Bryan Dillon - Luther Lanard, PC Skip to Content
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Bryan Dillon is a franchise attorney based in Northern California. He works with franchise owners, associations, and small business operators who need practical guidance when disputes arise or when they are making important decisions about their businesses. With more than 25 years of experience, he approaches each matter with a steady focus on clear thinking, preparation, and helping clients understand what is happening at every stage.

His work centers on franchise relationships, business disputes, and the agreements that shape how a business operates over time. In practice, that can mean helping a franchise owner evaluate a disagreement, think through next steps, or sort out expectations before a problem grows. Clients often experience him as thoughtful and direct. He explains issues in plain language, asks careful questions, and takes the time to walk through options so clients feel informed rather than pressured.

Before joining Luther Lanard PC, Bryan built a long career focused on franchise and business matters across California. He earned his law degree from Penn State Dickinson Law and completed his undergraduate studies at West Chester University. During law school, he spent time studying abroad in Europe, which helped shape how he looks at complex systems and competing interests. Over the years, his work has included both courtroom advocacy and advising clients on business decisions, giving him a balanced perspective on how issues play out in real life, not just on paper.

Outside the office, he enjoys spending time outdoors, listening to music, and staying connected with family and friends.

Bar Admissions:

  • California State Bar – Member Since: 1999
  • 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court District of Nebraska
  • U.S. District Court District of Nevada
  • U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts

Education:

  • The Dickinson School of Law – Pennsylvania State University – J.D. – 1999
  • University of Strasbourg School of Law – 1997 (Summer Session)
  • University of Vienna School of Law – 1997 (Summer Session)
  • West Chester University – B.A. – 1992 – Magna Cum Laude, Outstanding Graduating Senior Award, School of Business and Public Affairs.
  • Leningrad State Technical University – Leningrad, USSR – 1990 (Semester Abroad)

Professional Associations:

  • American Bar Association, Forum on Franchising (2000-Present)
  • Franchise and Distribution Law Advisory Commission, State Bar of California. 
    • Commissioner – (2015 – 2019)
    • Chair (2018 – 2019) 
  • Franchise Law Committee, State Bar of California. (2010 – 2014)
    • Co-Chair (2014)
    • Vice Chair (2013)
  • American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) – Legal Line Member
    • Co- Chair Annual Summit – 2020

Awards & Recognitions:

  • American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) – Supporting Member of the Year Award (2021)
  • Legal Eagle, Franchise Times (Numerous Years)
  • William H. Dodd Ethics Award, Dickinson School of Law (1999)

Speaking/Publications:

  • 1-800-Got Junk? LLC v. Superior Court (2010) 189 Cal.App.4th 500
  • Reviewing Franchise Disclosure Documents and Proposed Franchise Agreements for Franchisees, CEB, Continuing Legal Education, Feb. 2024
  • Representing Franchisees Handbook, Co-Author, Chapter 9 – Claims Typically Made at the End of the Franchise Relationship, ABA Forum on Franchising, 2022
  • The Long Arm of The Law: The Extraterritorial Scope of State Franchise Registration and Disclosure and Relationship Laws in Litigation, 45th Annual Forum on Franchising
  • Indemnification Provisions in Franchise Agreements: How to Draft Them and How to Enforce Them, 40th Annual Forum on Franchising
  • What Law Applies? The Importance of Understanding the Interplay Between Contractual Choice-of-Law Provisions and State Franchise Laws, The Franchise Lawyer, 
  • The Role of the Lawyer in a Franchisee’s Due Diligence; American Bar Association, 36th Annual Forum on Franchising
  • Forming a Franchisee Association
  •  

Fun Facts:

  • Bryan is an avid hiker and has climbed to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park 5 times.
  • During undergrad, spent a semester abroad in Leningrad, USSR while still under Soviet Rule before it reverted back to Russia and was renamed St. Petersburg.
  • During law school, spent a summer semester abroad traveling the Capitals of the EU, followed by a 5 week backpacking trip across Europe.  
  • Is an avid Bluegrass fan and plays the guitar and mandolin very poorly. 
  • Has been to every State in the U.S. except Alaska.