Just about any franchise consultant worth their salt will recommend that you take the franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) which were formerly called the UFOC or Uniform Franchise Offering circular and have them reviewed by an attorney.
Of course, there will be one caveat to this, as they will recommend that you talk to a franchise lawyer. After all, the franchise closure documents are quite complex and franchise law is unique to other types of businesses. Just any old lawyer will not suffice. Even if you have a lawyer in your family, it does not mean that they understand franchise law, as the case law can get pretty tricky at times.
One of the best ways to find a franchise attorney is to look in an online directory and try to find someone your local area. This is not always possible if you live in a rural town. You may have to go to the nearest large suburban city or to a metro area to find a competent franchise attorney.
You might also wish to check out references and a good place to go is the international franchise Association website or pick up a copy of Bond’s Franchising Guide. I’d also recommend that you don’t try to save a ton of money when hiring a franchise specialist, or franchising lawyer.
Sometimes it makes more sense to pay one that has decades of experience and charges more per hour, then to try to skimp on a very important pre-purchased review. Please consider all this, and do not risk signing a franchise agreement that has not been reviewed by a strong legal person with experience in this sector.