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Owning a franchise can be a powerful way to build wealth, expand your business reach, and invest in a proven brand. However, behind the marketing brochures and operational playbooks, the franchise world is filled with complex legal obligations, potential disputes, and high-stakes financial decisions. Whether you are considering buying your first franchise or managing a multi-unit operation across Orange County, having our experienced Newport Beach franchise attorney near me law firm is essential to protecting your rights and bottom line.
At Luther Lanard, PC, we focus exclusively on representing franchisees, not franchisors. From single-unit owners to corporations overseeing hundreds of locations, we provide clear, strategic legal guidance tailored to the real challenges franchisees face in California, across the U.S., and internationally. If you are dealing with a franchise dispute, reviewing a new opportunity, or planning an exit, we are ready to help you move forward confidently.
Why Hire a Franchise Lawyer Near You?
Franchise law is a niche legal area that blends contract law, business law, real estate law, trademark law and state and federal regulatory frameworks. A typical general business lawyer may not fully understand the intricacies of the Franchise Rule, state franchise laws like the California Franchise Investment Law (CFIL), or the industry-specific dynamics at play between franchisors and franchisees.
Franchisees across Newport Beach and Orange County frequently encounter significant legal challenges when disputes arise. Franchisors are typically larger, well-capitalized organizations with in-house legal teams. To level the playing field, franchisees need a law firm like Luther Lanard, PC, that understands how franchisors operate and how to push back when things go wrong.
Who Our Newport Beach Franchise Lawyers Represent
Our franchise attorneys at Luther Lanard, PC, represent franchisees in all phases of the franchise lifecycle, including:
- New franchisees evaluating potential investment opportunities
- Existing franchisees expanding into multi-unit agreements or purchasing additional territories
- Franchise owners in dispute with their franchisor or landlord
- Franchisees planning to exit their franchise network
- Franchise associations and class actions involving multiple franchisees
Whether you operate a single food service location in Newport Beach, a chain of health and wellness franchises across the O.C., or international hospitality units abroad, our lawyers provide practical, results-driven counsel with thorough experience in franchise law.
Our Franchise Attorneys Handle Many Common Franchise Disputes
Unfortunately, even the best franchise relationships can break down. Our Newport Beach, CA franchise attorneys routinely represent franchisees in high-stakes disputes involving:
Breach of Contract
Franchise agreements are lengthy, complicated documents, and when a franchisor fails to uphold their end of the bargain, it can significantly impact your business. We represent franchisees in breach of contract claims against franchisors for:
- Failure to Provide Agreed-Upon Support: Can include inadequate training, insufficient marketing support, or a lack of promised operational assistance
- Breach of Exclusive Territory: When a franchisor permits encroachment, a competing unit to open within your protected territory
- Unauthorized System Changes: Implementing changes to the franchise system without proper notice or in violation of the agreement
- Misappropriation of Advertising Funds: When franchisors misuse funds collected for marketing and advertising purposes
- Failure to Deliver Promised Goods or Services: Issues with supply chain, product quality, or technology provided by the franchisor
We meticulously analyze the contract, gather evidence of the breach, and pursue all available legal avenues to seek damages, specific performance, or other appropriate remedies.
Fraud and Unfair Trade Practices
Unfortunately, some franchisors engage in deceptive or unfair practices that harm franchisees. We aggressively pursue claims of fraud and unfair trade practices, including:
- Misrepresentations in the FDD: When the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) contains false or misleading information about financial performance, litigation history, or other material facts
- Deceptive Sales Practices: Misleading statements or promises made during the franchise sales process that are not reflected in the FDD or franchise agreement
- Violation of State Franchise Laws: Many states, including California, have specific laws protecting franchisees from unfair and deceptive acts.
- Churning: A franchisor’s practice of intentionally driving franchisees out of business to replace them with new, fee-paying franchisees
We leverage federal and state consumer protection laws, franchise statutes, and common law fraud principles to hold franchisors accountable for their deceptive conduct.
