade Mark Attorneys Hannah Fawcett and Sara Ludlam, as well as our leisure and hospitality sector lead and experienced employment lawyer Lee Jefcott.
With experience in advising on both the franchisor- and franchisee-sides of transactions, Hannah assists businesses in establishing new franchise models and acquiring or exiting from existing franchised businesses. As the lead of our beauty, aesthetics and fashion team, Hannah helps many clients to protect their core IP assets and leverage them to develop new franchise models. She has also worked with clients in the education sector, creating a master franchise agreement for the development of a new franchise model for a private school. Hannah has further worked alongside our corporate team to assist clients in the leisure and hospitality sector, including advising a franchisee on the sale of a group of fast-food franchise companies and in protecting the interests of a coffee shop franchisor.
“Hannah Fawcett and her team give us an incredible service. They advise on everything we do past, current and future. We have worked with Hannah for many years and would highly recommend her.”
Client feedback, The Legal 500
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