Franchise Lawyer Offers Tips on How to Reduce Legal Fees and Litigation Exposure

Is It Possible to Reduce Legal Fees and Legal Exposure?

It is‚ but requires some planning and a reasonable relationship between franchisor and its outside legal counsel. There must be an on-going relationship and through that relationship the creation of efficiencies and a strong working relationship. So lets discuss this further.

First  Some perspective‚ I am not only a franchise lawyer (where firm serves as the outside legal counsel team for many franchisors) but I am also a managing member of a national franchise company (ECOMAIDS – a company in the residential and commercial cleaning business) – so I have some perspective about what franchisors need and want when it comes to effective legal representation.

Second  Lets discuss what you want. Well as the managing member of a franchise company myself I would assume that you want cost effective legal counsel that is proactive. You want:

• Counsel that delivers value‚ i.e.‚ they dont just do legal work for the sake of doing legal work but‚ rather‚ understand that there must be a cost-benefit analysis in what they do and the fees that they charge. Everything must serve a business purpose and have ROI.
• Counsel that Understands your Business. That is they understand franchising and they understand the industry that you are in.
• Counsel that Provides Prompt Responses – that get to the point and not create unnecessary issues.
• Counsel that helps you plan for the future‚ protect your intellectual property and avoid litigation.

Before just hiring legal counsel discuss and understand your legal needs‚ how they impact your business and the type of legal representation programs that will work best for your business. The most effective legal counsel programs‚ in my experience‚ is where your outside legal counsel serves almost as if they were an expension of your company and business and‚ effectively‚ become part of your management team.

By Charles Internicola February 3, 2010