Recent Articles

California District Court Rules in Favor of Janitorial Franchisor

Eleanor Vaida Gerhards
March 21, 2012 12:30

Unlike many recent franchisee-friendly decisions relating to the employee/employer relationship, the District Court of Northern California recently ruled in favor of a janitorial and cleaning maintenance franchise system. The franchisees of Jani-King of California, Inc. in Juarez v....

Franchisors Preparing for the Future: What do you do when Baby Boomer Franchisees Retire?

March 09, 2012 19:00

It is a special business where, in this economy, same-store global sales are up 7.5% percent, but the stock price still falls 3.3% on the news. But that is what happened to McDonald's yesterday. Reuters reports that the cold winter in Europe combined with continuing concerns for the health of...

California Dreamin' on Such a Winter's Day: Is Proposed California Franchise Legislation a Dream or a Nightmare?

March 09, 2012 15:20

Contributed by Tom Kent Legislation has been introduced in California that would significantly expand the protections afforded to franchisees under California’s Franchise Relations Act and California’s Franchise Investment Law. Assembly Bill No. 2305 known as “The Level...

FTC April 30th Updating Deadline Approaching for Calendar Year Franchisors

Eleanor Vaida Gerhards
March 01, 2012 04:00

The FTC requires a franchisor to update its franchise disclosure document (FDD) within 120 days of the close of its fiscal year.  The April 30th deadline is fast approaching for franchisors who completed their fiscal year on December...

Getting Funded in "This Economy"

February 29, 2012 20:58

We, like many of you, were just at the IFA Convention in Orlando earlier this month. There we all saw many great franchise growth opportunities. We also discussed and debated the continuing travails of getting funded in "This Economy" when credit remains extremely tight. As you might...

What Does Our Online Privacy Policy Say About Apps?

February 22, 2012 23:06

Compliance with online privacy rules just got a little more complicated. The Wall Street Journal is reporting late this afternoon that California Attorney General Kamala Harris has reached an agreement with six leading mobile device companies regarding privacy policies for apps.  The companies...

Franchising Drives the Lane, Goes Long and Slips One through the Five Hole

February 21, 2012 13:00

When I am traveling, I use the time--like I suspect most people do as well--to catch-up on my reading. Coming back from the IFA Convention in Orlando allowed me to read the February issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. Many of you know that Entrepreneur is a favorite of mine because it provides a fair...

Consider Cyber Risk Insurance for Data Breaches

Eleanor Vaida Gerhards
January 31, 2012 13:00

For many people, insurance coverage issues trigger instant narcolepsy.   Insurance policies are long and dull and extraordinarily confusing.  For those and other reasons, businesses don’t often think about their coverage and what types of perils are excluded from their...

Changing Legal Landscape of Credit Card Breach

January 30, 2012 15:44

On this blog, we recently discussed the fact that some franchise systems, franchisors and franchisees are experimenting with table-side or other hand-held credit card swipe equipment. One advantage to such equipment is that the credit card never leaves the possession of the customer, thereby...

Trademarks: How Does One Show Their "Bona Fides"?

Eleanor Vaida Gerhards
January 23, 2012 11:00

Contributed by Christopher R. Kinkade Trademarks are an essential part of building a franchise brand. Trademark owners who have not yet used a mark but have an intent to use the mark in commerce may file a registration application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office under...