Greensfelder’s Franchising & Distribution Industry Group attended the 2023 International Franchise Association’s (IFA) Legal Symposium in Washington, D.C., in May. Greensfelder Officers Beata Krakus and Abby Risner led roundtable discussions, and the team attended sessions exploring the dynamic changes happening in the world of franchising. Below is a summary of the group’s top takeaways:

Fast-changing…

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is amending various regulations governing SBA’s 7(a) Loan Program and 504 Loan Program. As part of the amended revisions, the SBA is removing the provisions relating to affiliation based on franchise and license agreements. Because of that removal, the SBA is eliminating the SBA Franchise Registry as of…

The FTC on March 10 posted a solicitation for public comments on several questions relating to the relationship between franchisors and franchisees, as well as to franchisors’ involvement in certain franchisee employment matters and the relationship with third-party suppliers to franchisees. 

For example, the FTC is asking about:

• Whether franchisors negotiate franchise agreements, and if

…

Electric vehicle (EV) charging is now available at traditional motor fuel stations, as well as restaurants, parking garages, grocery chains, and banks.  With the increase of fully electric vehicles apparent in the news and on the streets and poised to grow exponentially, some franchisors are assessing incorporating EVs into their franchise systems.

At the federal…

As noted in Restaurant Dive, many restaurant chains have spent the last few years pushing for growth through multi-unit franchisees, but challenges could lie ahead, as franchisees will likely face challenges due to high costs and pressure to use new technologies.

Greensfelder franchise attorneys Leonard Vines and Paul Woody recently shared their thoughts with the…

Greensfelder’s Franchising & Distribution Industry Group had a busy end to 2022. In the final two months of the year, the group served as franchise counsel to multiple parties involved in large acquisitions, with all but one closing in December and the remaining transaction expected to close in the first quarter of 2023. 

In all…

New policy effective as of January 1, 2023

Franchisors routinely require prospective franchisees to answer questions about the franchise sales process and the franchisee’s understanding of the franchise agreement in writing by marking “yes” or “no” in a questionnaire. Likewise, franchise agreements often include statements similar to those in the questionnaire. These take the form…

One of the frequent services my colleagues and I provide to franchisors is franchise sales compliance training. It is often an eye-opening experience for new franchisors, and even experienced franchisors can find it to be a stark reminder of how heavily regulated the business of selling franchises is.

The reward, of course, can be great.