Marc Lieberstein will speak on a panel titled “Not a Franchise (We Promise): Structuring and Defending Alternative Business Models” at the 49th Annual Forum on Franchising, presented by the American Bar Association, in Toronto, Canada. Franchise attorneys are regularly tasked with structuring business arrangements to fall outside federal and state franchise and business opportunity laws, and assessing whether existing arrangements may have crossed the line and implicated these laws. This workshop will focus on key definitional elements of franchise and business opportunity laws, potential exemptions and exclusions, and administrative and case law interpreting the application of these laws to various distribution and licensing arrangements. The workshop will also describe popular alternatives to franchise and business opportunity arrangements, and practical tips for structuring them to avoid the initial and ongoing application of franchise and business opportunity laws.

The Forum on Franchising serves as a leading source of knowledge for legal, business, and regulatory aspects of franchising. The sessions are tailored toward franchise lawyers, in-house counsel, and professionals representing both franchisors and franchisees.