GT attorneys David Oppenheim, Toni Brown, and Kyle Lennox will speak at the 2023 IFA Legal Symposium in Washington D.C.
David Oppenheim will moderate a panel titled, "Lessons Learned by Franchise Systems from Crisis Events." This session will discuss how franchise systems can plan for crisis events and the ways to cope with crisis events as they occur. There will be a particular focus on the impact to franchise systems as a result of the war in Ukraine and related sanctions impacting Russia, including supply chain disruptions and the enforcement of intellectual property rights.
Toni Brown will serve as a panelist for a session titled, "Commissions, Rebates, and Disclosure: Oh My!" With an increasing focus on supplier rebates and commissions to franchisors from franchisees and regulators seeking to impose stricter and more specific disclosure requirements, it can be difficult for franchisors to navigate and they may need to reevaluate their sourcing and distribution relationships. This session will also discuss best practices for use of rebates and other supplier payments.
Kyle Lennox will moderate a panel titled, "Taking International Expansion to the Next Level: A Practical Guide to International Franchising." This program explores how franchisors can work with local counsel to discuss common legal considerations and develop business and legal strategies for the successful international expansion of a franchise system. This will include an overview of international franchise structures and the appropriate form of an international franchise agreement, jurisdictions with franchise registration and disclosure laws, the use of letter of intents and international disclosure documents, as well as issues such as withholding taxes and dispute resolution.