This weekend (March 19 and 20) I am speaking at the National Franchise and Business Opportunities Expo at the Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. During my presentation, I will be discussing some of the critical aspects of franchising, and the documents that potential franchisees need to review and understand before signing on the dotted line.
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
Missouri Court Of Appeals Finds Arbitration Provision Unconscionable
A recent decision by a Court of Appeals in Missouri highlights the importance for franchisors of careful drafting of the arbitration clauses in their franchise agreements. Litigation over issues like this — whether a dispute must be submitted to arbitration or instead whether it can be decided by a court — is a huge drain on the parties’ resources (time and money). A franchisor would be well-advised to think carefully about heavily one-sided arbitration clauses before including them in its agreements.
Capriotti’s CEO Talks Expansion Plans
Las Vegas-based Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop is looking to expand. The company is looking for expansion deals that would commit well-funded buyers to open a number of stores in defined territories. This strategy can work very well for a franchise company, so long as it understands at the outset how using development agreements for expansion is fundamentally different from growth through adding single-unit operators.
Nevada Needs Film Incentives
Economic diversification for Nevada is a critical issue for the state. Other states have rushed to adopt filming incentive packages, which have been successful in luring companies to spend millions of dollars in the incentive states. Nevada is one of a small minority of states that does not have an incentive.
IFA Report Shows The Economic Impact Of Franchising
As part of its ongoing efforts to increase the public awareness of the economic impact of franchising, The International Franchise Association has released new statistics based on its report, The Economic Impact of Franchised Businesses, Vol. 3, and the 2007 Economic Census. The web site (available at IFA – Report) provides information regarding the number of jobs and franchise establishments in the U.S.
Webinar On Franchise Sales: March 10, 2011
You are invited to attend a complimentary webinar this coming Thursday, March 10, 2011, between 1:30 and 3:00 PM Pacific. The webinar, which is being co-hosted by Armstrong Teasdale and the Upside Group, focuses on the business and legal aspects of the franchise sales process.
Forward Franchising 