Author: Goldstein Law Firm
Under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Franchise Rule and various state franchise laws, franchisors have a legal obligation to disclose certain information to prospective franchisees. While franchisees cannot pursue claims under the FTC Franchise Rule, they can pursue claims under state franchise laws in many cases. In this article, franchise attorney Jeffrey M. Goldstein explains what constitutes a franchise disclosure violation, and discusses the potential implications for disputes between franchisees and franchisors.
Read More
Buying a franchise is a long-term investment. Generally speaking, franchisees need to prepare themselves to be in it for the long haul. But, things happen, and there are a variety of reasons why someone might want to exit a franchise prior to the date of expiration. In this article, franchise lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein discusses four potential options for getting out of a franchise agreement.
Read More
When buying a franchise, it is important to review the franchise disclosure document (FDD) in its entirety. Each of the FDD’s 23 “Items” contain information that is relevant to prospective franchisees’ buying decisions. But, as with most legal documents, certain provisions are potentially more impactful than others, and franchise buyers will want to pay particular attention to these provisions during their due diligence. In this article, franchisee attorney Jeffrey M. Goldstein highlights seven “can’t miss” provisions of the FDD.
Read More
Firm founder and nationally-recognized franchise attorney Jeffrey M. Goldstein has been named to the 2021 Franchise Times Legal Eagles. As the publication explains, the Legal Eagles is a “list of star legal professionals in the franchise industry . . . built with nominations and recommendations from clients, peers and other legal professionals.”
Read More
We discussed the virtual restaurant trend a couple of months ago. In that article, we explored the link between the virtual restaurant trend and the COVID-19 pandemic, and we noted that many new franchise concepts were popping up—apparently in direct response to the rising consumer demand for takeaway and delivery restaurant-quality meals. Now, as national franchisee lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein notes, some big brands are stepping into the virtual restaurant franchise realm.
Read More
Item 20 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) provides an overview of the status of a franchise system. Its tables disclose the number of active franchises, terminations, non-renewals and closures over the past three years, as well as the number of franchisees who have signed agreements but not yet opened and the franchisor’s projections for the upcoming year. These are all valuable pieces of information, and they allow prospective franchisees to gain some important insights with the help of an experienced franchise lawyer.
Read More
Franchises come in all shapes and sizes. While some franchises require franchisees to invest in a retail location and hire multiple employees, others allow franchisees to act as owner-operators. These franchisees not only manage their businesses, but they also run their businesses on the ground. Known as owner-operators, these franchisees do almost everything on their own—from ordering and managing inventory and supplies to conducting sales and providing services to customers.
Read More
Unfairness in the franchise relationship is among the key factors that lead to franchisee failures. Without the information, support and legal protections they need, franchisees can struggle to earn a reasonable profit, and they can face substantial losses when their franchises fail. A recent congressional report discusses potential solutions to the current unfairness in franchising—including what franchisors, federal regulators and state authorities can do to help protect franchisees. Here, franchise lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein summarizes some of the most notable recommendations from the report:
Read More
In April 2021, the Office of Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto released a report titled, Strategies to Improve the Franchise Model: Preventing Unfair and Deceptive Franchise Practices. The report provides a detailed look at the current state of franchise regulation in the United States and offers suggestions for what state and federal authorities can do to improve protections for franchisees.
Read More
It is no secret that the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have hit franchising particularly hard. Many franchises who were already struggling to turn a profit while paying their royalties and marketing fund contributions saw their revenue drop substantially, and many went out of business as a result. Among those who survived, long-term outlooks vary, and a significant amount of uncertainty remains.
Read More
Page 16 of 34« First«...10...1415161718...30...»Last »