Franchising packages someone else's brand and system into your business — which means the relationship is governed by a dense, one-sided contract, a federal disclosure regime, and, in Illinois, a statute with real teeth. I represent franchise parties in disputes, and I counsel them before disputes become necessary.
Litigation and dispute resolution
- Wrongful termination and non-renewal — the Illinois Franchise Disclosure Act requires good cause and notice before a franchisor terminates or refuses to renew, and provides remedies when those protections are ignored.
- Franchise fraud and disclosure violations — misrepresentations and improper financial performance claims made during the sales process, and defective or late Franchise Disclosure Documents.
- Encroachment and territory disputes — new outlets, company stores, or online channels cannibalizing a franchisee's protected market.
- System disputes — fights over fees, required vendors, remodel mandates, transfer and succession rights, and post-termination non-competes.
- Arbitration — many franchise agreements compel it; I handle franchise arbitrations and the court fights about whether and where arbitration must occur.
Counseling: the cheaper half of the practice
The best franchise dispute is the one you never have. I review Franchise Disclosure Documents and franchise agreements with prospective franchisees before they sign — translating the document into plain English, flagging the terms that bite (personal guarantees, liquidated damages, cross-defaults, unilateral system changes), and negotiating the points that are actually negotiable. I also advise operating franchisees at inflection points: renewals, transfers, sales of the business, multi-unit development commitments, and exit planning.
Both sides of the table
I have represented franchisees against systems and worked with franchisors seeking to enforce their standards lawfully. That perspective cuts both ways to your benefit: I know the pressure points franchisors respond to, and I know the compliance failures that turn a routine termination into a statutory claim.
Timing note for franchisees
Claims under franchise statutes carry limitation periods that can be shorter than you expect, and franchise agreements often shorten them further. If you believe the system misled you or is squeezing you out, get the timeline evaluated now — waiting can quietly extinguish your best claims.