On May 31, 2011, the Supreme Court issued an opinion in that redefines what is necessary to establish a claim for inducement and clarifies the language of § 271(b). The ruling establishes a heightened standard that will undoubtedly make it more difficult to prove inducement in future patent infringement cases.
Author: Matthew Kreutzer, Las Vegas Franchise Attorney
Mr. Kreutzer concentrates his practice in franchising, with an emphasis in transactional franchise law and franchise litigation.
He has spent more than 15 years working with individuals and companies on issues relating to the franchise relationship.
Experienced in all facets of franchise law, Mr. Kreutzer assists both start-up and mature franchisors with developing, protecting and licensing their franchise and distribution systems. As part of this practice, he counsels companies regarding the laws and regulations pertaining to franchising nationwide and assists them in creating their contracts, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and other critical operational documents. He also responds to state administrative inquires and investigations, and obtains exemptions and interpretive opinions from regulatory agencies.
With his background in franchise litigation, Mr. Kreutzer understands the risks inherent in the relationship and works with his clients to limit those risks so that those franchisors can focus on brand and system growth.
Mr. Kreutzer received his B.A., cum laude, from The American University in 1995 and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School in 1998. He is a certified specialist in Franchise and Distribution Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization (the “Board”) and is a Commissioner on the Board’s Franchise and Distribution Law committee.
Mr. Kreutzer is a longstanding officer and member of the California Franchise Law Committee, and is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising.
Mr. Kreutzer is an AV® Peer-Review Rated attorney by Martindale Hubbell and was named a “Super Lawyer” 2013 - 2017 and a “Rising Star” in 2012 by Mountain States Super Lawyers. He was honored as a “Legal Eagle” by Franchise Times magazine 2013 - 2017, and as one of the “40 Under 40” by In Business Las Vegas in 2010.
He is licensed to practice in the States of Nevada, California and Maryland.
Author of the "Forward Franchising" blog, located at www.forwardfranchising.com
In Case My Earlier Posts Didn’t Convince You: According To IFA, Increase In Credit Access Would Create 333,000 New Jobs
According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “if franchisees could borrow all the money they need this year, they could purchase over 41,000 new or transfer businesses and create an astounding 333,000 new jobs.”
Why It’s Important To React Quickly On Facebook
Today’s issue of the Nation’s Restaurant News has a good article that, while written for companies in the food industry, is equally applicable to virtually any type of business. The basic thrust of the article is that a business should work to respond quickly to comments made on its Facebook wall. In the estimation of many industry insiders, reaction time is absolutely critical when a fan posts on a wall.
Good Story On How Changing Labor Laws Are Affecting Franchising
Following the continuing story of how, and where, franchises are being viewed as akin to employer / employee relationships, yesterday’s issue of the Convenience Store News has an interesting article on how convenience stores in particular are being affected by this trend.
Are You Ready To Franchise? New Article On AmEx Open Forum
There’s a great new article by Katie Morell posted today on AmEx Open Forum. The article discusses the key considerations for entrepreneurs who are thinking about franchising their business. Of course, I am a little biased as I’m quoted extensively in the article.
Small Business Lending On The Rise
As we supposedly continue our economic recovery, the number one issue facing franchise systems and other small businesses is the lack of access to credit.
Forward Franchising 