The total number of people employed in franchising in the UK is around 561,000. Slightly under half of these are in full-time employment. Having a detailed, comprehensive franchise agreement in place between the franchisor and franchisee is imperative to ensure that the franchise operation runs smoothly. This can be a complex legal area and seeking experienced, professional advice from the start is important.
Simply.Law
Making a properly informed choice is always vital in securing the best business legal solutions and Simply.Law has been developed as a web-based platform to provide easy, immediate access to legal services for consumers. Through Simply.Law you have a quick and easy route to engage with the lawyer you need, offering the highest calibre of business services. All the lawyers featured on this page are specialists in the preparation and drafting of franchise agreements; which are essentially a detailed and complex commercial contract.
Franchise agreements
Comprehensive franchise agreements are structured for the benefit of the franchisor and franchisee. There is a typical franchise format to be followed which complies with UK and EU law where necessary, as well as any applicable code of ethics. Your lawyer will tailor your franchise agreement to your business, ensuring that it is fair, comprehensive and accurate. There are several legal stages that you need to go through to produce a franchise agreement, and it may need to relate to multiple areas of business.
The duration of franchise agreements is typically five years with an automatic renewal after a five year period thereafter. An agreement will usually apply for up to fifteen years.
Franchise agreements are not always equal; a franchisor will have responsibilities for the whole of the network and it may be necessary to go against the interests of the franchisee if the network as a whole stands to benefit. Simply.Law member solicitors understand the various complexities that can accompany franchise agreements and your lawyer will be able to work with you on your specific requirements, as well as advising on appropriate terms and conditions to include in the franchise agreement.
Key areas that your lawyer will cover in your franchise agreement
- the geographical area to be covered and whether or not the franchisee has exclusive rights
- fees and any restrictions, for example, whether intellectual property such as trademarks can be used
- minimum performance
- any management service fee
- financial benefits to the franchisee and how these are paid
- the length of the agreement
- what will happen at the termination of the agreement
Contacting Simply.Law
Once you have identified the right lawyer for you, you can contact them through Simply.Law via phone, online chat, or our online contact form. Another option is using the Simply.Law Match facility which will suggest a selection of the best lawyers for your circumstances.
Getting the right agreement in place
Securing the right franchise agreement for you means choosing the right franchise agreements solicitor to draft it. It’s important to seek the advice of a lawyer who specialises in franchising so that they have all of the necessary expertise.
Contact an Simply.Law lawyer today for all of your franchising agreement needs.
