Expertise:  Franchise Attorney, MBA Franchise Expert, author and instructor with 29 years of franchise industry experience, including ownership of a successful franchise. I answer all business format franchise questions, how to franchise a business, issues about ongoing franchise relationships, buying a franchise, evaluating franchise investments, franchising vs. licensing (franchise vs. license), franchise disputes, franchise operations manuals, franchise expert advice in franchise lawsuits and franchise litigation, franchise agreements, franchise disclosure documents FDD and intellectual property. I don't answer questions about franchises in the automotive and petroleum industries. I have drafted, reviewed and negotiated over 500 franchise disclosure documents, advised hundreds of franchise buyers and franchise companies as well as started and operated a franchise from scratch - a background not duplicated by any other franchise expert. My in-the-trenches franchise ownership and resale experiences gave me valuable insights to share with potential franchise buyers and existing as well as emerging franchise companies.

Publications
Author of over 40 franchise articles, including four books on franchising and one book on trade secrets.

Avoiding Legal Pitfalls In Franchise Marketing
1983-2006, Franchise Foundations Press

Franchise Sales Control
1983-2006, Franchise Foundations Press

Effective Franchise Marketing
1983-2006, Franchise Foundations Press

Implementing A Franchise Disclosure Compliance Program
1983-2006, Franchise Foundations Press

Protecting Trade Secrets
1984-2002, Franchise Foundations Press

Also authored foreword and edited various chapters of the following book:

The Franchise Handbook: A Complete Guide to All Aspects of Buying, Selling or Investing in a Franchise
2006, Atlantic Publishing Company


Education/Credentials

B.S. Business Administration (Finance), University of San Francisco, 1974

Juris Doctorate (J.D.) of Law, University of San Francisco School of Law, 1979

Active member of the State Bar of California, 1979 to present

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) - International Business, San Francisco State University, 1980

Approved Provider of MCLE by the State Bar of California, 1993 to present
Teaching franchise, licensing and intellectual property courses to attorneys

Awards and Honors
Selected as the premier U.S. franchise expert by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an agency of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland to speak at Singapore’s World Conference about franchising in Asian countries and developing uniform franchise regulations based on the U.S. franchise laws and regulatory model, September, 2007, hosted jointly by WIPO and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

Snapshot of Recent Franchise Expert Litigation Cases:

Nagrampa v. MailCoups Inc. and The American Arbitration Association - United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Argued and Submitted En Banc). Summary: provided franchise expert strategy and consulting in a case that established new franchise law by invalidating the standard arbitration provision in a California franchise agreement on the grounds it was unconscionable.

Swansons Cleaners, et al. (Superior Court jury trial). Summary: provided franchise expert consulting that re-focused the legal issues and discovered new causes of action. Testified at deposition and trial for a franchisee in its claims against the franchise company. Result: jury verdict in favor of the franchisee for $1.6 million in punitive damages and $634,000 in contract, etc. damages.

For more information, visit the Franchise Foundations website