Franchise Law For Non-Lawyers is designed to cut through the legal jargon and deliver practical legal essentials that every franchising professional should know. This course identifies laws, pit falls, and opportunities for franchisors and franchisee operators, with practical, common sense, business-friendly guidance, advice and do’s and don’ts. We will explore legal issues that everyone operating in franchising should know, including: franchise sales and marketing laws, regulations and best practices; key corporate and contract issues for a franchise system and franchisee operators, legal considerations for developing and enforcing standards and Intellectual Property (IP) protection; maintaining franchisee and franchisor relationships, franchisee associations and advisory councils; handling legal disputes; other laws impacting franchise businesses; vendors and supply issues; and buying and selling franchise businesses.
Franchise Law for Non-Lawyers
Upcoming session: Thursday, July 18, 2024 | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Format: 1 day in person on the University of Denver campus
Certified Franchise Executive Program Credits: 6.5 CFE IFA LIVE credits
Cost: $495
Workshop Objectives
This course provides clear insights into the laws, potential pitfalls, and advantageous opportunities for both franchisors and franchisee operators. During this one-day workshop, we’ll discuss crucial legal matters relevant to the franchising industry. Topics include:
- Review the myriad of franchise laws, regulations, and common legal issues in franchising
- Understand the role of franchisee associations and advisory councils
- Address vendor and supply chain issues and best practices
- Examine strategies for maintaining healthy relationships between franchisees and franchisors
- Learn important corporate and contract considerations for both franchisors and franchisees
- Understand legal aspects of establishing and protecting standards and intellectual property
- Provide guidance and best practices to comply with laws, reduce legal risks, and take advantage of opportunities presented by the franchise legal framework
- Outline the legal process of buying and selling franchise businesses
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Who Should Attend
This class is tailored for individuals involved in franchising, ranging from c-suite executives to personnel responsible for various aspects of franchise programs at any size or stage. This includes roles in sales, marketing, real estate, design and construction, operations, legal compliance, and franchise operators.
“We are excited to roll out this new course focused on identifying and providing guidance and best practices on a myriad of legal issues, specific to franchising and operating in the franchise model. We are taking a practical, business approach to legal issues for anyone working in franchising, with a goal of arming non-lawyers with tools to navigate and comply with franchise laws and regulations, reduce risk, and take full advantage of opportunities.”
– Len Macphee –
Key Faculty
Len MacPhee
As the Co-Chair of Polsinelli’s Global Franchise and Supply Network practice, Len MacPhee focuses on franchise, licensing, distribution, and supply chain matters. His litigation and dispute resolution practice includes serving as lead counsel in numerous state and federal courts and domestic and international mediation and arbitration proceedings. He regularly handles cases arising from termination and non-renewal, challenges to system practices, breach of contract, tort, and statutory claims, as well as claims protecting trademarks, trade secrets and trade dress and enforcing non-compete covenants.
He also handles vicarious liability and joint employer claims. In addition, Mr. MacPhee analyzes and advises clients on significant franchise, licensing, distribution supply chain and matters on a pre-litigation basis and in connection with business strategies for the roll-out of products and diverse distribution methods and transitions and the wind-down of franchise and dealer network systems.
Joyce Mazero
As Co-Chair of the Global Franchise and Supply Network practice, Joyce Mazero represents national and global product and service-based companies leading them through major initiatives including structuring franchise and distribution networks, purchasing cooperatives and buying groups; negotiating strategic alliances, joint ventures, domestic and international licensing, franchising, manufacturing, retail and logistics deals; buying and selling franchise chains, food service providers and manufacturing plants, and litigating franchise, intellectual property and distribution disputes around the world.
Managing supply chain risk and leveraging supply chains to maximize competitive advantage and, increase cash flow opportunities; managing risk in domestic and international franchise systems to enhance market expansion opportunities and foster sustainable value relationships among franchisors, franchisees and suppliers are critical focal points of Joyce’s practice.
Jess Dance
Jess Dance is a Shareholder in Polsinelli PC’s Denver office where he is a member of its Global Franchise & Supply Network practice group. His practice focuses on franchise disclosure and registration matters, as well as franchise litigation, business disputes, and other complex commercial litigation.
Mr. Dance frequently represents franchisors, distributors, manufacturers, and suppliers on issues relating to registration and disclosure, defaults and terminations, contract disputes, covenants not to compete, trade secret protections, joint employment, and enforcement of trademark rights. He also advises clients in connection with franchise, distribution, and supply network transactions, contract negotiations, and pre-litigation dispute resolution.
Mr. Dance graduated summa cum laude from Truman State University and received his J.D. cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center.