Here we outline some of the ways in which our specialist
Franchising team works with franchisors.
View more informaton about our
charges.
consultancy
We are able to provide advice and guidance on the following:
- the franchiseablity of a business concept and the business
structure
- whether to use regional master franchising
- network marketing, pyramid schemes and franchising
- data protection and all other relevant regulation
- introducing change to the network
- whether it is a franchise at all
- BFA membership
franchise contracts
We will prepare all the contractual documents needed by a
franchisor or review/update current documentation including:
- regional master franchise agreement
- development agreement
- franchise contract
- pre-franchise documentation (confidentiality, deposit
agreements, etc)
- lease or sublease to franchisee
- asset/business transfer for conversion franchises
- employment and trading documentation for franchisees
- software licensing to franchisees.
franchise resales
Franchise resales are now essential to most
franchisors but the costs involved in business transfers are
disproportionately expensive for most franchisees.
We prepare standard form documentation and
procedures for franchisors to permit the resale process to be as
trouble free for franchisees as possible.
We also act for franchisors in the resale process.
organisational change
We are able to advise on the difficult process of introducing
major change into an existing network or, for example, converting
an employed workforce into franchisees.
acting for your franchisees
We are able to act for a notional or actual group of
franchisees/prospective franchisees (normally at the cost of the
franchisor) during a change process when the franchisor is advised
by other lawyers. This allows us to test the proposals and
provide genuinely independent but educated advice to the
franchisees/prospective franchisees and thus ease the process.
franchise
network sales
We are able to provide advice and guidance in the following
ways:
- assisting in strategic planning in the build up to a sale of
the franchise network
- acting for seller or buyer of a franchise network.
trade marks
We are able to provide advice and guidance on trade mark
protection, trade mark applications and management. For more
information, visit the intellectual property pages of our
website.
disputes with franchisees
We are able to provide assistance with the
following:
- acting for franchisors in disputes with individual or groups of
franchisees
- alternative dispute
resolution (ADR), including the provision of mediation
and arbitration
For more information on our commercial dispute resolution
expertise, visit the dispute resolution pages of our
website.
property
We have property lawyers with specific expertise in the property
aspects of franchising. They are able to help with the
following:
- advising on appropriate property holding structures
- underleases and joint tenancy arrangements with
franchisees
- development agreements with franchisees
For more information on any of these, please visit the real
estate pages of our website.
our charges
Our hourly rates range from £90 to £240 per hour plus VAT
depending on the seniority of the lawyer that you use.
We endeavour to set fixed budgets. Where this is not possible,
we will keep you regularly advised on costs incurred so that you
are never surprised. We work to your requirements and will not
spend more than you want us to. You choose the service you
require.
Franchisors' requirements differ so much that it is almost
impossible to give indications on job pricing without first
discussing those requirements.
A full set of franchise documentation is however likely to cost
between £5,000 and £20,000 plus VAT.
Reviewing a franchisor's existing documentation and
reporting on recommended improvements for best practice or BFA
membership is likely to cost under £3,000 plus VAT.
