Master Franchisees and Area Developers

Franchising is one of the most transportable business methods available. There is virtually no product or service that has not been franchised, or any part of the globe that has not seen the rapid growth of franchising.

Expanding an existing franchise system to a new part of the globe virtually always requires a local partner. Differences in culture, laws, and geography make it very important that the franchisor involve someone "on the ground", with a chunk of money at stake, to ensure the initial and ongoing success of the system. Of course, international licensing can also be an important source of revenue to the Home Office.

In situations where a franchisor will deal directly with its franchisees in a foreign jurisdiction (this often occurs between Canada and the US), we assist with the negotiation and preparation of the agreements needed to implement that arrangement, as well as ensuring that all steps necessary to protect the franchisor's intellectual property in that foreign jurisdiction are being taken.

We work with Canadian and US franchisors taking their systems global—anywhere, anytime.

We also work with foreign systems seeking to operate in Canada and the US. In these situations, we provide advice and assistance with:

• Conducting due diligence and risk assessment of proposed franchise.
• Creating the appropriate legal vehicles.
• Negotiating the master franchise license or area development agreement.
• Revising the franchisor's standard documentation for compatibility with the Canadian or US marketplace.
• ensuring legal compliance with applicable laws.

Moving Forward. We look forward to working together with you to start, expand or re-structure your system, or to solve whatever problem or seize whatever opportunity you're dealing with, anywhere. Contact Peter Dillon at 800-816-9596 (or 519-672-2121 outside of North America) or electronically at peter.dillon@siskinds.com.