Franchising

What makes us different from other franchise specialists is that we are a full service law firm. We do not just provide franchising advice – we have specialists that can help across your business, employment, property and dispute resolution legal needs.  

We also provide a partner led service that ensures our clients get expert advice whenever they need it from a partner who understands them and their business. Our specialist franchise lawyers help franchisors and franchisees successfully navigate the life cycle of a franchise or licensing business model from inception through to exit.
 
We act for New Zealand and foreign franchisors/licensees and franchisees across a range of industry sectors. Our clients include listed franchisors, and franchisors with over 100 franchisees and hundreds of staff through to small franchisees with a few staff. 

If things go wrong, we have an experienced team of dispute resolution lawyers who work with our franchising clients to resolve disputes between franchisors and franchisees, and commercial disputes with suppliers and others.

Jackson Russell is an active member of the Franchise Association of New Zealand. Darryl King is a member of the Association’s Legislation and Government Liaison committees, and took a key role in successfully advocating for changes to the 2017 “cartel” law changes.

Our expertise

Legal advice for franchisors
We provide a full range of services to help existing franchisors and businesses looking to establish a franchise system, including: 

• Brand and IP development & protection
• Bringing a franchise system to New Zealand
• Corporate structuring
• Development of franchise system 
• Dispute resolution
• Employment law issues
• Exit and exit planning
• Franchise contract management
• Updating franchise documentation

Legal advice for franchisees
We provide expert help and guidance to existing franchisees and investors looking to become a franchisee or to purchase an existing franchise business, including:

• Becoming a franchisee
• Buying or selling an established franchise
• Corporate structuring
• Dispute resolution
• Employment law issues
• Negotiation with franchisor

Franchising experience

Franchisors and licensees

• Advising a listed retailer on all aspects of its franchise system.
• Advising on the establishment, growth and subsequent sale of a franchise system with over 50 franchisees.
• Advising a franchisor in the retail food industry on the sale and (as promoter) the "back-door" share market listing of its franchisor business.
• Advising a business services franchisor on its expansion into the Australian market.
• Advising a foreign business on its master franchise agreement with a New Zealand fast food franchise system.
• Advising a business services franchisor on the proposed appointment of a New Zealand master franchisor.
• Advising on the establishment of a retail food franchise system.
• Providing specialist litigation and employment advice to franchisor clients.
• Advising franchisors on revisions to their franchise terms.
• Advising franchisors on their day-to-day business law needs.

• Acting for investors establishing a new franchise or buying an existing franchise.
• Acting for franchisees exiting their franchise.
• Acting for franchisees who have a dispute with their franchisor.

Other expertise for franchisors and franchisees

Key contacts