Termination and Non-Renewal
The prospect of termination or non-renewal of your franchise agreement can be devastating, jeopardizing years of hard work and significant financial investment. We provide robust defense for franchisees facing these threats:
- Challenging Wrongful Termination: When a franchisor attempts to terminate your agreement without just cause or without following proper notice and cure procedures
- Negotiating Cure Periods: Working to secure and maximize your opportunity to remedy any alleged breaches, preventing termination
- Disputing Non-Renewal: If a franchisor attempts to not renew your agreement unfairly or without legitimate business reasons, especially if you have met all contractual obligations
- Seeking Injunctive Relief: When necessary, pursuing court orders to prevent a franchisor from unlawfully terminating your agreement
- Negotiating Exit Strategies: If termination is unavoidable, working to achieve the most favorable exit terms possible, minimizing your losses
California law protects franchisees against wrongful termination and non-renewal. We fight to preserve your right to keep operating or recover fair compensation if the franchisor pushes you out without cause.
Exiting a Franchise
Whether due to market changes, personal reasons, or dissatisfaction with the franchisor, there may come a time when you need to consider exiting a franchise. This process can be complex and involve significant legal and financial implications. We help you exit your franchise while minimizing liability and maximizing returns.
Franchise Encroachment
Franchise encroachment occurs when a franchisor establishes a new, competing unit too close to an existing franchisee’s location or allows another franchisee to do so, thereby hurting your sales. This can be a significant threat to your profitability and franchise value. We fight for franchisees impacted by encroachment by analyzing territory definitions, demonstrating economic harm, negotiating compensation or remedies, and pursuing litigation if negotiations fail.
Lease Disputes
While often linked to your franchise agreement, lease disputes can also arise directly with your landlord. As your business’s physical home, securing and maintaining a favorable lease is paramount. We represent franchisees in various lease-related conflicts, including rent disputes, repair and maintenance issues, eviction proceedings, construction delays, and common area maintenance (CAM) disputes.
Misclassification of Franchisees
We understand the complexities surrounding misclassification issues, particularly concerning whether individuals are correctly classified as franchisees or employees. This can have significant implications for liability and compliance.
While our focus is on the franchise relationship, we can advise on the legal landscape surrounding misclassification within the context of your overall business operations, helping you understand potential risks related to the franchisor-franchisee relationship.
Franchise Associations and Class Actions
When numerous franchisees within a system face similar issues or grievances, individual action may not be enough. We represent franchisees in association and class actions, leveraging the collective strength of multiple franchisees to pursue claims against a franchisor. This can include:
- System-wide Breaches of Contract: When a franchisor implements a policy or practice that breaches the agreements of many franchisees
- Widespread Fraud or Misrepresentation: When deceptive practices impact a significant number of franchisees
- Unfair System-Wide Fee Increases: Challenging unjustifiable increases in royalties, advertising fund contributions, or other fees
- Unfair Business Practices Affecting Many: Addressing pervasive unfair practices that harm the entire franchisee network
By uniting with other franchisees, you can achieve greater leverage and pursue more impactful remedies than might be possible individually.
We Also Handle Franchise Agreements and Legal Transactions
We help franchisees at all stages of the business lifecycle by providing legal support for:
Franchise Legal Review
Before you sign a franchise agreement or pay any fees, let us review your franchise contract. We will highlight the hidden risks, unfair terms, and long-term obligations that many new franchisees overlook so you can make an informed investment decision.
Multi-Unit Agreements
If you are considering scaling up, we negotiate and review multi-unit and area development agreements to help you protect your rights as your responsibilities expand. Whether you are expanding across Orange County or nationwide, we can help structure the deal to support your long-term success.
Business Formation
Choosing the right legal entity is crucial for managing liability and taxes. We help franchisees form LLCs, corporations, or partnerships tailored to their goals, ownership structure, and franchise requirements.
