Your Trusted Franchise Attorney
Virginia based, nationwide support
Derek is a Virginia licensed attorney committed to providing world-class legal service to clients without the legalese. His practice is focused on providing business legal support to franchise sellers (as a “franchisor lawyer”) and franchise buyers (as a “franchisee lawyer”) as they grow their existing business or explore new opportunities in franchising.
Do you need a knowledgable, prompt, and responsive franchise attorney?
Derek’s goal in serving clients is to provide the right tools and empower clients with the knowledge they need to execute. As a franchise attorney, this means understanding the specific nuances and developments in federal and state laws, rules, and regulations that impact franchisors and franchisees. It also means understanding the legal and business aspects of the franchise model. Most importantly, it means communicating effectively and being accessible to clients.
The bottom line is – Derek excels at utilizing his legal and business acumen to deliver results for his clients.
As a franchise lawyer, Derek maintains an attention to detail and leverages his experience in business and franchise operations to assist both franchisors and franchises in Virginia and across the United States. He understands what matters and knows which questions to ask. He is knowledgable, personable, and easily accessible by phone, text, or email. He offers flexible payment terms with an hourly rate or fixed-fee best suited to each client’s needs.
Call Derek directly, email Derek directly, or schedule a free video consultation today! We work hard to exceed your expectations and deliver prompt and reliable support.
Member of the Virginia State Bar and American Bar Association Forum on Franchising
Franchisor Legal Services
Derek is reliable and readily accessible. As an experienced franchise attorney, he represents franchisors and provides ongoing legal support. He works with small business owners planning to franchise and works with leaders in franchising. Big or small, every client matters and will get the priority and attention they deserve. Prompt and reliable legal advice – on demand. He empowers clients with the freedom to focus on business.
franchise legal solutions Often include:
- Developing and implementing a plan to franchise and protect IP
- Drafting the franchise disclosure document (the “FDD”)
- Drafting the franchise agreement and all franchise contracts
- Securing approval in franchise registration and filing states.
- Disclosing prospects and sending franchise agreements
- Managing and resolving franchise disputes
- Providing day-to-day franchise legal support
How much does a franchisor lawyer cost?
Franchising is an explosive growth strategy carrying great opportunity and great responsibility. The cost to franchise depends on various factors. Once we know a little about your business, we can provide a flat fee quote to draft and issue the FDD (typically, $18,000 to $30,000). We also serve existing franchisors on a monthly basis for a fixed monthly rate (typically, $1,500 a month for an emerging brand). However, every business has different needs. We are well suited to create legal document sets and provide day-to-day support in areas of business and commercial law. Our team also manages dispute resolution and litigation. We specialize in franchise law, but our law firm partner’s diverse transactional and litigation backgrounds set us a part in terms of quality and breadth of support.
Franchisee Legal Services
Derek understands what matters to franchisors because he works with leading franchisors, franchise sellers, and franchise consultants on a daily basis. He leverages this industry knowledge and experience as a Virginia franchise lawyer to help clients fully evaluate a franchise opportunity before signing a franchise agreement. He provides clients the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and seek the right concessions.
franchise legal solutions Often include:
- FDD review
- Franchise agreement and ancillary contract review
- Comprehensive franchise legal review report
- Consultation and legal advice on rights and obligations
- Consultation and negotiation on business legal terms
- Direct dispute resolution and litigation
- Day-to-day legal support
how much does a franchisee lawyer cost?
We provide a comprehensive FDD review and unlimited consultation for a competitive flat fee ($1,850). The FDD is voluminous and full of legalese. Our FDD report is designed to explain the key legal terms without all the legalese and provide you with the knowledge you need to conduct due diligence. We pick up on what is in the document and what is left out. As business minded attorneys, we are well suited to help beyond evaluation of the FDD. We often help new franchisees by creating their business entity and drafting formation documents in compliance with any franchisor requirements. We also negotiate lease terms and assist with employee relations.
Better understanding the Role of a Franchise Lawyer
As business-minded franchise lawyers, we enable clients to understand risk and make informed decisions, while also helping franchisors create a positive culture. The most important contract governing the franchise relationship is the franchise agreement. We present the options, provide the knowledge, and match a franchisors risk tolerance and objectives with the correct legal provisions. We even facilitate disclosure and help you prepare to sign a franchise agreement through electronic signature capture. Our level of support is up to you.
We are the law department for your business. We deliver legal solutions to franchised businesses nationwide as issues arise. Many of our franchise clients retain our franchise law firm in Virginia as fractional general counsel. This engagement allows clients to ask questions without worrying about billable hours and unpredictable legal fees. Many times we can help prevent issues before they arise. We handle all the legal needs that arise in the operation of a franchise system.
Our franchise law firm represents franchisors across industries and we help franchisees evaluate franchisors across the spectrum. We read and create FDD’s frequently and understand the variances in different franchise systems. We know how to quickly identify key support levels and differences between franchisors. We provide knowledge to franchisees during our FDD review to enable them to make informed decisions before they pay the initial fee and commit to sign a franchise agreement for the franchise business opportunity.
Our Virginia franchise lawyers draft and review franchise agreements on a daily basis across industries for locations across the United States. With knowledge of contract law and specialized knowledge in franchising, the attorneys in our law firm are well suited to review franchise agreements. Our goal is always to enable prospective franchisees, and other business owners, to buy with intention. We also assist in negotiating points to balance the power between franchisors and franchisees as the franchise relationship begins.
The franchise relationship should be focused on mutually beneficial success. Some attorneys think that every issue should be litigated. We don’t share this philosophy. Litigation is costly and seldom beneficial to either franchisors or franchisees. We strive to resolve franchise disputes in a fair manner and foster a positive franchise relationship. We believe business partners should focus on building each other up, not tearing the other down. Of course, not everyone is reasonable. We represent franchise litigation clients in Hampton Roads Virginia and across the state.
Think you might be interested in retaining a world-class franchise law firm?
Keep reading or learn more about Derek’s path as a franchise lawyer in his “Top Lawyers” interview with Authority Magazine. Explore our site to learn about Waldrop and Colvin as a franchise law firm. We are result oriented and laser focused on serving entrepreneurs by providing business legal solutions.
