Franchise and Distribution

McGuireWoods has a deep bench of lawyers who handle national and international franchise and distribution matters. Our clients range from start-up concepts to some of the nation’s largest franchise and distribution systems, which are active in many other countries as well. Our clients represent a broad spectrum of industries, including food service, hospitality, health and nutrition, automotive, petroleum, and real estate, among others. The Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team is made up of experienced trial lawyers who have litigated and arbitrated disputes in the areas of antitrust, trademark and trade dress infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, advertising, and product liability, among others – some as nationwide class actions.

We recognize that clients assign varying values to the legal work performed by outside counsel, and we bring flexibility to each client relationship. We go toe-to-toe with any adversary in bet-the-company cases, and we develop innovative strategies and fee structures for smaller matters.

Clients expect us to know the law, but they also expect us to understand relationships. They frequently tell us that because we put their interests ahead of our own, we provide a level of client focus that exceeds their highest expectations. We make it a point to understand our clients’ businesses and their goals, and we do our best to help them make money, save money, and sleep better at night. Our “service mark” is unparalleled attention and effective response to our clients’ needs.

We are active participants in the International Franchise Association and the American Bar Association's Franchise Forum, and we are frequent speakers and authors on cutting-edge topics in franchise and distribution law.