Lease Review and Negotiation
Franchisors often require franchisees to lease or sublease retail space, and these lease terms can have long-term consequences. We negotiate lease agreements with commercial landlords in Newport Beach and throughout California to secure fair rent, renewal options, and assignment flexibility.
Buying and Selling Franchises
Buying an existing franchise location can be a smart move, but it is also legally complex. We represent buyers and sellers of franchise units, handling due diligence, contract negotiation, asset purchase agreements, and franchisor approval processes to ensure a clean, profitable transaction.
Investment Due Diligence
If you are considering a franchise investment, we perform legal and financial due diligence on franchisors, territory performance, and FDD to help you avoid risky or unproven opportunities.
Outside General Counsel Services
If you need day-to-day legal guidance but are not ready for in-house counsel, our firm serves as outside general counsel for multi-unit and multi-brand franchisees, offering responsive, business-minded legal support on an ongoing basis.
Our Franchise Attorneys Near You Are Your Trusted Partners in Success
Choosing the right legal partner can significantly impact your success as a franchisee. Our Newport Beach firm combines national franchise law proficiency with a client-first approach tailored to the realities of operating in Orange County and beyond. Here is why franchisees trust us to guide and protect their businesses:
- Dedicated to Franchisee Success: Our firm is passionately focused on representing franchisees, not franchisors. We solve the legal challenges franchisees face, from new sign-ups to multi‐unit, national, and global operations. That laser focus ensures our advice is one-sided and advocates for your interests.
- Nationwide Reach with Local Knowledge: While based in Newport Beach, Orlando, and Plymouth Meeting, we are part of a national boutique firm with deep roots locally and a proven ability to serve franchisees across the U.S. and around the world. That means you get a team plugged into Orange County’s commercial real estate market, regional brand-support trends, and state and national regulatory developments.
- Franchise Law Focus: With over 80 years of combined experience in franchise law, including former in-house counsel for franchisors, our team brings unparalleled insight. Our mission is to be the foremost experts in franchise law and legal issues that franchisees face. We know franchise laws and how to utilize them to protect you.
- Responsive, Creative, and Results-Oriented: We operate with a proprietary “speak softly and carry a big stick” philosophy, negotiating when possible, but not hesitating to litigate when necessary. We have secured over $20 million in judgments and settlements, a testament to our ability to stand tough for clients.
- Solutions Tailored to Your Business: From evaluating your FDD and franchise agreement to structuring multi-unit deals, entity formation, lease negotiations, and exit strategies, we cover every angle. We consider ourselves an extension of your team and pride ourselves on offering outside general counsel services to franchisees who need wise, ongoing legal advice.
- Value-Driven with Transparent Fees: We understand that legal expenses matter. That is why our firm offers flat fees, creative billing models, and complete transparency, delivering exceptional legal advocacy without surprise costs. As our mission states, we strive to obtain results and deliver substantial value efficiently.
- Mission-Driven Advocacy: At our core, we believe franchising can be the American Dream, and our goal is to help franchisees realize it. Your success is our success, and we build our practice on long-term relationships, strategic thinking, and a commitment to creative solutions.
For franchisees in Newport Beach and throughout Orange County, Luther Lanard, PC, is more than just a legal service provider. We are your strategic partner. We understand that your franchise is your livelihood, your investment, and often, your dream. We are dedicated to protecting that dream. Our commitment to representing only franchisees ensures that our advice aligns with your best interests.
Contact Our Newport Beach Franchise Attorney Near Me Law Firm
Whether you are entering a new franchise, facing a dispute with your franchisor, or preparing to exit the business, Luther Lanard, PC, can help you protect your investment and plan a smart legal path forward. Contact our Newport Beach office today to schedule a confidential consultation and learn how we can support your goals as a franchisee. Our franchise attorneys near you can help you make the most of your franchise journey without worrying about the legal fine print.