Most people sign a franchise agreement believing the brand behind it has already looked after their interests. The contract says otherwise. The franchisor drafts it for the franchisor, and it usually stays in force long after the enthusiasm of the first year has worn off. The Partnership of Mario L Herman and Gregory O Herman, a Washington, D.C. firm, works with people who want to know what the document really says while they still have the option to walk away.The firm reviews and drafts franchise agreements, negotiates terms before signing, handles renewals, and advises on exit strategies when an owner wants out. It also represents clients in arbitration and litigation involving territorial encroachment, quality-control disputes, false earnings claims, trademark violations, breach of contract, and claims for future royalties after termination. Anyone weighing a franchise offer should have a franchise agreement attorney examine the terms line by line, because the clauses that cause the most damage are rarely the ones a buyer thinks to question.
Speaking about the risks buyers overlook, a spokesperson for the firm said, "The problem is rarely the clause someone worried about. It is the one nobody read. We see owners who assumed a territory was protected or that they could sell when they were ready, only to find the agreement said something different. By the time that surfaces, the leverage is gone. A few hours of review before signing is worth more than a year of litigation afterward."
The partnership serves franchisees and franchisors across the printing, real estate, hotel, restaurant, healthcare, fitness, and domestic services industries, among others. Mario L Herman graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 1983 and is a Member in Good Standing of the District of Columbia Bar. Gregory O Herman focuses on franchise matters and arbitration and brings an international legal background to cross-border matters.
Franchise disputes rarely stay small. What starts as a disagreement over a marketing fee or a nearby location can end in termination, and the costs fall on the owner who signed without counsel.
About the Partnership of Mario L Herman and Gregory O Herman
The Partnership of Mario L Herman and Gregory O Herman represents domestic and international clients in franchise matters from its Washington, D.C., office. Whether a client needs a domestic franchise attorney for a purchase here in the United States or counsel experienced in cross-border agreements, the firm reviews terms before a deal closes and remains involved once operations begin. The firm offers free consultations to all prospective clients. For more information, please visit https://www.franchise-law.com/ .