Franchise Law
Franchise law, across the whole lifecycle
Entry, setup, growth, disputes and exit. Franchising is the centre of this firm’s practice , not a sideline of a general commercial book.
Since 2013 · Minerva Law
2,880
Franchise agreements reviewed
63
Franchisor systems established
162
Disputes resolved at mediation
584
Lease matters negotiated
What we do
The franchise lifecycle
Franchise problems arrive in a sequence, and each stage needs a different kind of help.
01
Entry
Is this the right franchise, on the right terms?
Franchise agreement and disclosure document review, financial and territory analysis, lease and fit-out obligations, and a plain-English risk memo you can act on.
02
Setup
Building a network on documents that hold
Franchise agreements, disclosure documents, Key Facts Sheets, operations manual review, territory and multi-site structuring, and Code compliance systems.
03
Growth
Sites, leases, supply, IP and the paperwork underneath
Retail and commercial leasing, assignments, supplier and distribution agreements, trade mark and IP protection, and the corporate structuring that carries expansion.
04
Dispute
Resolved at mediation wherever it can be
Breach and termination disputes, restraint and non-compete issues, ACCC and Code complaints, mediation under the Franchising Code, and litigation where mediation fails.
05
Exit
Renewal, transfer, termination and what each one costs
Renewal negotiations, transfers and sales of franchised businesses, end-of-term obligations, restraint enforcement and orderly wind-down.
Who we act for
Both sides of the agreement
Franchisees
Buying in, renewing, or trying to get out.
- Agreement and disclosure review before you sign
- Renewal and transfer negotiations
- Lease and guarantee exposure
- Breach notices, termination and restraints
- Mediation under the Franchising Code
Franchisors
Building, running and protecting a network.
- Franchise agreements and disclosure documents
- Code compliance and Key Facts Sheets
- Territory, multi-site and master franchise structures
- Supplier, IP and licensing arrangements
- Enforcement, terminations and exits
Franchise Ease
A fixed-scope franchise agreement review
If you have a franchise agreement and disclosure document in front of you and a deadline to sign, Franchise Ease is the fastest way in. Defined scope, defined turnaround, a written risk memo at the end of it.
How we work
Three steps, no mystery
01
Tell us what you have
Send the agreement, the disclosure document and the deadline. We tell you whether you need a review, a negotiation or a dispute lawyer.
02
Scope and fee in writing
You get the scope and the fee before work starts. No open-ended hourly surprises on a review.
03
A memo you can act on
Plain-English risk memo, ranked by what actually matters commercially, plus the amendments worth asking for.
Common questions
Franchise law, answered
Do I need a lawyer to review a franchise agreement?
The Franchising Code gives you a 14-day cooling-off period after signing, but by then you are already in. A review before signing tells you what the agreement actually obliges you to do, what the territory is really worth, and which clauses a franchisor will realistically move on.
Can a franchise agreement be negotiated?
More often than franchisors suggest. Territory, renewal rights, personal guarantees, fit-out obligations, transfer fees and restraint periods are all commonly adjusted. What rarely moves is anything the franchisor must keep identical across the network.
What happens if a franchise dispute goes to mediation?
Most franchising disputes must go to mediation before court. Mediation under the Franchising Code is confidential and comparatively fast, and the great majority resolve there. We have resolved 162 disputes at mediation since 2013.
Is Minerva Law only a franchise firm?
Franchising is our focus, but the firm also acts across business and commercial law, property and conveyancing, litigation and disputes, mediation and aviation law.
Next step
Tell us what you're signing, building or disputing.
We’ll tell you what it actually means for the business, clearly and in commercial terms. Initial consultation is complimentary.