Business litigation
Franchise law: review before you sign, litigation when the relationship breaks down
Gegan Law Office in Tampa reviews the franchise agreement and FDD for people about to buy a franchise, and litigates for franchisors and franchisees when a dispute cannot be settled.
Chapter 01
Before you sign: the franchise agreement and the FDD
The franchise disclosure document, or FDD, and the franchise agreement that comes with it describe what a franchisee is actually buying: the fees, the obligations, the restrictions placed on the franchisee and what happens if the relationship ends. Gegan Law Office in Tampa reviews both for prospective franchisees before they sign, which is when a question costs the least to ask.
Review is about reading closely and asking plain questions, not about talking anyone out of a business. Edmund J. Gegan, a litigator since 1994, reads these documents with the question a litigator asks: if this goes wrong, what does the paper say? The first consultation is free. Call (813) 248-8900 to set one up.
A closed ring binder on a wooden cafe counter after closing, stools upturned, pendant lights on
When the relationship fails: litigation for franchisors and franchisees
Franchise disputes run in both directions. A franchisor may need to enforce the agreement against a franchisee who has stopped complying. A franchisee may believe the franchisor did not deliver what the documents or the sales process led them to expect. Gegan Law Office litigates for franchisors and for franchisees, and tells each client early what the agreement does and does not support.
Because the contract usually sets the rules, the work starts with the contract and the record: the agreement, the disclosure document, the correspondence and the payments. From there the choice is between resolving the matter and taking it all the way. If a quiet settlement is the smarter course, Edmund will say so. If you need a clear win, the office will fight for it.
Chapter 03
Mediation, arbitration, federal and state court
Where a Franchise dispute gets decided is often written into the agreement itself, which is one more reason to read it before a problem exists. Some disputes go to mediation, some to arbitration and some to federal or state court. Knowing which applies shapes the strategy, the timeline and the conversation about cost from the very beginning.
Gegan Law Office handles franchise matters in each of those settings from its office at 1005 N Marion Street in Tampa. Call (813) 248-8900 to set up a free initial consultation, whether you are weighing the purchase of a franchise or already in the middle of a dispute with a franchisor or a franchisee.
Gegan Law — Free initial consultation. Contacting the office does not create an attorney-client relationship. Call (813) 248-8900.