Chambers & Co

Even if you have already set up a franchise network, there are still good reasons for looking for alternative legal advice. Here we discuss the reasons for change and what Chambers & Co can offer you.

Why Change? Back to Top

When established businesses move to Chambers & Co from their existing legal advisors, we find four main reasons:

• With a non-specialist practice they increasingly find that they know more about franchising issues than their own lawyer and don't feel they get value for money.
• They realise that their original franchise agreement does not give them the protection that they thought they had when disputes arise.
• They find that their current advisor more often than not tells them why they can't do something, rather than telling them how to do it.
• They are facing too high a proportion of franchisees leaving the network, or franchisees are abusing system controls - and they want to talk to someone who has 'been there' to see what to do.

Why Chambers & Co? Back To Top

The law relating to franchising is surprisingly complex, but we pride ourselves on presenting sensible commercial solutions in a down to earth manner. Chambers team members are each acknowledged to be in the top of their field. Their work is coordinated by John Chambers, who is famed for his "immensely practical" approach. John has been in the industry since 1988 and was a member of the British Franchise Association Legal Committee before its absorption back into the British Franchise Association. (See the Chambers Team for more details).

What we offer Back To Top

It is our approach to the key elements of your franchise business that encourages many to change legal advisers.

• Agreement and prospectus. We will review your existing agreement free of charge. If we think it is fine we will say so. If it needs strengthening we will give you a fixed price for carrying out the work. This can often include an across the table review of your franchise controls, structure, and systems similar to that offered to prospective franchisors.
• Dispute resolution. The 80:20 rule applies here - 20% of your network will often give you 80% of the trouble. Rarely is terminating a franchise the best option. We have particular skills in resolution, but we won't drag a serious dispute out to increase our costs. We will tell you what we think your position is and agree an objective for trying to sort it out.
• Data protection. This is one of the current Hot Topics. Many franchisees have used data protection legislation to try and wriggle out of their franchise. Some will use it as an excuse to be difficult about passing across a customer base, often on the run up to a termination. We can review your notification, privacy policy and then prepare a data protection policy and even assist your whole network to properly notify their businesses. This is particularly important in instances where a large amount of customer data is kept and shared by each franchisee.
• Resales. Another Hot Topic. We have a simple package that drives the resale to meet your training dates and uses the purchase price to clear any debts to you from your outgoing franchisee. It is often paid for by the outgoing and incoming franchisees and is therefore usually free to you.
• General counsel. When you need a different perspective on a particular issue, be it something that affects an individual franchisee or the entire network, you often have no one to test it against. The British Franchise Association does offer an admirable discussion forum, but at best only once a quarter. The Chambers team are here when you need them. With over 50 years combined experience of franchising matters, it is probable that we have met that particular issue before, and can apply proven methods to your particular situation.