3 Key Takeaways | Is Franchising Doomed? The 2024 Version
One Month to More Effective Compliance on Business Ventures - Day 19 - Franchisor Compliance
Is Franchising Doomed?
Strategies for Negotiating with a Franchisee and Franchisor
Day 20 of One Month to More Effective Compliance for Business Ventures-Franchisor Liability
A federal district court in Tennessee granted a motion for a default judgment in the franchisor’s favor against its former franchisee requiring the franchisee to pay damages and comply with the post-termination obligations...more
Recently, the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.’s (“NASAA”) Franchise and Business Opportunities Project Group (“FPG”) issued guidance on post-term non-compete clauses in the context of the franchise...more
While 2024 saw more stability in the financial markets than 2023, many challenges arose in 2024 for franchised businesses, manufacturers and retail chains, including bankruptcies of many large restaurant and retail chains,...more
In May of last year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought to ban non-compete agreements in most employment contracts. Franchise agreements were an exception. However, before the rule could take effect in September, a...more
Last May, the Federal Trade Commission looked to ban non-compete agreements in most employment contracts aside from franchise agreements. Although scheduled to become effective in September, a federal court vacated the ruling...more
Four days before President Trump took office, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) (together, “the Agencies”) under the Biden administration released their “Antitrust Guidelines for Business...more
Virginia Senate Bill 798, introduced by former in-home senior care franchisee Sen. Chris Head, was passed unanimously by the Virginia Senate on January 17, 2025. The bill would amend Virginia's Retail Franchising Law to...more
A federal court in Minnesota recently granted franchisor Snap Fitness Inc.’s motion for preliminary injunction against an out-of-state franchisee that announced its intentions to open a competing gym during the term of the...more
The California Court of Appeals upheld a decision finding that a Texas court had personal jurisdiction over California franchisees. GlobalCFO LLC v. Venkataramanappa, 2024 WL 4220439 (Cal. Ct. App. Sept. 18, 2024)....more
A Colorado federal court denied a franchisor’s request for preliminary injunction that would enforce a non-compete provision against a former franchisee. The franchisor of spice and tea shops known as Spice & Tea Merchants...more
A federal court in Michigan has granted a franchisor’s motion for preliminary injunction against former franchisees for violating the franchise agreements’ post-termination noncompete provisions. 1-800 Water Damage Int’l LLC...more
A federal court in Michigan recently granted several related franchisors’ motions to dismiss a franchisee’s claims for violations of the Michigan Franchise Investment law. Benjamin Franklin Franchising SPE LLC v. David...more
A state trial court in Minnesota granted Renters Warehouse USA, LLC’s motion for a temporary injunction, and enjoined Life Property Managers, LLC (LPM) from violating its post-termination obligations and a covenant not to...more
When the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued its long-awaited final rule banning virtually all noncompete clauses between workers and employers, it also published 500-plus pages of commentary....more
A federal court in New Jersey recently granted a franchisor’s motion for a preliminary injunction, enjoining the former franchisee from using the franchisor’s marks and violating the franchise agreement’s noncompete clause,...more
As explained in Polsinelli’s prior alert of April 24, 2024, the FTC announced its final rule on non-compete covenants (the “Rule”) on April 23, 2024. Critically, the Rule does not prohibit non-compete agreements between...more
On April 23, 2034, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule intended to ban the use and enforcement of most non-compete clauses signed by workers. The new rule is not in effect yet. It will become...more
A Tennessee federal district court granted a franchisee’s request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the franchisor from enforcing noncompete restrictions under the franchise agreement while the franchisee litigated its...more
A district court in Georgia recently granted a Motion for Preliminary Injunction filed by HOA Franchising, LLC’s, the franchisor of the Hooters restaurant chain (“Hooters”), against one of its former restaurant franchisees,...more
A Pennsylvania federal court refused to enforce non-competition and non-solicitation covenants in a franchise agreement of a nationwide tax preparation service franchisor. The court dismissed the franchisor’s request for...more
A federal court in Arizona recently granted franchisor LeTip World Franchise’s motion to temporarily restrain and preliminarily enjoin a former franchisee from operating a competing business. LeTip World Franchise, LLC v....more
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed in part, and vacated in part, a district court’s issuance of an injunction preventing a franchisor’s enforcement of a noncompete covenant as written but allowing...more
A federal court in Virginia denied a franchisor’s motion for preliminary injunction against a former franchisee violating the franchise agreement’s post-termination noncompete. JTH Tax, LLC v. Younan, 2023 WL 6304865 (E.D....more
A federal court in Pennsylvania granted in part and denied in part a former franchisee’s motion to dismiss a franchisor’s allegation that she misappropriated trade secrets and breached the franchise agreement. JTH Tax, LLC v....more
A Minnesota bankruptcy court granted Fantastic Sams a preliminary injunction against a former Fantastic Sams franchisee, finding the operation of four new hair salons by the former franchisee was prohibited by enforceable...more