Podcast - New Guidance on Complying with FTC Rule on Deceptive and Unfair Fees
The FTC Takes Action Against Grubhub
AD Nauseam: A Different Type of Imposter Syndrome
5 Key Takeaways | Petitions for Expungement or Reexamination of the Trademark Modernization Act
5 Key Takeaways | Combating Misrepresentations in Trademark Prosecution and Maintenance
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 341: Listen and Learn -- Contract Defenses
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 164: Listen and Learn -- Contract Defenses
Law Brief®: Michael Grudberg, Robert Heim and Richard Schoenstein Discuss the Theranos Verdict
Williams Mullen's COVID-19 Comeback Plan: Preparing Today for Tomorrow's PPP Audit
Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 86: Tackling a California Bar Exam Essay: Remedies
BakerHostetler Partner Alan Friel Talks Big Data and Data Collection
Homebuilder Series Webinar: Protecting Your Company From Misrepresentation Claims Through Contractual Exculpatory Clauses
Bank of America Tries Excuse They Often Scoff at in Fraud Suits Filed by DOJ, SEC
A New York federal court denied a franchisor’s motion to dismiss a franchisee’s complaint for misrepresentations and improper financial performance representations which allegedly induced the franchisee to enter into multiple...more
An Ohio federal court granted a franchisor’s motion to dismiss a putative class of franchisees alleging antitrust violations and related claims, including interference to deflate franchisees’ reimbursement rates. Other class...more
A federal court in Michigan recently granted a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction against one owner of a franchisor, while denying the motion to dismiss against the other owner and granting the franchisor’s...more
A federal court in California recently granted a motion brought by a franchisor and two of its employees to compel arbitration and dismiss an action alleging violations of the California Franchise Investment Law, breach of...more
A federal court in Illinois recently dismissed a former franchisee’s counterclaims for alleged fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of contract regarding the franchisor’s advertising fund, and breach of contract and implied...more
A Wisconsin federal district court allowed an insurance company’s field representative’s allegations that his representation agreement was an unregistered franchise to proceed beyond the pleading stage....more
A gym franchisor recently secured a preliminary injunction against its former franchisee prohibiting the franchisee from operating an independent gym on the same location and using the franchisor’s trade secrets. Chris...more
Two Illinois Federal Courts Deny Class Certification in Anti-Poaching Class Actions Against Franchisors - Two federal courts in Illinois have rejected motions to certify classes of employees who worked in franchised...more
Welcome to The Franchise Memorandum by Lathrop GPM. Periodically, The Franchise Memorandum focuses on topics primarily of interest to companies that use distributors and dealers rather than manage a business format franchise...more
A Minnesota federal court ruled in favor of a franchise broker on summary judgment. The court dismissed misrepresentation claims brought by a military veteran who alleged unlawful inducement to invest in a failed kickboxing...more
Welcome to The Franchise Memorandum by Lathrop GPM. Below are summaries of recent legal developments of interest to franchisors. Fraud/Misrepresentation - Minnesota Federal Court Rules that Fraud and Misrepresentation...more
Welcome to The Franchise Memorandum by Lathrop GPM, formerly known as The GPMemorandum. Below are summaries of recent legal developments of interest to franchisors. Given the widespread and evolving impact of the COVID-19...more
A federal court in Missouri ruled that a franchisee’s fraud claim cannot be based on the franchisor’s prediction at a franchise expo of future success in the franchised business....more
Court Dismisses Ostensible Agency Claim on Motion for Reconsideration - A federal court in California has granted a motion for reconsideration in light of recent Ninth Circuit precedent, reversing the district court’s...more
Morgan Rothschild (“Rothschild”), sole owner of the Party Princess franchise system, sold a party planning franchise for the territory of Washington and promised the franchisee would achieve certain sales. Prior to the sale,...more
Hot dog franchisor, Charlie Graingers, was unable to obtain dismissal of a federal lawsuit brought by franchisees alleging fraud, misrepresentation and breach of fiduciary duty....more
Labor and Employment - Jimmy John's Avoids Joint-Employer Finding in Worker Overtime Litigation - In In re: Jimmy John's Overtime Litigation, 2018 WL 3231273 (N.D. Ill. June 14, 2018), a federal district court ruled that...more
A franchisor is allowed to make "financial performance representations" in its disclosure documents. These figures may project how much money a franchisee is likely to make and can play a critical part in the franchisor's...more
Most experienced franchisors know better than to make claims about profits franchisees can expect when those claims do not match the information in the franchisor's Franchise Disclosure Document. However, if a franchisor or...more
Goodwin Procter’s Business Litigation Reporter provides timely summaries of key cases and other developments within dedicated Business Litigation sessions and related courts throughout the country – courts within which...more
Rob & Bud's Pizza ("R&B") is a Papa Murphy's franchisee and owns and operates multiple Papa Murphy's Take 'n' Bake Pizza restaurants in Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas. In April 2014, R&B and other Papa Murphy's franchisees...more
A federal court in Florida has ruled that a disclaimer of representations contained in the franchise agreement between a childcare business franchisor and its franchisees barred claims against the franchisor for alleged...more