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
The Superior Court of Pennsylvania recently affirmed a judgment holding Domino’s Pizza vicariously liable for a motorcycle accident involving a franchisee’s delivery driver. Coryell v. Morris, — A.3d —, 2025 Pa. Super. 28...more
A recent New Jersey appellate court decision provides valuable guidance for franchisors and their in-house legal teams on structuring and protecting franchise relationships. The court affirmed that a terminated retailer of...more
A Mississippi federal court granted summary judgment in favor of Leisure Systems, Inc. (“LSI”), a franchisor of Yogi Bear themed children’s parks and campgrounds, on negligence and premises liability claims. The case was...more
A state court in Washington has granted summary judgment and awarded over $3.4 million in attorneys’ fees and costs to a franchisor in a dispute brought by the Washington Attorney General under the Washington’s Consumer...more
A federal court in Mississippi granted summary judgment in favor of a franchisor on negligence claims that arose after eleven children allegedly contracted E. coli in a franchised water park’s pool. Neely v. Great Escapes...more
A New Jersey federal district court granted summary judgment in favor of 7-Eleven, Inc. in a dispute with a franchisee. The franchisee signed a franchise agreement to operate a 7-Eleven store in Princeton, New Jersey,...more
A California federal court granted summary judgment in favor of Red Roof Inns, a hotel franchisor, on sex trafficking claims brought under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, or TVPRA....more
A federal court in Ohio recently granted summary judgment in favor of multiple hotel franchisors on sex trafficking claims brought under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). S.C. v. Wyndham Hotels &...more
A federal court in Illinois recently granted partial summary judgment to LMLC Franchising, LLC (LMLC-F), LMLC Management, LLC (LMLC-M), and Todd Barnhardt on claims brought by John Doe and Aylin & Ramtin, LLC (A&R) for breach...more
On November 9, 2023, a coalition of business advocacy groups led by the US Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas challenging the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”)...more
A federal court in Michigan granted Little Caesar Pizza Enterprises, Inc.’s motion for summary judgment seeking to enforce its termination of the franchise agreements between it and franchisee S&S Pizza Enterprises, Inc....more
A Minnesota bankruptcy court granted Fantastic Sams summary judgment and enjoined a former franchisee from violating the post-termination noncompete in its franchise agreements after the franchisee rejected the agreements in...more
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court’s summary judgement order, granting a chocolate shop franchisor’s breach of contract and unfair competition claims. The appellate court concluded there were...more
A federal court in Massachusetts granted summary judgment in favor of a franchisor in a long-running case against its franchisees. In Patel et al. v. 7-Eleven, Inc., five 7-Eleven store owners brought suit claiming 7-Eleven...more
A Minnesota federal court ruled in favor of a franchise broker on summary judgment. The court dismissed misrepresentation claims brought by a military veteran who alleged unlawful inducement to invest in a failed kickboxing...more
A federal court in Michigan granted 7-Eleven’s motion for summary judgment, enforcing the franchisor’s right to terminate a franchisee with repeated defaults, even though each default had been cured. 7-Eleven’s franchise...more
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently affirmed a $2.6 million award of liquidated damages in favor of a pizza franchisor and a summary judgment order enforcing termination of franchise agreements due to nonpayment and...more
A federal court in Nashville granted summary judgment on breach of contract claims in favor of a damage restoration franchisor’s lawsuit with a former California franchisee. A Servpro franchisee had a territory in Los...more
A federal district court in Baltimore granted summary judgment against a former franchisee who claimed negligent misrepresentation against the franchisor and its officers. The court found there was no genuine issue of...more
In a case that should grab the attention of franchisors across the country, a panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled that McDonald’s Corporation is not the joint employer of the employees of a...more
In an important wage-and-hour decision for franchisors, Salazar, et al. v. the McDonald’s Corp., et al., the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that employees of one of the hamburger giant’s California-based franchisees...more
The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld summary judgment for franchisor Buffalo Wild Wings (“BWW”) rejecting a restaurant operator’s counterclaims for wrongful termination, malicious prosecution, and breach of...more
Employees of a Merry Maids home cleaning franchise brought a class action against the franchisee, the franchisor, its owner and affiliated entities claiming they were joint employers. A California federal district court...more
Tax service franchisor, H&R Block, was recently vindicated in having terminated a franchisee for violating an in-term non-compete covenant. A United States District Court granted the franchisor summary judgment in Devore v....more