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Doug Luther is a franchise attorney based in Newport Beach, California. He works with franchisees who need clear direction while navigating disagreements, negotiations, and other challenging moments in their franchise relationships. After many years in practice, he approaches each matter with a steady focus on clarity, strategy, and helping clients feel grounded when things feel uncertain.

He primarily supports franchise owners who are dealing with issues involving contracts, system requirements, and disputes with their franchisor. Clients often describe his style as calm and direct, with a way of explaining complex situations in language that feels manageable. In practice, he aims to make the process feel less overwhelming so clients can make informed decisions with confidence.

Before joining Luther Lanard PC, he spent years representing large companies and high-profile clients at national law firms, which gave him an inside view of how major players approach conflict and negotiation. He later served as general counsel for a growing senior-care franchise brand, where he built the legal function and handled everything from registrations to disputes. He earned his law degree from UCLA School of Law and completed his undergraduate studies at UCLA as well. This mix of litigation and in-house experience gives him a practical understanding of how franchise systems really operate.

Outside the office, he likes to be outdoors in the California sun and enjoys spending time with his family.

Bar Admissions

  •  California State Court
  •  U.S. District Court Central District of California
  •  U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
  •  U.S. District Court Southern District of California

Education

  • University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, J.D.
  • Loyola Marymount University, B.A.

Professional Associations

  • Orange County Bar Association 
  • American Bar Association, Forum on Franchising 
  • California Lawyers Association, Franchise Law Committee
    • Chair 
    • Case Reporter
    • Vice Chair, Membership 
  • Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Orange County Chapter 
  • Association of Corporate Counsel, Southern California Chapter
  • University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law Alumni Association
  • Bruin Professionals 
  • Loyola Marymount Alumni Association 

Awards & Recognitions

  • Southern California Rising Stars, Super Lawyers, 2018, 2019, 2023
  • Southern California Super Lawyers, 2025
  • Legal Eagle, Franchise Times, 2018, 2019, 2024

Speaking & Publications

Published Opinions

  • Thurston Ent., Inc. v. Safeguard Business Systems, Inc., 435 P.3d 489 (2019)
  • T3 Ent., Inc. v. Safeguard Business Systems, Inc. 435 P.3d 518 (2019)

Presentation and Publications

  • “Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Accounting and Requirements” – Presenter, CEB Webinar (October 24, 2024)
  • “Wait, What Will This Cost Me? Best Practices for Cost and Related Financial Disclosures” – Presenter, American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising (November 1, 2023) 
  • “Worker (Mis)classification: Industry Trends and Impact, Franchising and Other Models” – Presenter, California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting (September 23, 2023) 
  • “Independent Contractor or Employee? – Current State of the Ever-Changing Law and Its Impact on Franchising,” Presenter, American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising (October 30, 2020)
  • “AB 5: The Codification of the ABC Test – A Franchising Perspective,” Presenter, California Lawyers Association Webinar (December 12, 2019)
  • “Franchise Deskbook: Selected State Laws, Commentary and Annotations, Third Edition,” Contributing author, American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising (2019)
  • “Walking the Line: When are In-House Counsel’s Communications or Advice to a Franchisee an Ethical Violation?” Co-author, Franchise Law Journal (Spring 2018)

Fun facts:

  • Successfully escaped from Alcatraz (by swimming)
  • Ran seven half marathons
  • Played college water polo
  • Visited 40 countries
  • Whiskey collector
  • Undergraduate thesis was a documentary film on congressional redistricting
  • Won first trial (small claims) in the first year of law school
  • During law school assisted in the preparation of Professor Lynn LoPucki and now Senator Elizabeth Warren’s textbook, Secured Credit: A Systems Approach