If you are considering getting into franchising or possibly even turning your current business into a franchise opportunity, then legal advice is an absolute must.
The role of franchise solicitors is to provide you with specialist, impartial advice as to whether you are taking the right course of action and to make sure you are fully informed throughout the legal process. They can draft agreements, review, amend and terminate agreements, as well as providing assistance on issues such as intellectual property and any disputes that might arise.
Read on to find out about things to consider when you are choosing where to go for your specialist franchise legal advice.
Are they specialists?
One of the key questions you need to ask yourself when choosing franchise solicitors is: are the legal team specialists at what they do? Franchising is a highly complex and specialised area of law so it is vital that you get a legal team that know exactly what they are doing and are highly knowledgeable about all of the relevant issues. As well as franchising, it can also be useful to choose a team of solicitors that have knowledge of intellectual property, employment law and property law, as these issues are all relevant to the franchise process.
Are they experienced?
It can also really help to get your franchise legal advice from a team that is experienced as well as knowledgeable in theory, as practical experience will be invaluable when it comes to drafting new agreements. Look for a firm that has a good previous client list and, if necessary, ask if you can see some testimonials from franchising clients they have worked with, so you can get an idea of their expertise.
What can they help with?
You should also make sure you get a list of the service the solicitors are able to offer. As mentioned above, issues relating to employment, property and intellectual property are all relevant to franchising and so it’s a good idea to go for a legal team that will be able to offer you services in those areas as well as in creating and offering other services related to franchise agreements.
Are they recommended?
Finally, it’s always best to get your franchise legal advice from solicitors that come recommended. Reading testimonials from previous clients can be a good idea, as can talking to previous franchisees to get an idea of the service you can expect to receive. This will help make sure you and your solicitors are a good fit and that your business gets off to the best start possible.