Founder, The Internicola Law Firm | Franchise Counsel to 350+ Franchise Brands Nationwide
Charles N. Internicola is the founder of The Internicola Law Firm, a national boutique franchise law firm recognized by Chambers USA and ranked the #1 Franchise Law Firm in the U.S. by Entrepreneur Magazine (2025).
Over twenty-five years, Charles has served as franchise counsel to more than 350 franchise brands — helping founders franchise their business, build the legal and compliance infrastructure behind their franchise systems, and scale from emerging franchisor to national brand. His clients include founders who started with zero franchises and grew to 100+ locations and private equity acquisitions, category-creating startups launching their first FDD, and PE-backed franchise systems expanding nationally. His clients span every franchise category — restaurants and food concepts, home and mobile service businesses, fitness and wellness, healthcare, children's education, senior care, retail, and professional services.
Charles is the creator of The 7-Step Franchise Roadmap™, the franchise development framework used by The Internicola Law Firm to guide founders through the legal and strategic process of franchising a business, and FranIQ®, the firm's proprietary franchise compliance platform for managing FDD renewals, state registrations, and franchise system compliance.
Charles serves as franchise counsel to emerging franchisors, growth-stage franchise brands, established franchise systems, and private equity-backed franchise companies throughout the United States. He regularly advises franchise leadership teams on:
- Franchising a business and launching new franchise systems
- Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) and multi-state registration strategy
- Building legal and compliance infrastructure for franchise growth
- Franchise Growth Counsel® and ongoing franchise system support
- Item 19 financial performance representations and franchise sales compliance
- Trademark protection and long-term brand value
- Franchise restructures, private equity transactions, and strategic acquisitions
- International expansion
Charles is an active member of the International Franchise Association and the ABA Forum on Franchising, and is the founder of the Entrepreneurs Kick Ass® platform celebrating the founders behind growing franchise brands.
Build the Legal Infrastructure Behind Your Franchise Brand
We help founders and franchise leadership teams build the legal and compliance infrastructure required to protect, support, and scale franchise companies.