Experienced Franchise Attorneys Representing Franchisees in Florida
Goldstein Law Firm is one of the few firms in the country that exclusively represents franchisees. If you are thinking about buying or selling a franchise, if you are facing a dispute with your franchisor in Florida, or if you are facing termination of your franchise rights, a franchise attorney at Goldstein Law Firm can guide you forward.
Our firm is led by franchise attorney Jeffrey M. Goldstein, who has devoted his entire career in the private sector—spanning nearly 40 years—to protecting the interests of prospective, active and former franchisees. If you have questions, he can help you make informed decisions, and he can take any necessary legal action on your behalf.
We Represent Prospective, Active and Former Franchisees Across Florida
We represent prospective, active and former franchisees across Florida in all franchise-related matters. We also represent franchisees in other states who are dealing with Florida-based franchisors. If you need legal advice or representation for any franchise-related matter, we invite you to contact us for a complimentary consultation to discuss what we can do to help. We serve clients in cities including, but not limited to:
- Cape Coral
- Fort Lauderdale
- Hialeah
- Jacksonville
- Miami
- Orlando
- Port St. Lucie
- St. Petersburg
- Tallahassee
- Tampa
How Can We Help You?
So, what can we do to help you? Our franchise lawyers regularly represent clients in connection with matters such as:
Buying a Franchise in Florida
We have extensive experience representing prospective franchisees. If you are thinking about buying a franchise in Florida, a franchise lawyer at Goldstein Law Firm can assist you throughout the buying process. This includes:
- Answering Your Questions About Florida Franchise Ownership – Our franchise lawyers are more than happy to answer all of your questions about franchise ownership. Buying a franchise is a major investment, so it is critical to ensure that you are making informed decisions.
- Assisting with Your Due Diligence – Due diligence is a critical part of the franchise buying process. We can provide recommendations for how to gather the information you need to feel confident in your decision-making.
- Reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) – While you should thoroughly review the FDD the franchise opportunity you are considering, it is important to have it reviewed by a franchise attorney as well. From determining whether the FDD is federally compliant to identifying any legal red flags, there are several important ways an experienced lawyer will be able to help.
- Reviewing the Franchise Agreement – The same is true with regard to the franchise agreement. The franchise agreement will govern your relationship with the franchisor, so it is critical to ensure that you have a clear and comprehensive understanding of what it says (and what it doesn’t say) about both parties’ legal rights.
- Negotiating the Franchise Agreement – Most franchise agreements are heavily one-sided, so some negotiations will often be necessary. Depending on your preference, our franchise lawyers can either provide advice for negotiating your franchise agreement directly or negotiate with the franchisor’s lawyers on your behalf.
We offer a variety of fixed-fee franchise business review programs for prospective franchisees. But we are happy to customize our representation to your specific needs as well. Ultimately, our role during the buying process is to help you make an informed decision (and negotiate on your behalf if desired), and we are happy to do this in any way we can.
Selling (or Transferring) a Franchise in Florida
We also represent franchisees who are selling (or transferring) ownership of their franchised outlets. If you have identified a buyer for your franchise we can assist with securing your franchisor’s approval, dealing with your franchisor’s right of first refusal (if any), and navigating the sale process. We can assist with reviewing the buyer’s financing and addressing any other potential issues as well; and, here too, we will focus our efforts on helping you make informed decisions and move forward as efficiently as possible.
Renewing a Franchise in Florida
We assist existing franchisees in Florida with renewals as well. While renewing your franchise should be a straightforward process, franchisors often make the process much more difficult than necessary. Our franchise lawyers can assist with providing notice of your intent to renew, documenting compliance with your franchise agreement’s renewal conditions and overcoming any challenges that may arise. We can also review your new franchise agreement (most franchisors require franchisees to sign their “then current” franchise agreement at the time of renewal), and assist with negotiations as necessary.
Facing a Franchise Dispute in Florida
In addition to handling transactional matters, we also regularly represent franchisees in disputes with their franchisors. Once again, we can assist you whether your franchise is based in Florida or you need to pursue mediation, arbitration or litigation against a Florida-based franchisor. We have experience handling essentially all types of franchise-related disputes, including (but not limited to) those involving:
- Refusals to approve transfers and refusals to renew
- Franchise encroachment (by both franchisors and franchisees)
- Franchisor discrimination and refusals to deal
- Mandatory supplier and price-fixing issues
- Other unfair franchise practices
Again, these are just examples. Regardless of the nature of the dispute you are facing, we can guide you through your next steps. We have successfully resolved numerous franchise disputes through negotiations, mediation, arbitration and litigation, and we can use our experience to protect your interests by all means necessary.
Dealing with Efforts to Terminate Your Franchise
We also have extensive experience representing franchisees who are facing wrongful termination. If your franchisor is seeking to terminate your franchise (or has already purported to terminate your franchise), time is of the essence. Once you get in touch, we will arrange for you to speak with one of our franchise lawyers in confidence as soon as possible, and your lawyer can take immediate action on your behalf as necessary.
Along with handling termination-related disputes for franchisees, we handle post-termination matters for franchisees as well. If your former franchisor is seeking to collect “lost future royalties” or enforce compliance with your franchise agreement’s non-competition or non-solicitation covenant, we can help protect your interests in this scenario as well.
Q&A with Franchise Lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein
Do I Need a Lawyer if I am Buying a Franchise in Florida?
While you are not required to hire a lawyer when buying a franchise, hiring an experienced lawyer to assist you is strongly recommended. If you move forward, you will be making a substantial investment, and your ability to achieve a return on your investment will be determined, in part, by your ability to rely on your franchisor. An experienced franchise lawyer can help ensure that you have all of the information you need to make an informed buying decision.
What Are Some of the Key Issues to Consider When Reviewing an FDD?
When reviewing an FDD, some of the key issues to consider include the franchisor’s experience, the franchisor’s bankruptcy and litigation history (if any), the financial terms of the franchise offering, and your obligations as a franchisee. However, this truly just scratches the surface. Once again, to ensure that you have all of the information you need to make an informed buying decision, you will want to have the FDD reviewed by an experienced attorney.
What Are Some of the Key Issues to Consider When Reviewing a Franchise Agreement?
When reviewing a franchise agreement, some of the key issues to consider include territory rights, renewal rights, financial terms, and the parties’ respective obligations during the term of your franchise. You will also want to ensure that you understand when the franchisor can terminate your franchise and what obligations will be triggered by termination. Here too, hiring an experienced attorney who can help you make informed decisions is critical.
What Can I Do if My Franchisor is Violating My Franchise Agreement?
If your franchisor is violating your franchise agreement, your legal rights depend on what your franchise agreement says about dispute resolution. In most cases, franchisees will need to pursue mediation or arbitration to enforce their contractual rights. Strict time limits and other restrictions may apply as well, so you will want to consult with a lawyer about your situation promptly.
At What Point Should I Engage a Lawyer for a Dispute with My Franchisor?
If you are facing a dispute with your Florida franchisor, we strongly recommend engaging a lawyer right away. Taking a proactive approach to resolving disputes within the franchisor-franchisee relationship is often in the best interests of all parties involved. An experienced franchise lawyer will be able to help you understand your legal rights, consider your options and assist with targeting a favorable resolution as efficiently as possible.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation with a Franchise Attorney Today
If you would like to speak with a franchise attorney at Goldstein Law Firm, we invite you to get in touch. To schedule a free initial consultation as soon as possible, please call 202-293-3947 or contact us online today.
