Top 100 U.S. law firm Akerman LLP is pleased to announce that Franchise and Licensing Sector Team Co-Chairs Kevin Hein and Warren Lewis, Corporate Partner Dale Cohen, Litigation Partner William Sentell, Corporate Partner Robert Smith, and Corporate Special Counsel Trish MacAskill have been selected by Franchise Times as part of its 2022 class of Legal Eagles. According to Franchise Times, “these lawyers live and breathe franchising and truly understand the nuances of the unique business model.” Franchise Times has compiled a nationwide list of lawyers based on nominations and recommendations from clients, peers, and other legal professionals.
For more than two decades, Hein has focused his practice on counseling companies that rely on franchising as part of their distribution models on a wide range of legal issues, including state and federal disclosure requirements, compliance with state relationship laws, franchise sales compliance, restaurant and retail development, franchising in the health and wellness industries, mergers and acquisitions, corporate counseling, bankruptcy and reorganization, and dispute resolution.
In the field of franchising, Lewis has authored books, studies, articles and regulatory comments, frequently speaks at U.S. and international franchise conferences, and has testified before Congress. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Committee on Small Business of the U.S. House of Representatives have cited his studies and regulatory comments.
Cohen focuses her practice on domestic and international franchising, distribution, and licensing law. Cohen advises new emerging brands as well as widely recognized mature brands with respect to structuring and implementing their franchise, distribution, and licensing programs and advises public and private companies and private equity firms in connection with franchise-related mergers and acquisitions and whole business securitizations. Cohen also routinely drafts and negotiates brand sponsorship agreements as well as commercial manufacturing, distribution, and supply contracts.
Sentell focuses his practice on franchise dispute resolution and related corporate, regulatory, and compliance matters. His combination of litigation and transactional experience allows him to provide holistic legal representation to brand owners, distributors, licensors, manufacturers and other franchise stakeholders.
Smith focuses his practice on representing U.S. franchisors expanding internationally and serving as franchise counsel in complex financial transactions, including whole business securitization transactions. As part of his day-to-day counseling, Smith works with clients to create, manage, and revise franchise programs, regulatory Franchise Disclosure Document compliance, workouts, dispute resolution, master franchise and development agent programs, refranchising, and co-branding
MacAskill focuses her practice on franchise and business transactions. MacAskill applies her in-house experience when counseling clients on business, franchising, and licensing issues. She has experience counseling clients on franchise regulatory compliance and negotiating commercial leases and contracts in a broad range of industries, products, and services.
About Akerman
Akerman LLP is a top 100 U.S. law firm recognized among the most forward-thinking firms in the industry by Financial Times. Its more than 700 lawyers and business professionals collaborate with the world’s most successful enterprises and entrepreneurs to navigate change, seize opportunities, and help drive innovation and growth.
About Akerman’s Franchise and Licensing Sector Team
Akerman’s Franchise and Licensing Sector Team is a highly experienced group handling U.S. and international franchising, licensing, dealership and trademark counseling, registration and litigation matters for franchisors, licensors, subfranchisors, dealers, and other business clients. Click here to learn more about Akerman’s Franchise and Licensing team.