Franchising

Effective expansion & wherever you want to be & sharing your passion & a commercial approach & opening opportunities & entrepreneurial advice & that's Franchising, Licensing & Multi-Channel Opportunities with Bird & Bird

Overview

Our Global Franchising, Licensing and Multi-Channel Strategies Group comprises some of the world's leading experts in the field.  We share our clients' passion, entrepreneurial spirit and commercial approach to help deliver innovative expansion strategies and dispute resolution solutions.

As a truly international law firm we provide our clients with legal advice wherever they need us. We work with our clients to determine the most effective expansion strategies both within their domestic markets and internationally, advising on:

• Franchising
• Licensing
• Distribution
• Agency 
• Multi-channel & hybrid structures

Whilst we act for some of the world's best known brands,  we are also committed to helping small and medium sized businesses achieve their growth objectives. As leading franchise and commercial agreements experts, we share our experience to help our clients avoid and minimise the risk of disputes. Where disputes do arise, our dedicated litigation specialists advise on all stages of the dispute resolution process including domestic and international arbitration and litigation.

Our global experience spans many sectors with particular expertise in: 

• Food and beverage
• Retail, hospitality and leisure
• Healthcare
• Education
• Service based concepts

Clients also benefit from our ability to support them with complementary legal services including:

• Domestic and Global Brand Management and Protection
• Real Estate
• Data Protection & Privacy 
• Corporate Investment and Exit strategies  
• International Employment & HR Services 
• Anti-trust / Competition advice 
• Tax, Transfer Pricing & Shareholder tax planning 
• Promotions, Advertising & Marketing

Accolades

  • "A team that is top quality and can handle the big work."

    Chambers Global 2015 - franchising

  • "Bird & Bird are named as Europe's leading experts and Mark Abell is identified as one of the world's top 10 franchise lawyers. In total seven of Bird & Bird's lawyers have been ranked."

    Who's Who Legal: Franchising 2014

  • "Bird & Bird are ranked in tier 1 for franchising in the UK"

    Legal 500 UK Franchising

  • "They've done some international franchise work for us and I have found them to be extremely good."

    Chambers UK 2015 Franchising

  • "We have been very pleased with their service and commercial awareness."

    Chambers UK 2016

Recent highlights of work

  • Advise Café Rouge, part of the Casual Dining Group, the largest operator of some of the UK's best known restaurant brands including Bella Italia and Huxleys, on the grant of the group's first international franchise venture for Café Rouge in the UAE.
  • Everything Everywhere (EE) – advising on the re-engineering of their corporately owned and operated retail business in the UK into a franchised business.
  • HomeInstead, Inc – advising on the renewal of the master franchise agreement for its in-home seniors care services in Australia and also advising on agreements in China and the Netherlands.
  • Restructuring Mothercare's International Franchise Documentation for use in multiple jurisdictions.
  • Neal's Yard Remedies – international expansion via franchising in SE Asia, Scandinavia, and the Adriatic Region.
  • OvenClean – successfully obtained a final injunction, judgment for damages to be assessed and costs award against a former franchisee operating a competing business in breach of post termination restrictive covenants.
  • Tempur Sealy International, Inc – Restructuring their global distribution/franchise network.
  • Tortilla – advising on their first international venture into eight Middle Eastern markets.
  • Fortnum & Mason - on its growth in continental Europe and the restructuring of its business in the USA and Japan.
  • Lighterlife - various franchise related issues including drafting of agreements and dispute avoidance advice.
  • TGI Friday's Inc – acted on the franchise aspects of the sale of its 66 UK restaurants to Electra, which will operate the chain under a franchise development agreement.
  • Domino's Pizza UK - on the structuring of their UK and German businesses.
  • Live Comedy Club concept - cross-border dispute in relation to an under-performing master franchisee in Asia.
  • Wellington College - on the establishment of sister schools in China.

Contacts

Mark Abell

Mark Abell

Partner
UK

Call me on: +44 (0)20 7415 6000
vCard Location

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Related materials and downloads

News & Events

  1. 0706-2017

    Does Brexit mean Frexit? How the decision to leave the EU impacts upon UK Franchisors

    This article summarises the legal and commercial implications of a UK exit from the EU (or "Brexit") for UK Franchisors and the challenges their UK lawyers will enjoy, in particular in relation to competition law, intellectual property law, employment and immigration law, data protection and cyber security law and cross-border dispute resolution.

  2. 0212-2016

    Legally British: Understanding the UK market

    In many respects, the granting of master franchise rights for all or part of the UK is – or should be – relatively straight-forward. Compared to a number of international markets where master franchising is commonly adopted, for example the US, Australia and India, the UK is very light touch from a legal perspective.

  3. 0710-2016

    Focus on Franchise Security

    Graeme Payne discusses how we find out how you can steer clear of any early problems and set your business up for a secure and successful future, in Food Franchise Magazine.

  1. 0307-2017

    Melissa Murray named one of 'Franchising's Wonder Women'

    Partner Melissa Murray was recently selected to appear in Global Franchise magazine's 'Franchising's Wonder Women' – a list of 20 powerful women making their mark on the franchising industry.

  2. 1403-2016

    Bird & Bird advises Casual Dining Group on Bella Italia's first international franchise as it opens in India

    International law firm Bird & Bird has advised Casual Dining Group (CDG), the largest independent operator of mid-market restaurants in the UK, on the first international franchise venture for its Italian restaurant chain Bella Italia...

  3. 0909-2015

    Bird & Bird's Franchising, Licensing and Multi-Channel strategies team advised Tortilla on its strategic entry and expansion across the GCC

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