Franchise Lawyers Experienced in Franchise Business Reviews, Franchise Agreement Negotiations and Dispute Resolution in Denver
Franchise ownership is not easy. As a franchisee, you must find a way to be successful within the confines of the franchise system, and you must be prepared to protect your investment when things don’t go according to plan. This makes it critical to work with an experienced franchise lawyer throughout the ownership lifecycle.
At Goldstein Law Firm, we provide highly experienced legal representation to current and prospective franchisees. Firm founder and franchise lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein has more than 40 years of experience in franchising. Throughout his career, Mr. Goldstein has exclusively represented franchisees and dealers, and he is committed to preserving franchisees’ rights in Denver and nationwide.
How We Can Help
So, how can we help you? We focus our franchise law practice in three main areas: (i) helping prospective franchisees make informed buying decisions, (ii) negotiating franchise agreements on behalf of prospective franchisees, and (iii) protecting franchisees’ rights in disputes with their franchisors.
Making an Informed Decision About Buying a Franchise in Denver
Buying a franchise is a complex investment. It is also a high-risk investment—as you really can lose everything if you aren’t careful. As a result, if you are thinking about buying a franchise, it is well worth ensuring that you are making an informed buying decision.
Here are just some of the ways a franchise lawyer at Goldstein Law Firm can help:
- Assisting with your due diligence, including helping you decide what questions to ask current and prospective franchisees and identifying specific concerns to prioritize during your discovery day.
- Reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and identifying any red flags, including any concerns with the franchisor’s disclosures or any omitted material information.
- Reviewing the franchise agreement and identifying any red flags, including any provisions that are unduly one-sided or that otherwise present unreasonable or untenable risks.
- Providing comparative insights based on our experience examining similar franchise opportunities, including insights about industry-standard fees, terms and conditions.
- Advising you regarding any other issues that you should consider before you commit to moving forward with your target franchise opportunity.
We provide four tiers of fixed-fee franchise business review packages for prospective franchisees in Denver. If desired, we can also custom-tailor our services to your specific needs. Whether you are buying your first franchise or you are looking to expand your franchise portfolio in Colorado, we can provide the advice and insights you need to feel confident that you are not taking on unnecessary risks.
Negotiating Your Franchise Agreement
Sometimes, simply understanding the risks you are taking on when buying a franchise isn’t enough. If the risks you would be taking on are too great, you may need to negotiate the terms of your franchise agreement.
Along with our franchise business review packages, we offer franchise agreement negotiation services as well. Franchise lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein has extensive experience negotiating franchise agreements on behalf of franchisees in Denver. When is it necessary to negotiate? Some examples of terms that may require negotiation include:
- Franchise agreement terms that don’t align with the franchisor’s representations in the FDD or in its marketing materials.
- Default clauses and termination rights that provide the franchisor with broad discretion to end the franchise relationship.
- Renewal and transfer clauses that provide the franchisor with broad discretion over whether to approve a second term or a sale to a new franchisee.
- Excessive liquidated damages (or “lost future royalties), overly broad non-competition covenants, and other unreasonable post-termination restrictions or obligations.
- Terms that are unclear or that are inconsistent with one another, which are almost certain to lead to disputes down the line.
Again, these are just examples. Many other clauses in your franchise agreement may need to be negotiated as well. After reviewing your franchise agreement, Jeffrey M. Goldstein will be able to advise you regarding whether negotiations are necessary, and, if so, he can either prepare an amendment for you to submit to your franchisor or negotiate directly with your franchisor on your behalf.
Resolving Issues With Your Franchisor
In addition to representing prospective franchisees, we also represent current franchisees in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and litigation. When warranted, we also negotiate directly with franchisors on behalf of our clients to attempt to achieve amicable resolutions without the need for formal legal proceedings. The following are just examples of the types of disputes we regularly handle on behalf of franchisees in Denver and other cities across the country:
Wrongful Termination
If you have lost your franchise, or if you believe that you may be at risk of losing your franchise, you will want to consult with a lawyer right away. Wrongful terminations are common, and if your franchisor has wrongfully terminated (or is planning to wrongfully terminate) your franchise, taking action promptly could be critical for avoiding unnecessary costs and other adverse consequences.
Wrongful Refusal to Approve Renewal or Transfer
If your franchisor is refusing to approve your request for renewal or your efforts to sell your franchise, you will want to consult with a franchise lawyer promptly in this scenario as well. In addition to handling disputes regarding renewal and transfer, we also handle renewal and transfer negotiations on behalf of our clients.
Territorial Encroachment
Territorial encroachment is a common issue in franchising. If your franchisor (or another franchisee) is encroaching on your territorial rights and simply raising the issue isn’t enough, our franchise lawyers can take all necessary and appropriate legal action on your behalf.
Unfair Franchise Practices
Along with territorial encroachment, franchisors routinely engage in a number of other unfair franchise practices as well. Unfortunately, putting an end to these unfair practices often involves taking legal action. At Goldstein Law Firm, we represent franchisees in matters involving issues such as:
- Franchisee and supplier discrimination
- Price fixing, tying arrangements and other antitrust violations
- Improperly alleging breach or default
- Unilateral refusals to deal
- Unreasonable restraints of trade
Here, too, time is often of the essence. If franchisees do not take action to protect their legal rights promptly upon experiencing an unfair franchise practice, this can limit the remedies they are entitled to secure in some cases. When you contact us for a free consultation, franchise lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein can explain everything you need to know to ensure that you are making informed and timely decisions.
Other Franchise-Related Disputes
We have experience representing franchisees in a wide range of other franchise-related disputes as well. Regardless of the specific issue you are facing, if you need help finding a path forward—whether this means preserving your franchise or finding a way out of the system that avoids post-termination liability—we strongly encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Why Choose Goldstein Law Firm for Franchisee Representation in Denver?
When you are buying a franchise or facing a dispute with your franchisor, your choice of legal representation matters. So, why should you choose Goldstein Law Firm for your Denver franchise?
Here is what we have to offer:
- More Than 40 Years of Experience Exclusively Representing Franchisees – Our firm’s founder, Jeffrey M. Goldstein, has exclusively been representing franchisees and dealers for more than four decades. This is a level of experience that few other franchise lawyers can match.
- A Free, No-Obligation Consultation – Every engagement at Goldstein Law Firm starts with a free, no-obligation consultation. This is your opportunity to learn about us, our opportunity to learn about you, and a time when we will focus on providing you with the information needed to make informed decisions about your next steps.
- Cost-Effective Representation and Franchisee-Friendly Legal Fees – As a boutique franchise law firm, we provide cost-effective representation and offer franchisee-friendly legal fees. We know that many of our clients come to us with limited financial resources or in times of financial distress, and we price our services accordingly.
- Straightforward Advice with Your Best Interests in Mind – When you choose Goldstein Law Firm, you can expect to receive straightforward advice with your best interests in mind. We don’t hide the ball, and since we don’t represent franchisors, our sole focus is on protecting franchisees’ rights.
- An Unwavering Commitment to Facilitating Our Clients’ Success – Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we are 100% committed to facilitating our clients’ success. While we know that franchise ownership can be financially rewarding, we also know that it can be extremely difficult. We do what we do because we are passionate about helping our clients.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Franchise Lawyer Today
Would you like to know more about our services for current or prospective franchisees in Denver? Do you have questions about what franchise lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein can do to help you? If so, we invite you to get in touch. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Mr. Goldstein as soon as possible, please call 202-293-3947 or tell us how we can get in touch online today.
